The car that will give BMW and Mercedes fits

Not too shabby. Interior looks nice enough and at its price point, it's sure to be a good seller. Doesnt stir my soul but definately a good deal for anyone looking.

I LOVE Infiniti's new design -- first the G35 Coupe, then the FX45, and now the M45! A teaser brochure says you can have AWD w/the V6, but not w/the V8? Why not? Why not have it all?

Nonetheless, I'll wait for the 2nd or 3rd batch to lease my V8 (any bugs should be fixed by then :-)

The interior is not half as good as the new Acura RL and the rear end looks horrible now....what happened to the concept's rear, it looked much better

I don’t agree with Will. This is how I see it…. The sole reason why Lexus outsells BMW or MB in the states is because of price. Say what you will, give me the story, “I could afford either.” The truth of the matter is that the Lexus is simply cheaper! I’ll be the first to admit that it’s the better deal. It provides nearly everything the competition from Europe does for thousands and even tens of thousands less. But only nearly.

When it comes to consumers who can only see prima fascia differences between automobiles (which makes up the majority of the market), they will undoubtedly buy the automobile that’s less expensive if it comes with the same creature features.

I give credit to Lexus and their counterparts from Japan. They are leading the way in production efficiency and electronics. No one can match their level of build quality at the moment, nor compare to their bug free gizmoes. No one in the industry can make cars as efficiently or as inexpensively. And they pass that money directly to the consumers.

Where the Japanese lack is in innovative engineering. I would be willing to bet this is where the “mystical German feel” comes from. Because it’s there. Whoever doesn’t think so is an example of a prima fascia buyer and bought the Lexus (see above). German transmissions may not be buttery smooth but you know what gear you’re in without having to look or feel. You just know. Germans can tune a suspension and build a chassis that will make your butt pucker around a corner but keep a solid feel when hitting those pot holes. They make cars that feel effortless at speeds which might lead to prison time in the states. They make cars with functional motoring options that are all related to driving and not necessarily comfort. “Distronic” cruise control, active steering ratios, seats with inflatable side bolsters ect. I would argue that R&D into this type of technology is costly and the Germans are always first on the scene. It isn’t until later that the Japanese follow suit. And sometimes, they don’t at all; knowing that some features wont be big sellers and might be too costly to manufacture. Enthusiasts always complain about how the Japanese always “copy.” I wont go that far, but I have noticed with the mechanical aspect of their cars, they do seem to do more following than leading. Even with styling, you cant say that the LS430 doesn’t have a sure resemblance to the S430. Even the name only differs by one letter. The price the consumer pays for these kind of mechanical revolutions are of course on the window sticker and in maintenance costs. Once the technology is older and better tested, it becomes more reliable and finds its way into other manufacturers hands. Japan Inc claims to have innovation. I see commercials for it all the time. Lexus’s “innovative turning headlamps” were so innovative, that in 1948, they came standard on every Tucker.

On to the subject of styling, BMW might not have the prettiest designs on the market but they’re at least trying something different. MB isn’t taking radical jumps in their styling evolution but they are very distinguishable and have an elegant presence compared to other cars. If you don’t agree, then I’ll leave this one be. It’s up to each consumer to decide what style is or isn’t. God knows that I wouldn’t buy a BMW. But I would take that ugly butt before I took an entirely bland car from Japan Inc.

I guess what it comes down to for me is what I’m content to own. I have a BMW motorcycle and though every magazine I can think of will do nothing but bash BMW’s I wont have any other bike. Heck, they even cost almost twice as much as competition from Japan and they don’t perform as well. But they have some of the newest mechanically technological advances in the market which are always highly criticized and scorned at. But in my years of riding, every advance that BMW has made in their motorcycles has become the standard of the industry years later. German cars are no different.