Infiniti G35 – Review:
Infiniti was comatose before the G35 arrived to save the day in 2003. Sales were flat-lining, the product lineup was almost entirely comprised of chrome- and leather-trimmed Nissans, and for a brand built on the premise of performance there was nothing from Infiniti that stirred the soul. The G35 changed everything, landing a roundhouse punch to BMW's jaw. With a powerful V6, rear-wheel drive, quick reflexes, and beautiful styling, the G put Infiniti back on the luxury map, leading a product development renaissance that has resulted in some of the most desirable automobiles on the market. Today, the Infiniti G35 is completely redesigned, with more sensual styling, more performance, and more luxury than ever.

To see how the redesigned Infiniti G35 stacks up, we borrowed a pre-production Liquid Platinum example in Sport trim, which starts at $34,150 including a $700 destination charge. Our car was equipped with the power sunroof option for a grand total of $35,150. Options that were not included on our test sample included the Premium, Technology, and Navigation Packages, as well as four-wheel active steering, satellite radio, and a rear spoiler. Fully loaded, the Infiniti G35 Sport can cost nearly $42,000 and though our car was lightly equipped, we didn't suffer for lack of features. Consumers wanting all-wheel drive can select the G35x model, negating concerns about rear-drive in foul-weather climates.

Engineered to deliver rapid acceleration, the G35's 306-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 blasts the sedan to 60 mph in less than six seconds, and my 17.4 mpg average reflects a heavy foot. Throttle response is uneven, with a slight delay as the car gets off the line and then a sudden, frequently unintended rush of speed. If this occurs in a curve, the wheels begin to spin, the tail begins to slide, and the stability control is roused to stop the party. The five-speed automatic includes a manual shift gate and magnesium paddle shifters mounted to the steering wheel, as well as adaptive software. Choose the standard manual gearbox if you wish to avoid the automatic's sometimes unpredictable nature.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe Concept

The Koreans rustle themselves up a rear-drive pony car. Hyundais nothing if not ambitious. What else but ambition could turn a company known only for shoddily m...

2008 Ferrari F430 Scuderia - Previews

In case the F430 wasnt fast (or good) enough. The great thing about the 430 Scuderiaa faster, lighter, and even more compelling version of the F430 is that Ferr...

2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid Preview

Mercury's new 2006 Mariner Hybrid is what most people would consider to be a no-brainer. Fundamentally identical to the Ford Escape, which is available with a g...

2005 Mercury Mariner Preview

NEW YORK CITY, NY - Mercury is hurting. With the departure of the Cougar sport coupe and Villager minivan, the brand was down to four relatively undistinguished...

2005 Mercury Montego Preview

Mercury lands squarely on the family car game board with the 2005 Montego, the first competitive sedan for the company to sell since the original Sable debuted ...