Believe it or not, but the GM of the local dealership called us last night and left a message stating they had received an 07 yesterday. Cheryl called them back today, and found out the unit was for test drives only, and was not available for sale. So we both met up there after I got off work for a tour and drive.

Exterior
This thing looks fabulous in person. The model they had was a silver Sport, automatic. I really liked the color, and the lines of the car were gorgeous. IMO, the car looked to have grown quite a bit. I understand the dimensions aren't significantly different, but to me it looked almost as large as the M.

I've been a fan of the sport bumper since the media event in New England a few months back, and I still love it. On the other hand, I absolutely detest the sport wheels, from the pictures. In person, they are merely ok. Quite a step up from my original impressions from the photos. Also, the wheel gap is much smaller than the current models. It's still there, but to a lesser extent. And what can I say about the chrome lip? It's just aweful. Period. It has got to go, as well as the tacky S for the sport model.

One last thing I noticed before I left was the skirts; they're molded to flare at the rear wheels. I really liked the effect.

Interior
Simply amazing. I've not driven a TL, A4, new 330/335, or IS, but I've sat in each. This new interior compares very well to its contemporaries. I really didn't spend much time playing around with the gizmos; I was much more concerned with actually driving it. But I heard *zero* pops, creaks, or rattles; no big deal right? That's how it should be? Compared to my rattle trap, it was quite refreshing.

I didn't check out the back seat; I'm not to worried about it. And the headroom didn't bother me; I'm only 5'8". The driver's seat, compared to the current sedan, is no comparison. With the bolsters and thigh extension, it was quite comfortable. I'd really love to go all-out with sports seats in my current car, but they would detract from the personality; too much of a compromise. I feel these stock seats are the perfect seats for this car; comfortable, well tailored, firm, and sporty. And oh the bolsters..

The shift **** is pretty cool. It seems to be skinnier, but even it feels like it's gone "upscale". The shift pattern is normal, but when you pull it past drive and to the left, the car is then in manumatic mode.

The washi finish is... bleh. Not that I don't like it, just that I'm ambivalent. I'd definitely prefer it over wood(I'm sick of wood on cars), but I can't say I like it any more or less than a traditional clean brushed finish.

The headliner seemed cheaper than the current car. I've seen numerous complaints on this forum about the current headliner, and I've never understood them. Those of you that think the current headliner is cheap, you'll be disappointed in the new model. The material is more "porous", and I really didn't like the look. And the texture was quite rough against my fingertips.

That's about it, except for one more thing, that I don't exactly know how to frame. I pushed against the center stack with my hands, then the console between the seats; various places throughout the dash. There was a little give in places, some more than others. I don't think it made the interior feel "cheap" by any means; after all, I've *never* done the same thing to my own car. Take it as you will.

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I already test drove it too. It's pretty awesome. Very clean vehicle. Something that needs to be seen up close. We are going to unveil it in the next couple weeks. till then it remains under wraps.

 

How was the auto trans? Did you use the manumatic mode much? I hope the shifts, (especially downshifts) are nice and fast, and allow revving up near redline.

 

The nav/radio/cd player display is just beautiful. Very user friendly. The interior is truly a work of art. The seats are very inviting / functional. They felt similar to a BMW's seat. Very comfortable, but also wraps around your body very nicely. No side to side sliding motion when flying through turns.

 

The engine will let you take to red line. Very responsive in manual mode. Very finely tuned as apposed to the older automatics.

 

Gizmos & Knick-knacks
I noticed there was a third button near the trunk release and VDC. I can't remember the label on the button, but it was another three letter acronym. I asked the salesperson, and he said it was for turning on/off the adaptive lighting.

The car was also equipped with the adaptive cruise control. The sales persons stated it was a laser-based system; I don't know for certain. I also didn't attempt to use it. I asked the sales persons if it would perform panic stops, and to my relief, he replied in the negative.

I tried out the touch-screen for navigation; barely. I tried it while I was stopped at a light. I didn't do anything in particular, just checked to see if it was in fact touch-screen. It is. And I also saw plenty of fingerprints from the other test drives. I like the idea of a touchscreen unit; but my problem with all such interfaces is the lack of any tactile feedback. That's a separate discussion.

I also tried to issue a few voice commands while driving; stuff like changing the tracks or adjusting volume. In the video that I will post later(if I don't cut the audio), you can here my talking to the unit like Scotty in Star Trek IV. I found out that apparently there is a button on the steering wheel that the drive will press/depress that initiates voice instruction mode. I didn't try that.

I listened to the radio, but just for a moment. The dealership had some demo CD loaded, but I really didn't pay much attention to it. This car was equipped with the "Studio On Wheels", BTW. I can say it sounds better than the current bose headunit, but I don't know how much. When I first got my first g(Cheryl's 04), I was pissed and depressed as the sound quality, being an a bit of an audiophile. Over time, I've resolved myself to the fact that the only correction would cost money, money I'd rather spend on mods. So I rarely listen to music anymore. I only mention this to explain my current disinterest in the new system.

I also didn't interact with the environmental controls. I used the wheel thingamabob when it was parked to change from Satellite to FM and back, but that's it. I didn't adjust temps, play with the trip computer, or anything at all. So I can't comment on the user-interface(not just the visual interface), or the feel of the various buttons.

One thing I did notice was a menu/status area in the gauge cluster. There's a button on the right-side of the cluster that allows one to cycle through the menus and information; stuff like outside temps, distance to empty, etc. And yes, it was all displayed in the bastard red/amber color. Eeewww.

The gauges themselves were spot-on from the photos. I like them, but in all honesty, they look "fake." I don't exactly know what I mean by that; how can one "fake" a gauge? Regardless, the blue and white borders are so bright they seem out of place. I didn't adjust the brightness levels of the gauges, but I don't think that would have helped. This is probably a personal taste, so take it for what you will.

One thing that I thought was really cool was the integration of the gauge cluster/steering wheel, mirrors, and driver's seat. With the driver's door open, I could adjust the seat, and the mirrors and gauge cluster/steering wheel would automatically adjust. I don't know what criteria are used for the adjustments; I would guess the system attempts to maintain a static attitude to the seat. Of course, these adjustments can be overridden manually. Quite cool nonetheless.

And the last gadgety thing is the backup camera. When the test drive was over, I put the shifter in reverse to back the car up onto an elevated area just outside the showroom. The display immediately changed to show the area rear of the car, along with lines to indicate the outside edges of the car, and green lines that show the course of the car based on steering angle. Quite cool.

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Will it let you downshift into second at an RPM that results in a rev up to redline? It downshifts quick? I go out for coffee while waitijng for my 2003 to downshift.

 

I did'nt really pay attention to the 2nd gear down shift. I do recall at one point I did down shift and the tach did go very high. The exhaust sounded very nice! Honestly the new manu-matic function is nicely tuned and very responsive.

 

Glad to hear it. The auto trans of the 335i I demoed really impressed me. I was hoping I wouldn't be giving up too much with the G's trans.

 

Now to the drive itself.

First off, I don't get where people like the exhaust note - there is none. If pitch black is defined as the absense of all color, then this exhaust note would be pitch black. I couldn't hear it in the car, outside the car when idling, or outside the car when Cheryl was driving it.

Steering
Steering is very precise, and the steering wheel is weighted perfectly. I can't compare it to a 330/335, but I can't imagine much improvement. It was light when it needed to be, but heavy enough that one doesn't swerve in the lane. It also felt dead-on; one could literally close his eyes and know if the car were pointed straight or not.

Automatic Transmission
The paddle shifters are done really well. The left shifter downshifts, and the right upshifts(as opposed to a few other competitors implementations). The paddles have a feeling of heft; they aren't flimsy. On the other hand, they don't travel far or require much effort. There is a nice, presice, "snick" when engaging the paddle.

I know the transmission is supposed to rev-match when downshifting, but I couldn't observe such behavior. I've driven 05 and 06 loaners that also feature this behavior, and likewise, I couldn't tell a difference. Downshifts took ages, and upshifts took even longer. I was very, very, *very* disappointed in how slowly shifts were performed. At one point, I was crawling in 2nd gear(going maybe 10mph), and stabbed the throttle. I didn't merely just push it in, I pushed it in and kept my foot planted. I counted to 2 before it downshifted and fully engaged. Very disappointing.

Power
Power delivery is what I expected from reading official reviews; simply linear. No single area seemed to offer any more power than any other area. Part throttle response and tip-in were great; one can really feel the torque. But a few times I was surprised at how anemic it felt. In one particular case, I was going up a slight incline(maybe 25 degrees) at about 2500rpms in third gear. I put the pedal to the floor, and there was *zero* go. Overall, it felt much more sluggish than my car; and I can honestly say it doesn't feel significantly better than Cheryl's car.

The engine does rev smoothly though. If I were to close my eyes, I would have a hard time guessing rpm based on vibration or cabin feel(obviously the engine makes more noise at 7500 than 6000). That's a good thing. It didn't give up up top either; I'm sure it will continue to make power well past redline.

Handling
Unfortunately, I didn't get to push the car. We did the test drive in the peak of evening rush hour, so even the backroads were clogged. I can say that the car is much more confident than the current generation. And I can also happily say that the car actually feels lighter; granted, I didn't even drive it 6/10's, but it still felt more nimble.

Part of that is the new chassis. The dealership entrance features a couple of speedbumps, different grades of pavement, and several potholes and grade translations. My car, even crawling in 1st gear, just squirms over these imperfections. This new sedan, comparatively, feels like a tank(solid, not weight). Very composed.

I did get to push the car around one interstate onramp, fortunately. I can take that ramp at 85mph+ in my car(sways), and greater than 75mph in Cheryl's car(she can probably do better; more comfortable with her car). My car exhibits plenty of body rolls, and I have rear axle-hop(literally, the car likes to skip sideways) when I hit an expansion join.

When I took pushed the new g around this ramp, I was traveling at maybe 70 to 75mph. There was little, if any, body roll. And that same stiff chassis was evident. There was no kick-back over the expansion joints; the car just stayed on track. I was presently surprised, especially after reading the "official" reviews. I didn't push it very hard around this ramp, but this new g has much higher limits than the current generation. Hell, on this particular road, it has higher limits than my car, with the coupe shocks/springs and stillen sways. I can't wait until some actual technical imformation becomes available. I don't know if it's the car's tires, shocks, springs, or what, but the package has been combined into a very efficient package.

The last thing I wanted to discuss was the brakes. The fronts are visibly larger; calipers and discs. Unfortunately, they're not adequate. Like I mentioned before, I really didn't get a chance to push the car, but I did have to do a near-panic stop at one point on the interstate(rush hour, remember). Now I know what the magazines meant by "long pedal". I engaged the brakes, and pushed, and pushed, until finally I came to a stop. I won't say they're spongy or mushy; bite was consistent and linear. But there was a lot of pedal travel, and I don't think the stock brakes are enough. I definitely wouldn't want to autocross or track the car without some changes.

 

Thanks for the review. I hope the trans delay was a defect. Sounds like it, as my 2003 is way faster than that.

I'm a bit confused by one remark though. You mention the torque was strong, yet a slight incline left the feleing of needing more torque. Maybe the defective trans again?

 

Great write up Trey

 

Excellent detailed review on just about everything with the '07 G35 Sedan. I'm interested and excited to take a test drive soon, but after test driving and placing my order for the '07 BMW 335i Coupe, I wonder now if I will just feel disappointed with the new '07 G35. I know it's faster and handles better than the previous gen. G35, but I wonder if I might feel like I'm just driving an "updated" or "refreshed" G35 rather than a truly redesigned, more competitive sports sedan. Don't get me wrong...I think the '07 G35 is a huge step up from the previous generation and I applaud Infiniti for all the technical improvements as well as all the additional high-tech gadgets they added into this car. No doubt it's still probably going to be the best bang for your buck in this car category.

However, one of the things that bugged me with my '04.5 G35 Sedan was the MM upshift delay. So, I purchased and installed Gordgee's full 10-wire Grounding Gear kit, and that helped lessen the delay by approx. 50%-75%, but there was still a slight delay when upshifting in MM mode (and the shifts weren't exactly smooth). I wonder if Infiniti really improved the MM shifting in the '07 G35 or if it still has a noticeable delay. Then, there were the occasional creaks and such when going over bumps in my old G35. Not that this really bothered me; it just felt a bit loose. Again, I wonder how solid the '07 G35 really is and if it will have similar creaks now and then...btw - I know what you meant when you pushed against the center stack. I've done this in my '03 FX35 and I hear some creaks from the plastic and alum. trim moving. Again, it doesn't bother me, but it's more of a "solid/not solid" or "quality" perception more than anything.

Another thing that bugged me about my '04.5 G35 Sedan was the exhaust note or lack of exhaust note I should say. I wanted it to sound more like the G35 Coupe and FX35/45, so I bought and installed a Z-tube, a Coupe midpipe, and a Plenum Spacer. Again, these mods helped quite a bit, but it still wasn't quite the same. So, with your thoughts on the '07 G35 Sedan's exhaust note being quite muted (after your experience actually driving the car), I wonder if this new car's true dual exhaust with variable exhaust timing and dual air intakes is just over-hyped a bit. So many other ppl keep saying how great the '07 G35 Sedan's exhaust note is...hmmm.

My other problem is of course, I've already test driven the 335i Coupe. The MM and Paddle shifting in that thing was so lightning fast and smooth, it may be difficult for the G35 to replicate. The exhaust note on the 335i Coupe is sweet to say the least...a slightly deep note with a few burps and gurgles here and there; different than my FX35's...not as loud, but maybe a bit deeper than my FX35's exhaust note. In addition, the BMW 335i Coupe feels rock solid, even when going over the bumps. And, let's not discuss handling; I'll only say that the only car I've ever driven which handled better than the 335i Coupe is my brother's Lotus Elise!

Anyway, not trying to make this another G35 vs. 335i comparo thread...just thinking out loud, and again, I for one, really appreciate you posting your first experience driving the '07 G35. It's going to be a real winner for sure.

 

Just don't test drive it. Problem solved!

 

Good tip, but sorry, I have to. Only then will I make my final decision. My loaded 335i Coupe is on order with a refundable deposit (should arrive at end of Nov.), but if I'm blown away by the '07 G35 Sedan in a few weeks when I test drive it, I'll remain in the Infiniti family.