Is the 2007 Infiniti G35 finally a match to the BMW 3-Series?

Wait for the 335i sedan and yes the bmw will win but against the 50- less hp 330i no the g35 wins.

I do not agree with the Car and Driver review. As an owner of a 2005 Obsidian Black Infiniti G35 with premium and sports packages, I can attest to the quality and refinement. The vehicle that Car and Driver tested was a preproduction model that was made available for early reviews. The revised G35 is a match for the BMW 330i as well as the upcoming 335i saloon. The G35 is the only Japanese Luxury Sports Saloon that can compete with the BMW 330i in both luxury and performance. The Lexus IS350 is a fantastic car in a straight line, but the cornering ability does not inspire confidence. The price of a well optioned Infiniti G35 and BMW 330i are quite close in Canada. I chose the G35 aka Skyline 350 GT because a) it is a skyline and b) I did not want to be the fifth person on my block with a BMW either E46 model or new E90 model.

I was actually aghast that this month's Motor Trend rated the 330i over the new G35. It's not only Car and Driver it seems...

Will, the Lexus is not the most refined and luxurious. Why are you so blatantly forgetting the Audi A4's interior. Every magazine test rates the Audi tops in luxury and refinement as well as materials quality and ergonomics.

For that matter every single Audi in production today from the A3, A4, A6, TT, A8 and their respective S and RS counterparts have the best interiors in terms of materials quality, luxury feel, ergonomics and refinement.

I think we know who leads and never follows in the segments of auto-interiors.... Audi.

see---enough said!!!! BMW=REFINED!!!!

I think lexus interiors are very flashy as if they are trying to hard to win an interior award

so the motherF* from car and driver complained about G35 interior but did not say a word about BMW interior?

I no longer read these motherF* b/c they are all biased MF or paid by respective car manufacturers.

Can anyone honestly say the BMW interior is better than G35 ?

Me?

BMW 335i > Audi A4 > Acura TL Type-S > Mercedes-Benz C350 > Infiniti G35

The G35 dosen't do it for me.
I'm leaving the IS out of this for now.

I've sat in an A4 before and the interior seems very well fitted, nor does it have the 'flashy' luxury look like the Mercedes, Lexus IS, G35, and Acura TL.

It is a simple layout with functionality. The doors close very well with a solid thump. Unlike a Civic's awful sound.

I like the feel of the Acura TL. As for IS250, I liked the back seats more than the front. It was just too cramped. I saw in the 325i w/m sport package it wasn't done like the Acura TL with lots of buttons, but it wasn't cheap feeling(except the fake leather seats[leatherette]). Even then from first feel/touch i couldn't see anything wrong with the car. From sitting in it, I could feel it being a drivers car. Sitting in the Acura TL and IS it was more of a day to day saloon without the fun of a Bimmer. The a4 i haven't sat in the drivers side before but i do like its interior more in the night time. It's plain and simple w/contemporary luxury.

As for Infiniti matching 3-series? I think it will come short. I'm not saying its a bad car. G35's got great torque but the passion isn't there like it's on an A4 or 3-series. In ways I think it's because of it's history. TL/IS/G35 are fairly new cars. Mainly the IS and G35. The TL has been around longer so it had more time to refine it's mistakes.

I know i'm blabbing on about NOTHING now but to conclude this comment, i must add that you can't go wrong with any of these cars. It depends what style you like and what suits your needs as well as what feels good to YOU.

Personally IMO I would take the TL, 3-series, or a4 over the rest. In the order of 3-series/a4/TL.

Obviously not a bad car.

No car today really is 'bad' in the traditional sense.

It's just expectations keep on getting pushed higher.

But c'mon, I can't take any car seriously with that ugly, tacky, and vulgar chrome 'lip' on the boot.

And the rear bumper is really fat. The styling is too jelly-bean for my liking.

Just buy the car that you like, not because of the reviews and who cares what other people said.

Sharky is 100% right. All this trolling here is outright silly.

Will, why aren't you on Toyota's payroll? Oh, you are? Great then.

Maybe 001 should quote the other 3 writers in the same article how they favor G35.

Personally I wouldn't look into these reviews too deeply. There are too many factors affect the results. Personal reviewer's taste and preferences, ad space etc. The opinion posted here regarding C&D's are contrary to another video/written review posted on Autospies. The video review and written review praised the G35's performance and interior finish as an advancement from its pervious one. But they feel the ride was too stiff (too aggressive setting) and the electronic steering needs some getting used to when going uphill or when there is a quick speed change. Other than that the G35 was a very tight match to the 3 series, in terms of performance, cornering and etc. they even went into depth saying how the G35's overall performance is comparable with the 3 series better so than the IS.
IMO it depends on what kind of ride you are going for and how you drive. As for the interior design, The lexus interior is a nice fit and finish, but the layout and design is not inspiring. If you compare the placement and look, it is reminiscent of the C Class (94-01) layout but with crisper lines and upgrades. I just find that lexus interiors are not as distinct.

As an owner of a 2006 Black Infiniti I can vouch for the quality of this car. I have owned it for approximately five months and am not only satisfied with the car but look for places to drive the car. I have not been this excited about a car since I purchased my Corvette convertable. However this car is faster than the Vette and more fun to drive. I rented a 330i a couple of weeks ago and drove it for just over 600 miles and I will tell you that the BMW is just not as much fun as the G. I am planning to buy a 2007 G35 in November for me and will give the 2006 to my wife.

Give the old G35 to your wife? You Anti-Feminist!!!

To sum it up you DO get what you pay for. While the G35 maybe high on performance, the quality of materials historically have shown a distinct aging in about 5 years when compared to the competition. The G35 is more of an unsophisticated hot rod, a big motor in a stiffly sprung chassis. While it had high limits it did not have the durability of the other marquee. Hopefully this new model will have addresssed this.

If you're into "balance" (i.e. paying more for less horsepower) then the 330i is your car. The G35 is more than enough car for a lot of people and you don't have to constantly tell yourself you're in the better car (which cost more with less power.)

Just buy the car that you don't have to visit the service department montly. My boss just bought bmw 530 and he is really like it. He told me he should have bought 2, because 1 is in the shop.

Yes; and no.

One major point missing here:

In the same article, C&D conceded to comparing the G to the 330... not because they compared in price, but because the compared in performance. The article mentions that with some haggling you could get the BMW within "an option package or two" within the G. Which is an unfair comparison unless you include said haggling of the G price as well.

At this point, Infiniti has to play the "bargain" card; they’re not among the ranks of Lexus or BMW in luxury or performance; but they’re playing the card very well. The 330 will (probably) cost over $10K more than a similarly equipped G, and is nearly a second slower in 0-60. Is the BMW more refined? I would hope so. If the G were quicker AND more refined for 10K less, BMW would have officially been knocked off the pedestal.

Here is what I think. I've owned an E46 BMW 330i, and now own a 2005 G35 Aero M6. Yes the BMW's powertrain did posses a slightly greater sense of refinement, in terms of being very smooth throughout the rev band. The Infiniti on the other hand is alot more lively to drive, maybe a little louder, and a little more raw, but seriously thats what makes it so fun, and involving to drive. Prior to the E46 330i I owned an E36 328i, the E36 actually felt faster, even though I knew it wasnt. Too much sound insolation, and deadners on newer cars today make them more numb to drive. What I love about the G35 is that it keeps it real, its a little louder than the Bimmer, and alot less insolated, for that reason it not only is a faster car, but it feels that way too. What most people dont like about the Lexus's performance is not the numbers it produces, but the feeling it doesnt produce.
Here's the best part about the Infiniti, its less to buy, less to service, and less frustration period! The E46 I owned was a service nightmare, and the dealers were awful in handling the every situation.
At the end of the day, whats the point of having a really nice car if it spends most of its time being repaired, or serviced?
Thats ok, I will continue to spank BMW 330i's with my G35, and will buy another Infiniti so I can spank the 3 series to come. If I really want to see every 330/335i in my rearview mirror, I will supercharge my G35 with all the money I have left over by not purchasing a BMW!

^Those "people" that refer to "rawness" as crudeness may be too old, or not sporting enough to own a G35. Its no secret that Lexus caters to an "older" market, if they don't want "rawness" maybe their golden years best deserve an older person's brand.

The BMW is far from Raw, it was at one point though. I truly believe the E36 3 series was the best BMW to date. Everything after that began to lose that original BMW feeling. I believe that Infiniti is on the same rise to fame that the BMW achieved so long ago. One day the magazines will have no choice but to admit that it is a superior product, after you factor in its amazing value. I just hope Infiniti doesn't give up any of its rawness as its product evolves.

rice master:
"Telepathic steering"

telepathic?
is this from nissan's new psychic advisor?

Be certain, the new 2007 Infiniti G35 is very different from the old car. I had the opportunity to sit inside the new sedan for a few moments, and I would like to share my thoughts.

The new cabin is without a doubt a massive leap forward. Gone is the use of cheap plastics and flimsy materials. The cabin’s build quality is on par with the BMW 3 series models, although still not quite as stellar as Lexus or the benchmark in interior quality, Audi. As for design, the ergonomics are quite good (mind you my observations from the passenger seat). The seats have much more lateral support than the old model’s, a huge plus in my book. The center stack is much more intuitive, the gauges look much more upscale and have a wonderful information screen in the middle, and the navigation (although placement looks odd in photos) is perfect. As for that lone C&D editor’s comments about noise levels, I’ll let the numbers do the talking:

2007 Infiniti G35 (Car & Driver)
Idle: 41dbA
Full Throttle Acceleration: 79dbA
70mph Cruising: 67dbA

2006 BMW 330i (Road & Track)
Idle: 54dbA
Maximum in 1st Gear: 84dbA
70mph Cruising: 74dbA

2002 BMW 745i (Road & Track)
Idle: 42dbA
70mph Cruising: 66dbA

That C&D editor either drove a completely different car or is full of crap, likely the latter. Make no mistake; the new G35 is a serious contender in the crowded mid-size sport sedan market. It’s only real competition is the new 335i, which undoubtedly be the best performer, but for thousands more. Both are excellent choices for different tastes. I can’t wait for the coupe in 2007.

What about the Volvo S60R? Europeans have always been above Japanese in terms of quality and performance; however, Infiniti g35 and Lexus IS350 are closing the gap. I think I will buy a 2007 G35.