2007 Infiniti M35
Life without V-8 power: we find that the Infiniti M35 can compete with its superb V-8 sibling.
Each of the premium German brands offers a line of high-performance, sports sedans: Audi's S-Class, AMG variants from Mercedes and M-Class BMWs. When Infiniti unveiled its first Infinity sports sedan in 2004 they had the temerity to use the M tag, labeling it the M45 Sport. Clearly they were serious about competing with the Teutonic thoroughbreds, if only in name.
When I drove the 325 hp M45 sport sedan in 2004 I came away impressed. Fast, responsive handling, superior steering feel, great brakes, good driving position and a jewel of a 4.5-liter V-8. Save for the lack of a manual transmission, in overall driving dynamics it was a serious competitor to the BMW 5-Series.
But not everyone feels the need for V-8 power. Fine. Infiniti says the six-cylinder M35 Sport has the same attributes; it just doesn't go quite as fast and costs $6300 less. Maybe. PR flacks get paid to say those things. So I spent a week in a 2007 M35 Sport to find out for myself.
The M35 comes in three flavors: M35 Luxury ($41,450 base price), Sport ($44,250) and AWD ($44,550). No question that the M35 shares its upscale sibling's sumptuous interior and extensive list of standard kit. There's faux carbon-fiber trim adorning the center stack, dash and upper door panels along with aluminum accents. If you absolutely can't live without wood, the optional trim is genuine rosewood.
Sport models receive front seats with more aggressive bolsters that are both comfortable and supportive, particularly appreciated during hard cornering. The driver's is 10-way power-adjustable with power lumbar support. Both are climate-controlled as well, with perforations in the seat cushion and forced-air circulation to keep them heated or cooled.
The driving position and sightlines are generally quite good although the sloping hood falls away abruptly, leaving you with no sense of where the car's front extremities might be. That's not a problem in back, provided that the Technology Package ($2950) is ordered. Aside from a Bose sound system with 8 speakers, this option also includes a satnav system whose big color screen is linked to a rearview camera. Shift into reverse and a grid is superimposed on the image of the scenery behind you with green, yellow and red zones to tell you when you're aiming at nearby pedestrians or fixed objects and when you've about to make contact with one. It's adaptive; turn the steering wheel to a sharper angle and the grid shifts accordingly. Nice system and it should save wear and tear and the rear bumper, not to mention fixed objects and errant pedestrians.
My only complaints about the interior are the design of the upper center stack that houses controls for the HVAC, sound system and satnav system. It's pointed at the ceiling, the switches are awkwardly placed and at night it generates enough glow you can read a newspaper by it.
One other gripe: the witless ignition on/off button on the console. The car can't be started without the presence of the keyfob transmitter, a large lump with no place to call home since there's no conventional ignition switch from which to hang it. This means you'll be stuffing it into your pants pocket while driving, a nuisance not to mention uncomfortable. Walk away from the parked vehicle with it still in your pocket and the horn beeps to remind you that you're walking out of range--and that the car is unlocked. This requires pulling it out of the pocket yet again, to lock the doors. The whole concept is a seriously dumb idea, not to mention inconvenient.
The test car had the Aerodynamic Body Kit ($1,590) that adds subtle ground effects panels and a rear spoiler that's claimed to eliminate lift at high speed. Opinions on styling were mixed; some thought the lowered rocker sills and deeper quarter panels give the car a tail-heavy look. The younger crowd seemed to like it. Regardless, the M35 is an artfully styled car with just enough visual presence to be noticeable, but not enough to be truly engaging. Think E-class with more flair and you're close.
The Sport model gets the proper go-fast stuff. Better handling through less unsprung weight is achieved via 8.5-inch-wide, 19-inch five-spoke, super-lightweight alloys (the others make do with heavier 18 x 8.0-inch alloys). These wear 245/40 Bridgestone REO50A W-rated rubber that's so sticky that at low speeds, you can hear them flinging pebbles against the wheel-well liners. They have a tread wear rating of 140, meaning you can count on replacing them at relatively short intervals.
But there's definitely payback for any shortness in tread life. The M35's well sorted-out suspension, nicely buttoned-down body motions and limited roll help keep the contact patches of those sticky tires firmly in touch with the pavement. The Infiniti generates substantial cornering force; turn-in is prompt, steering response immediate and you can pick an apex and clip it with great precision. The M35 has nearly the cornering capability of the benchmark BMW but there's more to handling than lateral grip alone.
That would be the steering, the one area where the BMW clearly trumps the Infiniti. Power assistance is electric and both effort and boost feel a bit artificial. Still, the steering is accurate enough and delivers enough feedback to let you know what the front tires are doing. With a well-sorted-out rear multi-link suspension and the inherently superior balance of its rear-drive layout, the M35's handling qualities are benign and predictable. This is one area where the two fewer cylinders pays a dividend since the six weighs some 110 pounds less than the V-8, with much of that coming off the front end. To further enhance balance, the engine sits well back in the chassis, making this nearly a front mid-engine platform.
The Sport model also has Rear Active Steer whose electric servo motors adjust rear geometry, inducing toe changes to improve handling at the limit. The chassis itself is communicative: push too hard in a corner and it lets you know when the rubber has reached its limit of adhesion and the back end is preparing to run wide. And it will allow a slight tail-out attitude before the stability-control system steps in (Nissan calls theirs Vehicle Dynamic Control or VDC). If you prefer cornering sideways, it can be switched off entirely. That's one of the attributes of Nissan performance cars I like: they let the driver make the decisions, even if they happen to be dead wrong.
The VQ-series V-6 generates 275 hp and 268 lb-ft, enough power to imbue the over-4,000-pound sedan with some entertainment value. But fuel economy is within a few mpg of the V-8 version I tested last year. Aside from pricing that's over six large under the V-8's, the biggest difference is 50 fewer hp and 67 less pound feet. These numbers are most noticeable in the midrange where the M45 executes passing maneuvers with ease while the M35 needs more time and much bigger numbers on the tach to accomplish the same tasks. The 306 hp version of the V-6 used in the latest 350Z would make for a livelier ride but Infiniti probably felt the shrunken disparity in horsepower between that six and the eight-cylinder version would be an unwise marketing move.
The brakes are powerful but nearly impossible to modulate easily, acting more like a toggle switch--either on or off. New drivers soon learn to feather the pedal to cope with the abrupt action.
Regardless, both M cars have the same 5-speed manumatic that does a very nice job of blipping the throttle on manual downshifts, matching road speed with engine revs. Ratios are well matched for nearly every occasion and the transmission snaps off shifts when pressed hard while almost imperceptibly slurring between gears at light throttle.
At an as-tested price of $51,940, this well-equipped Infiniti M35 was also priced well under the equivalent E350 and comes in under the BMW 5-Series too. It's more of a driver's car than the Mercedes and in many ways, the equal of the BMW. With its attractive pricing, I suspect the Germans may see more than a few of their flock defect to the Infiniti M-Series camp this year.
