|
2007 Infiniti M35x Road Test
|
March 3, 2007
2007 Infiniti M35x Road Test
by
Matt St-Pierre
, Auto123.com
|
Better than a German?
With the disappearance of the Q45, the M became the Japanese luxury brand's flagship. In any other manufacturer's line-up, killing off the top-seeded car would have been suicide. The Q never caught on like the Lexus LS even though they appeared on the market at about the same time. As competition got fiercer, the Q lost all semblance as a competitor not because of a lack of competence or content but mostly because of serious absence from the buying public.
 | | The M is now Infiniti's flagship car. |
So here we are in 2007 and the M is all alone on top in Infiniti showrooms. The M itself has been around on and off since 1990. The lesser-known 2003-05 M45 is a rare sight indeed as very few were produced. The latest incarnation arrived during the summer of 2005 as a 2006 model and immediately made its mark. This was the first Infiniti that was positively compared to the eternal benchmark; the 5-Series BMW.
Infiniti design inside and out
In the looks department, the M scores big with an aggressive stance, sharp creases mixed in with flowing lines and the all-important fatty alloy wheels. The M's design is well capped-off by striking headlights and serious taillights. The quad tailpipes confer the M the image of power and the chromed grille, luxury.
On board, the Infiniti engineers and designers converged to create a unique and functional dashboard that genuinely complements the M's high-end status. Like the Q before it, the upper portion of what should be the centre-stack is nearly horizontal. At first, it seems a little counter-intuitive but before long, the driver comes to appreciate the layout. Simply, the pilot's eyes need only to drop a few centimetres to the desired command, the eyes go back to the road while the finger depresses the smooth highly textured button. Infiniti, like Lexus and Acura, uses a simplified "menu program" to control the car's multiple settings. Of the three, Infiniti's is perhaps the most user-friendly.
 | | The interior looks and feels rich. |
|
|
< page
1
-
2
-
3
>
|
|
