Cavalry Has Arrived

During a sweaty-palmed dash through winding roads in the Santa Cruz Mountains near San Francisco, the lithe second-generation all-new Infiniti G35 sedan reveals itself to be among the rare automotive species that inspire drivers to continually test its performance limits.

The first-generation G35 broke open the market for Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.'s flagging Infiniti luxury brand when it arrived in 2002 on the same FM (Front Midship) architecture that underpins the Nissan 350Z, G35 coupe and Infiniti FX cross/utility vehicle.

It did battle in the fierce lower luxury segment, which has nearly 20 competitors and is known for chewing up and spitting out weak players.

But the G35 has held its own, managing a solid third place in 2005 by racking up 68,728 deliveries. Only the BMW 3-Series and Acura TL sold more.

However, the outgoing model needs reinforcements in this tight segment. The Lexus brand is on a tear with its new IS and ES sedans. The ES already has wrestled its way to third place past the G35, according to Ward's data.

But now that the new G35 is gracing showrooms, it will pull closer to the almighty 3-Series and further outpace the rest of the pack.

The cavalry has arrived, riding on the second-generation unibody FM chassis that Infiniti says is 40% stiffer than the first, isolating annoying vibrations. Following the sedan, an all-new G35 coupe arrives in mid-2007.

The footprint of the new G35 is extremely close to the model it replaces. Wheelbase is unchanged at 112.2 ins. (285 cm). Despite looking beefier, the car gains only 29 lbs. (13 kg) in rear-wheel-drive, 5-speed automatic guise, tipping the scales at 3,497 lbs. (1,584 kg).

The outgoing G35 was attractively styled, and Infiniti wisely retained the sheet metal's overall shape. At the corners, however, the styling is a bold departure. Headlamps and tail lamps wrap around the corners, bulging like a pumped up athlete.

And how many cars in the U.S. play up their Japanese heritage? The G35 does so with style and class.

The chrome grille is meant to resemble samurai sword blades stacked one on top of the other. And one fetching interior trim package includes brushed aluminum on the instrument panel and doors finished to lend the appearance of washi, a handmade Japanese rice paper.

But the soul of the new G35 is its engine, the fourth generation of Nissan's heralded VQ V-6 family, which recently won its 13th consecutive Ward's 10 Best Engines award (see stories, p. 38).

The new design (known internally as VQ35HR, for “high-revving”) churns out 306 hp and 268 lb.-ft. (363 Nm) of torque.

True, the G35 barely musters 20 mpg (11.7 L/100 km) during our test drives (which lags that of the Lexus IS 350), and the engine transmits too much vibration to the clutch pedal when mated to the 6-speed manual transmission.

But the new VQ is exceptionally strong in all gears and restores the silky idle and general smoothness that made it a benchmark more than a decade ago.

Infiniti expects 90% of G35s to sell with the capable 5-speed automatic (six speeds would be more contempory, though), which comes available with magnesium paddle shifters and electronically controlled downshift-rev matching — a great feature for Formula 1 aficionados.

The car stays firmly planted in aggressive maneuvers, and the independent double-wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear setup work effectively to minimize body roll.

Four-wheel vented antilock disc brakes are paired with electronic stability control for extra assurance. Speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering is precise and nicely weighted, tracking with authority and inspiring confidence.

A popular option will be all-wheel drive, which splits torque evenly during normal driving and can apportion 100% of the torque to the rear axle or the front axle, depending on where traction is needed.

Inside, the G35 is inviting, ergonomic and comfortable, striking the ideal balance between luxury and sport.

The instrument panel is beautifully laid out with nary a seam in the soft-touch fabric between the A-pillars. Horizontal bars on the dashboard extend to both front doors, creating a harmonious sense that envelops the front-seat occupants.

Leather inserts in the doors are soft and supple, and the upgrade trim package (costing $450) consists of colorful African rosewood.

There is nothing disjointed about the interior except for the center-console cupholders, which are flimsy and show the only evidence of high-gloss black plastic.

The cabin is extremely quiet, except when the 10-speaker, 374-watt Bose Studio on Wheels stretches its woofers. It's not surround sound, but Bose and Burr-Brown (supplier of the digital audio converter) achieved audiophile sound quality using conventional 2-channel stereo to produce crisp highs, sparkling midrange and deep lows.

The G35 is a lot of car for the money. Prices are $31,450 with a 5-speed automatic and $33,950 for AWD. A G35 Sport with 6-speed manual is $32,250 and with 5-speed automatic is $33,450, excluding $700 destination and handling charges. Infiniti isn't saying how many G35s it plans to deliver in its first full year.

With expressive yet subtle styling, a sterling interior and a world-class powertrain, the G35 does everything asked of it — and more.

'07 Infiniti G35 Sport 6MT

Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

Engine: 3.5L (3,498 cc) DOHC V-6, aluminum block/aluminum heads

Power (SAE net): 306 hp @ 6,800 rpm

Torque: 268 lb.-ft. (363 Nm) @ 5,200 rpm

Compression ratio: 10.6:1

Bore × stroke (mm): 95.5 × 81.4

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Wheelbase: 112.2 ins. (285 cm)

Overall length: 187 ins. (475 cm)

Overall width: 69.8 ins. (177 cm)

Overall height: 57.2 ins. (145 cm)

Curb weight: 3,532 lbs. (1,603 kg)

Market competition: Acura TL; Audi A4; BMW 3-Series; Cadillac CTS; Lexus IS 350; Mercedes C-Class