Infiniti M45 Sport: Middleweight Thriller
In any category of car there's always those obvious top-name
picks that everybody seems to gravitate toward. Maybe it's
me-too-ism, or maybe it's just people's faith in certain
apparently "sure-thing" brands. Whatever the underlying reasons
for this phenomenon, in the world of luxury cars, the big names
are evergreens BMW and Mercedes, along with more recent fave
Lexus.
And then there's Infiniti. Introduced at approximately the same
time as Lexus, the nameplate hasn't made nearly the impression
that its biggest rival Japanese luxury brand has. And that's a
shame. This upscale Nissan division has offered its share of
sophisticated machinery to rival Lexus and other luxury marques.
And, in many cases, Infinitis have a livelier, sportier feel
than those more-popular competitors.
But while the brand's relative obscurity might be a bad thing
for Infiniti, it's certainly not a bad thing for Infiniti
owners. Not those willing to forgo image projection in favor of
real, satisfying automotive substance anyway. For such folks
looking to get a top-notch midsize luxury car that won't get
lost in a sea of BMW 5-Series, Mercedes E-Classes, and Lexus
GSs, the all-new Infiniti M45 fits the bill beautifully.
And even if you don't care about being a nonconformist, the new
Infiniti M is a terrific car. It's worth considering strictly on
its merits alone.
This all-new M was introduced in Spring 2005 as a 2006 model.
It's offered as the M35 with a 280-hp 3.5-liter V6 and as the
M45 with a 335-hp 4.5-liter V8. The M45 can also be had in a
Sport version, which has 19- instead of 18-inch wheels, upgraded
suspension, and a unique automatic rear-wheel steering system.
It's this hottest version of the M that we were lucky enough to
get for our test session.
Easing into the M45's roomy interior, you're surrounded by
high-grade furnishings that speak of expensive quality. Sport
versions of the M45 eschew luxury-car-cliche wood trim in favor
of attractive stainless steel panels dressed with a fine
crosshatch pattern. The cabin's overall look is a confidently
understated luxury, with a clean, modern flavor. Very nice.
The instruments are traditional dials, neatly arranged in front
of the driver. Somewhat less "neat," however, is the integrated
navigation/climate/audio control system, which sprawls across a
somewhat odd, almost horizontal panel jutting out of the middle
of the dashboard. Although not as frustrating to use as some
similar systems found in the M's rivals, the layout is
nonetheless more distracting than it should be.
That said, the busy array of buttons is really the only major
negative to be found in the M45's cabin. The seats are long-haul
comfortable and supportive, with good leg- and head-room even
for tall occupants. Trunk space, while not massively copious, is
more than adequate for a foursome's weekend luggage.
Getting ready to embark in the M45 requires just the push of the
starter button -- no key required as long as someone in the car
has it in their pocket. Holding the button down, first the seats
and steering wheel motor to their memory position, then the
engine fires with a low, muted V8 rumble.
Now get ready to really wow your friends: Grab the
leather-wrapped shift knob and slide the lever into Reverse.
You'll see not just the standard gee-whiz deal of the outside
mirrors motoring down, but a reverse-view camera appearing on
the dashboard LCD screen as well.
Wow -- real James Bond stuff!
Pause a minute while the oohs and ahhs die down, shift into
Drive, and punch the gas. Your right-foot prompting is rewarded
with a satisfying, refined growl and the muscular pull of the
M45's impressive 340 lb- ft. of torque. Although the car weighs
a substantial 3995 pounds, it nonetheless moves with an
effortless, rather addicting urgency when asked to.
And believe me, we asked it to a lot. No matter what speed
you're traveling, the M45 has speed-hungry drivers covered. Nail
it off the line and you're hauling along readily. Plunge into
the throttle at highway speeds and the 5-speed automatic
transmission promptly and appropriately drops a gear or two as
needed, pushing the speedometer needle vigorously upward. Leave
the pedal down to the floor and the magic 100-mph mark
approaches and passes by with pleasing effortlessness.
Indeed, if you're not watching closely, you can find yourself
thinking you're cruising a cop-friendly 65 mph, and actually be
doing more like 85 or 90. Aside from a little too much wind
noise around the A-pillars, the M45's speedometer is the only
substantial indication that you're approaching triple-digit
velocities.
Part of that sensation of effortless speed is a result of the
M45s ride. It's a fine mix of competent body control and
impressive bump absorption, despite stiff 40-profile performance
tires. The car is admittedly a tad on the firm side for a luxury
sedan. But it's nevertheless comfortable and, more importantly,
composed. Our test M45 remained surefooted and stable even when
traversing wavy country roads at close to 100 mph.
In fact, it seemed no matter how fast we were going the M45 felt
planted and ready for more. At 130 mph on smooth roads, the
car's confidence-inspiring composure remained intact and the
engine was still pulling strong. Satisfied with this as proof of
the M45's high-speed prowess, we eased off the gas to more sane
velocities.
Using the car's powerful brakes to haul us quickly back down
into the double-digit realm, we were able to sample the M45's
fine road manners. Although this is a sizeable machine and it's
obviously aimed at luxury and comfort more than athleticism,
it's nonetheless quite satisfying to put through its paces. Grip
is very good, helped by performance rubber, along with
electronic handling aids that are effective and generally
unobtrusive. Body lean is minimal, and the car treats drivers to
a nimbleness that's impressive for a large sedan.
No doubt some of that agility is due to the Sport version's
rear-wheel steering. The system's operation is entirely
transparent to the user, except when you consider that this big
two-ton sedan is whipping through corners as if it were a size
or two smaller.
Complementing the rear-wheel steering is the sensation drivers
get from the front wheels. The M45's steering feel is perhaps
one of the car's most satisfying elements. It's a pleasing blend
of good feedback, reasonably quick ratio, and light but
appropriate weighting. It isn't likely to disappoint luxury
buyers who seek a more rewarding driving feel than many of the
M's rivals can offer.
And in a broader sense, that notion is the real core of the
M45's appeal. This is a car that's rich, luxurious, and
comfortable, yet sporty, modern, and a little unique. It's an
excellent blend. Perhaps the best evidence of that is how much
we hated to give this car back when our week-long test session
was over.
Anyone who experiences the M45 will most likely feel that
strongly about it too.
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