As a G Coupe owner I've always wondered how the new M compares in terms of driving fun and performance with the G. Where I am there are no dealers though so there's no opportunity for me to drive the M.

I understand that its more luxurious and refined, but how does the handling, power, and overall feeling/character compare? Is the M a more 'fun' car to drive? Just as fun? or just different altogether and more oriented toward refinement and cruising? Any thoughts on this comparison would be appreciated.

 

Me and an M45 Sport got involved with some spirited driving and I was suprised at how it was handling. It didn't sway or roll very much and the power was definitely there. If I had an extra 20k, I'd go for an M45 Sport. I think it's definitely a better car than a 545i.

 

M45 is better looking perhaps....i love the bmw in manual...which the infiniti does not offer for the M45.....so OVERALL performance i think the bmw would be the better car...

 

The M is fun for sure, but feels a little heavier. Having said that, it feels very good for a ride this heavy (3800-4000lbs), and as badtziscool says: it's surprising how sporty if feels, and how well it handles.

The accent is definitely on 'luxo' rather than 'sport', but for me, it is a good mix. I find it as much fun as the Coupe.

Power is another story....Since there's 2 more cylinders and another 30-40 ponies and torques, power is immediate and constant right to redline, and doesn't fade until well into triple digit speeds.

The tranny is sweet too, which was important since I loved the Coupe's A/T.
Shifts are fast, on demand, and crisp but not jerky. Excellent control, and with rev-matching, quite seamless when downshifting too.

I've read some debate as to the worthiness of the Rear Active Steering, since it can be expensive to fix, but unlike others, it's a safety feature and only kicks in when pushed hard in an avoidance maneuver. It makes me feel good to have it.

The lane departure, active headlight system, rear view camera system, bluetooth hands free phone system, and the myriad of airbags, are more safety features that give a feeling of driving confidence.

Then there's the rest of the 'goodies' like heated and cooled seating, intelligent key, DVD navigation, upscale 14 speaker Bose system with 5.1 digital decoding, rear entertainment system which can view movies or navi, voice activated stereo, telephone, and in-cabin heating/cooling, down tilting side mirrors, 19" Enkei wheels .................. and much more..

The M isn't cheap by any means, but it sure is fun and pampering, and the best Infiniti I've had yet.

C.

 

Thanks for the laundry list, Colin. Now I need to wipe my drool off of the keyboard.

 

True dat! Perhaps not a better car, but a better value.

 

I'd still like to see a G45 sedan / coupe, I think there would be a market for that, 5k extra for a v-8. Put some FI on that bad boy :-)

 

I can vouch for much of what you've written but didn't have the chance to get yours into the triple digits.

 

lol Deane, Your, (or my), next visit, we'll have to find somewhere 'appropriate'. It's well worth the excursion.

Colin.

 

Appropriate is a key word.

Invite accepted and I hope to return the favor in my M6.

I expect to up there Thursday May 11 thru Mon May 15, if you're not down here before that

 

From my experience, the M feels much heavier but feels much more torquey. It really puts you back in your seat when you step on it. On the other hand, the G is obviouly the more nimble of the two. I think both vehicles are great cars and serve their intended purposes well.

 

Cool. It's on my calendar,-- I look forward to it.
...... and yes an 'appropriate' place for a drive is all important.

C.

 

can you get all of those crazy options on the M35x?

 

Sumlime311, not all options or packages are available on every model the same as they are on the Sport models, and the packages in the U.S. will be different to ours in the north.

Most of the larger options are available on all M's but things like rear active steering and sport tuned suspension are not available on the M35 and X.

What you need is a brouchure which you can download from :
http://www.infiniti.com/form/global/...123084,00.html

Colin