Infiniti's G35

[Joey D]

I just saw one of these on the road and my god what a nice car. I really want one now but to bad they are what 30k? Oh well my dad liked it to and said he wants one as well. I hope my dad does descide buy one. He was looking at a Saab 9-3, Nissan Z, and 300M. But now he's strongly thinking about the G35. I hope we get one cause that car is sweet!

BTW isn't this car supposed to be the American version of the Skyline?

 

[Assmaster2000]

The G-35 is really nice, my neighbour has one. What kind of numbers does this thing put out?

 

[Joey D]

The all-new rear-wheel drive G35 Sport sedan joins the Infiniti line-up for 2003. The 2003 G35 is powered by a standard 260-hp 3.5L V6 engine with a five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode. The newly developed four-wheel independent multi-link suspension is composed of extensive lightweight aluminum components, and the standard four-wheel Anti-lock Braking System features Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD). The Leather Package includes leather seats, eight-way power driver's seat with lumbar support, 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels with performance tires, steering wheel audio controls, and illuminated vanity mirrors. For added safety, rear curtain side-impact supplemental air bags are standard along with front airbags.

The following systems are standard on all models:


6 Cyl 260 HP Engine

Multi-Port Fuel Injection

5 Speed Automatic

Power Anti-Lock 4 Whl Disc Brakes

Driver/Psngr Air Bags

Multi-Link Independent Suspension

2 Wheel Rear Drive

Bucket Seats

 

[1X83Z]

No - the G35 is known as the Nissan Skyline in Japan (not just the American version).

$35,000 or so. Ugly as all hell.

 

[Joey D]

Ugly. Nah I think its very nice looking. But hey you intitled to your opinion.

 

[f50]

i saw both (sedan and coupe) and those are so pretti,i think is the most beauty infinity.
i was thinking the same thing(about the skyline thing) and i don't know if is the same but i realy like this car more than a lot of others higher prices.

 

[Joey D]

Ya my dad better buy one...just as long as he lets me barrow it

 

[1X83Z]

I don't like the trunk line.

 

[Gil]

I saw the article in R&T, I thought the coupe was an upscale version of the 350Z. At least looks-wise.

 

[f50]

no the G35 look better (according to me) and i rather the sedan over the coupe.

 

[ShobThaBob]

my dad has one. it drives like a video game. i have some videos of me abusing it and such. it handles beautifully. with traction control on, it is IMPOSSIBLE (to the limits i have tested) to spin the tires. the power is nice as well, outruns (in a straight line, definitely on curves) mustang GTs and is par on par with z28s and formula firebirds. the interior is very comfy, and all of the controls are really easy to get to. yeah. thats my take. btw, he has a blue sedan with the premium package minus the navigation system.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Originally posted by ShobThaBob
my dad has one. it drives like a video game. i have some videos of me abusing it and such. it handles beautifully. with traction control on, it is IMPOSSIBLE (to the limits i have tested) to spin the tires. the power is nice as well, outruns (in a straight line, definitely on curves) mustang GTs and is par on par with z28s and formula firebirds. the interior is very comfy, and all of the controls are really easy to get to. yeah. thats my take. btw, he has a blue sedan with the premium package minus the navigation system.

race ya 😈

 

[GTO_VR4]

Originally posted by Rumple Foreskin


race ya 😈

On your bike?

 

[TVRKing]

He can borrow my 1994 Ford Mondeo with 116k on the clock and a leaking power steering pipe!

 

[ShobThaBob]

Come on down to houston. Any time on saturday in between 11pm and 2am. Seriously though, it is a very nice car, it is exceptionally smooth and the steering is just phenomenal. My only qualm is the brakes are a littttttttttle touchy....but very very efficient.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Originally posted by ShobThaBob
Come on down to houston. Any time on saturday in between 11pm and 2am. Seriously though, it is a very nice car, it is exceptionally smooth and the steering is just phenomenal. My only qualm is the brakes are a littttttttttle touchy....but very very efficient.

If i lived anywhere near houston i'd come give your car the proper spanking it deserves.

 

[ShobThaBob]

and......what do u drive?


not to be cocky or anything....just wondering, since there are tons of cars that could very easily beat a g35.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Originally posted by ShobThaBob
and......what do u drive?


not to be cocky or anything....just wondering, since there are tons of cars that could very easily beat a g35.

well, i could take you prolly in my Lightning, my V12SL600, ViperACR, Pretty sure my DB7 could best ya, my dads XKR would be neat. The g-35 looks really awesome to me though. One of them done out would be rather cool

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by Gil
I saw the article in R&T, I thought the coupe was an upscale version of the 350Z. At least looks-wise.

I thought you were stupid when I first read this, but I saw the G35 Coupe ad on TV a few times, and I realised that you're right on - it is exactly the upscale version of the 350Z. Which begs the question, is the 350Z a real 'Z' car now that it has a luxury-division counterpart?

 

[Hooligan]

Originally posted by M5Power
[...]
Which begs the question, is the 350Z a real 'Z' car now that it has a luxury-division counterpart?

IMO, no. I never liked this Z. Let me correct that: I wanted to like this Z, but it is more a quick scraping together of semi-decent parts rather than a truly great car. The original Z (and most of its descendants) were practically custom-made. You can't tell me that the alloy engine that's used in an SUV is good enough for a flagship sports car. You just can't. Not without me smacking you good and calling you Susan.

Now that there's a copy -- a slower, stodgier copy -- that seems to invalidate the 350Z's sport character. If it's so easily changed from sports coupe to luxury coupe, how much of a sports coupe was it, if ever? I have yet to drive one, so I can't really say. Given some of the reviews, it seems that the car is very much E36 M3 as compared to the E30 M3: not really a M3.

Now that I've seen the G35 coupe (in Kentucky, of all places, and don't as how the flight was because we nearly died, thankyouveddymuch) and I much prefer it to the 350Z. It's more honest to it's character, and to its origins. I think it's the better car.

As for whether the G35 is the US-Skyline, it is. But it's nothing like the previous generation (R34) Skyline. In fact, it's 100% different, sharing name only. For the next generation of the true Skyline, look for the "Nissan GT-R"...and don't expect that to be anyhthing like the R34, either. :-/

 

[12sec. Civic]

The G35 is one of the best values in the market today. BTW Streetracer, I hope your dad is a performance enthusiast!!!!

Motor Trend said the motor feels like a small V8, and the brakes are out of this world. Just to give you an idea of how overkill the brakes are on the G35 (Brembo's from 350Z), it stops from 60-0 in 110ft. That is unbefukkingleivable!! Go look up 60-0 braking numbers for other cars and you will see that it is one of the strongest braking cars in the world (Yes in the world) for example, a Mclaren F1 (No ABS) stops in 131ft, a Corvette C5R (No ABS) stops in 97ft. Some cars with ABS for comparo are Viper GTS 155ft, 360 Modena 110ft, 550 marranello 112ft, F355 Spider 122ft, Diablo 6.0 126ft etc etc.


It also goes from 0-60 in 6.3 with an automatic tranny!! How would it feel to stay neck and neck with a brand new Mustang GT 5 spd with a 4 door family sedan with an automatic??


G35 = One bloody amazing car.

 

[12sec. Civic]

Originally posted by Hooligan


IMO, no. I never liked this Z. Let me correct that: I wanted to like this Z, but it is more a quick scraping together of semi-decent parts rather than a truly great car. The original Z (and most of its descendants) were practically custom-made. You can't tell me that the alloy engine that's used in an SUV is good enough for a flagship sports car. You just can't. Not without me smacking you good and calling you Susan.

Now that there's a copy -- a slower, stodgier copy -- that seems to invalidate the 350Z's sport character. If it's so easily changed from sports coupe to luxury coupe, how much of a sports coupe was it, if ever? I have yet to drive one, so I can't really say. Given some of the reviews, it seems that the car is very much E36 M3 as compared to the E30 M3: not really a M3.

Now that I've seen the G35 coupe (in Kentucky, of all places, and don't as how the flight was because we nearly died, thankyouveddymuch) and I much prefer it to the 350Z. It's more honest to it's character, and to its origins. I think it's the better car.

As for whether the G35 is the US-Skyline, it is. But it's nothing like the previous generation (R34) Skyline. In fact, it's 100% different, sharing name only. For the next generation of the true Skyline, look for the "Nissan GT-R"...and don't expect that to be anyhthing like the R34, either. :-/

Let me just say that if Nissan had made a "practically custom" Z car, it would not last on the market for very long, much like the 300ZX, RX-7, Supra, 3000GT. People didnt want to spend that kind of money on a Japanese sports car. Nissan would be foolish to repeat a history that almost had them go bankrupt. If I can buy a Z for Camaro SS, WRX, RSX prices and still have a 290hp motor to blow all of the aforementioned cars away, why would I trade that for a car of Corvette price that could do the same thing.

The 350Z is following the Japanese heritage of cheap performance cars, but on a grander scale than the Civic Si or Nissan Sentra SE-R.

Not to say the 350Z is cheap, I would love to be able to buy one of those badasses.

 

[Option2]

I've been looking at 350Z's for a while now, but have been leery of buying one b/c it's a 2-seater and I'm planning on having a baby within the next couple years.........the G35 is a 2+2, which means I can somehow fit a baby seat in it. ("probably" b/c I can't fit a baby seat in a '97 Prelude)

What do you think I'd need to change a G35 into a 350Z. (I've done conversions b4...Silvia, JDM 'Teg, Mirage, ect...)?????

I was looking at pics, comparing the G35 and 350Z, and noticed the

*Fender flare looks more pronounced on the Z
*Front fender is different...I like the Z's
*Door handles are different

I don't give a **** about the name/badges, I'll gladly run it Nissan badges and I'll take the excess weight of the leather interior.

I LOVE the red on the G35's. Should look good on some 19" Gunmetal rims (Volk GT-N's??) with coilovers.

 

[12sec. Civic]

Don't have a baby and get the 350Z.

If I only had money for one car and the car of my dreams was only a 2 seater, then I'd say to hell with the baby. The world is overpopulated anyways.

 

[1X83Z]

Originally posted by Hooligan


IMO, no. I never liked this Z. Let me correct that: I wanted to like this Z, but it is more a quick scraping together of semi-decent parts rather than a truly great car.

This is 2003. We don't make cars like the 280Z anymore. A few, but not nearly as many as we did then. Nowadays, it's whoever can slap together the best parts that wins the comparisons. Which is why the Camry consistently comes out on top in the family sedan range. Only once in a long, long while do they actually ever fully re-design an automobile, with new plasitc.

Now that there's a copy -- a slower, stodgier copy -- that seems to invalidate the 350Z's sport character. If it's so easily changed from sports coupe to luxury coupe, how much of a sports coupe was it, if ever? I have yet to drive one, so I can't really say. Given some of the reviews, it seems that the car is very much E36 M3 as compared to the E30 M3: not really a M3.

...but still a nice car. I drove one a few days ago, and it's extremely quick around corners, not near as heavy as I thought it'd be, and accelerates like a fairly slow rocket. I still don't like how it looks - the rear lights are ghastly.

I still don't understand the meaning of the 'not really an M3' crap.

 

[Hooligan]

Originally posted by 12sec. Civic
Let me just say that if Nissan had made a "practically custom" Z car, it would not last on the market for very long, much like the 300ZX, RX-7, Supra, 3000GT. People didnt want to spend that kind of money on a Japanese sports car.

Ah, but there's the catch: they've already done this once, 32 years ago. That's what started the whole trend of Japanese sports car appreciation: the 240Z. It was low on features, moderate on power, light in weight, and as reliable as you could get. That made it dirt cheap -- for what it was. And it was a totally new car!

The Supra (and it's competitors) were the result of the various Japanese companies trying to compete with each other for top billing, rather than churning out "better" 240Z's. That is, they gave up making the car affordable for the increased performance and features. This is why the 300ZX, in its final form, was such a dog. Fast, but wooly, and darned expensive.

So it could have been done. If the 350Z is based on a shortened G35 sedan frame, shorten it more. And make it a touch narrower. Then ditch a lot of sound-deadening material, cheapen the A/C & radio, use the tried & true suspension from the Sylvia, use simpler brakes (*), and voila: a real send-up to the 240Z. Even better, the money saved on parts and marketing makes the 350Z $5,000 cheaper. After all that, the ridiculous choice of the VG35DE isn't such a ridiculous choice anymore (well, to me it is, but less so).

Why don't companies get this? Stop messing with the formula. Stop killing the golden goose. Stop using lame analogies. It was good in the beginning. Anything more is less good.



(*) Brembo is just too expensive. You can get by with Wilwood or some other decent set, especially if the car is now 100kg lighter. Why pay for all that licensing?

 

[1X83Z]

People don't want functionality anymore.

 

[Joey D]

My dads going to test drive one this weekend and I told him I wanna go with him. It shall be fun I'll let you know how it goes. We are going to go sunday or saturday after I get home.

 

[Hooligan]

Originally posted by M5Power
This is 2003. We don't make cars like the 280Z anymore. A few, but not nearly as many as we did then. Nowadays, it's whoever can slap together the best parts that wins the comparisons. Which is why the Camry consistently comes out on top in the family sedan range. Only once in a long, long while do they actually ever fully re-design an automobile, with new plasitc.

"Best parts"? I've already stated on how I think Nissan could have come up with far better parts than this, and they already had them "in stock". (BTW, VAG does this real well, and ever other company who is trying to copy them needs to get a better Xerox machine.) This is the crux of my argument: If Nissan wanted to "honor" the 240Z, then they did so in image only, and then only just. Where the 240Z is a true custom driver's car, the aggregate sum of the 350Z's parts is less than the whole. Don't slap some stuff together, throw in some nice fluff, and expect me to think it's a great car. Market research does not make cars great. Just ask Aztek customer support....

There are many examples in recent times of cars made near-custom. The best of which is the Neon SRT-4. In a word: stupid nice. Others include the Mini Cooper S and WRX. These are cars that concentrate on the drive, not on the look or extra cute features. They're a bargain, and they're near-custom. It can be done and companies are denying it to make that all-important bottom line look fat for investors. I understand this reality; I have investements here and there. But more than a flash-in-the-pan blip in my portfolio, I'd rather have a true inheritor of the Zed badge.

I still don't understand the meaning of the 'not really an M3' crap.

The E30 M3 was a lightweight, moderately powered, excellently handling small car. The E36 was a midsized sedan with a bit more power than average. And it stunk in comparison to the E30. The E36 only beat the E30 in straight-line performance. Drive the two back to back, and you'd swear it was different manufacturers.

 

[Hooligan]

Originally posted by M5Power
People don't want functionality anymore.

Um, what? Weren't you just arguing how people wanted more stuff on their cars? And how the best assembling of parts always wins out? Didn't we just agree on how GM throws tons of stuff in their cars and does a decent job of selling it?

Substitute "people" for "Americans", and "functionality" for "driveability" and you'll have me in agreement. A quick perusal of the top-ten sellers shows this to be true. Americans want big, "safe", powerful toys. Europeans go for smaller, economic, fun hot-hatches. Asians go for anything tiny (unless it's really tiny, in which case they try to see if it will fold up into their apartment).

The enthusiasts out there all go for pretty much the same thing: high power-to-weight ratio, chuckability, high power-to-weight ratio, grip, high power-to-weight ratio, something light on its feet, and a high power-to-weight ratio. So maybe if you mean "people" as in "most people", and if you mean "functionality" as in "safe & boring", then I'm right there with you again.