Car Lines Quick Look
by Larry Mason
2006 Infiniti M

The award winning G35 now has a big brother with a split-personality and you can call him “M”. You have the athletic M35 and the powerful M45. For most people the M35 is as much power as you’ll ever need, but if you want the top-of-the-line, you’ll have to get the V8.

The last M (whose production ended with the 2004 model year) was a large heavy four-door hot rod sedan that was sort of like the Q45’s little brother. This new M shares nothing in common with the old one other than the nameplate and the V8. The previous M suffered from a lack of advertising and low production along with plain styling. The new M is like Jekyll was to Hyde.

I spent about a month in the new M35 and a couple of days with the M45 and can honestly say that the new M35 is one of my favorite all around sedans. It’s not just the 280 horsepower from the award winning V6, or the advanced safety features. But it’s the combination of all of the technology, entertainment, and comfort factors that blend so well in this car.

Some great convenience features I like are the steering wheel mounted audio and Bluetooth® phone controls, voice activated navigation, and killer Bose® 5.1 Studio Surround Sound 14-speaker audio system. All of those features help reduce the time that your eyes are not on the road. For instance, with the Bluetooth phone system, all you have to do to make a call is push a button on the steering wheel and say “dial ‘office’” and you’re instantly connected to your office. To receive a call, just push the button (on the steering wheel) and start talking. It’s that easy. You never even have to look at your phone – or for that matter, know where it is in the car! I also appreciate the “marriage saver” features – heated and cooled front seats and dual climate control.

The advanced audio system is DVD movie capable on the front 7-inch screen as well as long as the car is stopped, in Park, and the E-brake is on. Audio DVDs are coming to the marketplace more and more as consumers demand the increased clarity and surround sound musical effects. The Bose demo DVD is enough to sell the car on its own. In fact, when the M was introduced at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, some self-proclaimed “audiophile” journalists said that it was the best sound system ever in an automobile!

The new M has what’s known as an “interface controller” which is basically a knock-off of the much lamented BMW i-Drive system. Fortunately for Infiniti, they give you other options to control audio, climate control, and information screens without having to rotate the knob. The other good thing is that it’s relatively easy to learn so it’s not as intimidating as the competition’s is. Other techno features include a lane-departure warning system, intelligent cruise control, vehicle dynamic control, and downshift rev-matching.

The ride is firm but not harsh and with the adjustable lumbar support, is quite comfortable on long trips. The navigation system even has rest areas programmed so that you always know how long you’ll have to wait – to go! Handling, braking, and acceleration all get two thumbs up. If you want more power (though you’d rarely need it) you can get the nice throaty sound of the V8 in the M45.

The intelligent key means that you never have to take your key out of your pocket to enter the vehicle and likewise to start it. By the way, copying the Honda S2000 as others are doing now, you have a “Push” to start button.

There’s seating for five but just make sure that you’re not the fifth stuck in the middle of the back seat – that’s one of the few “downers” on this car. A little more bolstering on the sides of the seat would be nice for driving through the twisties. If the M could go on a diet and lose a couple hundred pounds, that would make it even better.

All-in-all, it’s a wonderful automobile that you could live with long term. The M35 starts at around $40k and tops out over $50k depending on option packages (add about $10k for an M45). Visit your local Infiniti dealer for a test drive; I think you’ll be impressed.

Photos courtesy of Infiniti