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newest face on the block at the time of this writing is the modern, fresh Infiniti
G35. Introduced on the heels of Infiniti's much-improved technological marvel,
the flagship Q45, the G35 represents the next bold attempt on the part of Infiniti
to capture the hearts of luxury car buyers, albeit at just over half the price
of the flagship Q. The G35's big story is music to the enthusiast's ear: rear-wheel
drive. That's right, this crisply styled near-lux entry is doing its best BMW
impression by sending power to the rear, where it won't get in the way of steering
action while improving the sedan's weight distribution. The result is well balanced,
planted handling, with more than enough power (260-horsepower) from the 3.5-liter
V-6. Another bone thrown at German-sedan intenders is the availability of a six-speed
manual gearbox, later in the model year. The
G35's aggressive yet restrained styling does a nice job of imparting a sense of
sophistication while fully communicating the presence of excellent mechanical
bits within; the car appears as fast without looking condescending. A long greenhouse
contributes to an airy cockpit, with lots of metallic trim and other fine materials.
Many of us agree that this is the best-looking Infiniti ever. Want a coupe? There
will be a G35 coupe in the fall that is even sexier than the sedan. And for the
price, estimated to come in well under $30K, the G35 represents the near-luxury
bargain of the year.
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