Infiniti G35 S (2007) CAR review

A G35S what?

Infiniti. This halo brand is to Nissan what Lexus is to Toyota – a premium range to take on the might of the upper-crust European competition. Europe will get the Infiniti range in 2008 – a range featuring coupés, saloons and SUVs – but the line-up is yet to be confirmed, as is the UK on-sale date. If the G35 saloon does come to the UK – as it surely must – it will create quite a stir. Slightly bigger than a 3-series, the G35 should be priced in line with the significantly less powerful BMW 325i  – around £26k. On paper, then, the car looks tempting, and a recent test drive in California proved the G35 is more than just a big mouth…

So how does it drive?

Brilliantly. Mechanicals from the 350Z underpin the G35, so you get an endlessly torquey 3.5-litre V6 with an uprated 306bhp, rear-wheel drive and a six-speed gearbox. Like the 350Z, the gearbox and clutch can feel clunky and obstinate at low speeds, but a late-night blast up a twisting San Francisco mountain road was as rewarding as anything a 3-series can deliver. Understeer simply wasn’t on the radar. Instead, the G35 rewards keen drivers with neutral, reassuring handling leading to well-balanced oversteer for those determined to have the viscous limited slip diff earn its keep. The brakes, meanwhile, are strong without being too keen to bite.