Sports Car Forum - MotorWorld.net - Nissan gets another chance: Infiniti G35 Sport

Well after a week hiatus due to a busy schedule the reviews are back. This week I decided to give Nissan another opportunity, or rather their infiniti branch. Basically this 2007 g35 Sedan Sport is the same car as I drove a few weeks ago, the 350z, but tuned for luxury. Does it make a difference?

The car I chose for this review was the sport model specced all the way out to $39000. This included a satnav, rwd (they make one with awd), Limited Slip Diff, 13" disc brakes, and 18" wheels.

Well first, the exterior. I like this design. It may be a bit dated having been changed only slightly from the outgoing model, but it still exudes a sense of class that I personally like. This is especially true of the Sport model I drove. The 18" wheels look really aggressive, especially with the massive brake discs in plain view underneath. The rear spoiler also worked with the look.

So into the cabin we go. This interior is fantastic. Easily the best Japanese interior I have ever seen, and on par with BMW. This particular car had the premium package, the navigation package, and the technology package. What does all that mean? Well lets see... voice activated controls, sat nav, power sliding moon roof, rear backup camera, dual climate zones, intelligent cruise control, mp3 player, blue tooth, heated seats, keyless entry and start, and a bose stereo with 10 speakers. The only option it didn't have was the 4 wheel steering. Not bad for 39k fully loaded, almost every option you can imagine on a luxury car. I'm happy to report they all seem to work very well. Even the voice activated controls. None of the Clarksonesque 3 hrs of convincing it to listen to you. It understood me quite well thank you very much. It even found my far out of the way house!

The leather seats are also comfortable, the dash has soft touch surfaces.. All and all a real A+ on the interior. If it seems like Im focusing a lot of time on the interior and gadgets in this review there is a reason. If you recall I called the 350z a metrosexual in his pink shirt for its overwrought even vulgar interior. Well the Infiniti has no such problems. This interior is the businessman in Armani. Either they got a different designer or someone beat some sense into the existing one, as this interior is fantastic for the price.

So how does it drive? Well one flick of the start button and away we go. The car has the same basic characteristics as the 350z. It still is very smooth but not extremely immediate. It never seems to have that burst of power unlike some cars. Still your buying a luxury car, your not exactly looking for raw sports car here. I mean it helps you avoid the age old question: What would your boss do if you left a strip of black tire marks in the parking lot by accident?

As such I find myself not terribly concerned about this inadequacy. The car is still plenty quick, especially for an executive saloon. This is especially true considering it still has the handling and road feel I liked so much on the 350z. Combined with a far superior brake setup which did not end up with a squirrly backend unlike the 350z, I came away very impressed. Also for as fantastic as the car handle the ride was very comfortable. The car didn't jitter and shake like a jackhammer when I went over the rail road tracks, something I can't say about the 350z.

So that brings me to the question would I buy one? Well No.. A better question is, should you? You see I want a sports car. A raw car with 2 seats where driving is the focus. I don't have kids, and I don't give a damn what my boss thinks. In other words I want a Corvette. That being said, if you want a luxury car for a lot cheaper then a BMW with a decent pair of balls then this is the car to get.