Edmunds | Help Contact Editor Sign In | Follow Inside Line
This is one of my favorite transmissions in any car in the world. The shift action has the slick, mechanical feel of a bolt-action rifle. Trustworthy and precise, it reminds me of those terrific old Muncie transmissions you find in the 1960s Corvette Stingray.
Every transmission feels different...
As our G35 prepares to depart the Edmunds Long Term fleet, I was initially struck with..., well I didn't really care much. It's a great car and all but I'd never get the Sport version and the six-speed manual only appeals to me when I picture myself living in Nebraska or Montana or anywhere that's not Los Angeles.
Just as I was all set to not care about the car leaving, I had a glance at the window sticker - $37,400 including Premium Package and Navigation. For that price our car has a Bose stereo w/ hard drive, Bluetooth, real time traffic info for the nav system, sunroof, power memory for seats, mirrors and steering wheel, heated seats and one touch windows all around...
Um, that's not good. The right front Bridgestone on our 2007 Infiniti G35 Sport has been curb crunched to the point of two large lacerations. For the record, it wasn't me. But I did check the car's tire pressures when I discovered the damage...
Motohiro Matsumara says the VQ35 V6 in the Infiniti G35 began as a kind of lucky guess and became a success by accident. He designed it, so he should know.
Nissan built Japan's first V6 in volume production for an automobile, and when it introduced the VG30 V6 in the 1984 300ZX, the company was so proud that it took journalists to the engine foundry to see the aluminum cylinder heads being cast. For Nissan, it was a big thing to break away from the inline-6 engine that had defined the company since the 1960s...
The more time I spend in our long-term 2007 Infiniti G35 Sport, the more I like it. I'm a huge fan of its power, pure and simple, and the fact that it's held to the ground by such a capable suspension so you only want to go faster.
But it's not just the power per se, it's where it happens. According to our full test, the G35 makes its considerable 306 horsepower peak all the way up at 6,800 rpm and its 268 pound-feet of peak torque at 5,200, but it sure doesn't feel that way...
At 18,563 miles it's time for a fuel economy update on our long-term G35 Sport...
Walking around our G35 Sport after Wednesday's antics in the wet I noticed something strange through the wheelwell opening.
Back in my high school baseball days, a wet day was a great excuse to play around on the practice field sliding around and doing goofy things. Yesterday, our track day was rained out. As we waited and hoped for the sun to come out as the weather report had indicated, a wet track and a selection of high-powered, rear-wheel-drive cars was simply too tempting to resist sliding around and doing goofy things.
Our long-term Infiniti G35 Sport just happened to go up yesterday for logistic purposes and in between my own hooliganism, I broke out the Scorcese cam. May I now present to you Mr. Jacquot and the G. Enjoy. James Riswick, Associate Editor
Our Long Term G35 is sort of like a really cute girl you might meet at the supermarket, a really cute girl that would be great for someone else. The G35 S is good looking, comfortable, quick, fun and stylish - all great qualities. It's just that the car doesn't have that certain something - FOR ME.
I'm not sure if it's the stiff seats or the stiff ride, I just don't find myself really connecting with the car...
There it is, folks. Where the magic happens. The 2007 Infiniti G35 Sport with a six-speed manual is now officially perfect. As our dedicated blog readers know, we all pretty much love the G35, EXCEPT for the clutch...
I recently had the good fortune to return to my favorite place in my Edmunds life: the driver seat of the 2007 Infiniti G35 Sport. What a spectacular machine! The clutch issue has definitely been significantly improved, although the action is no less responsive. The engine note is still a magnificent rumble, the driver seat is firm and supportive, the steering is bowstring tight, the doors close like a vault, and damn I LOVE the way the thing looks...
Directly below the slot of the CD player you see above you is the HVAC system for the beloved Infiniti G35 Sport. Southern California was afflicted with a particularly beguiling weather condition the last few days we believe you people call "rain," so frequently the interior of the car had to be defogged.
You hit the top defog button (front window), which curiously sets off the A/C, which you then turn off. I have a friend who swears that this actually works faster than just heat because it equalizes with the cold outside...
You've heard more than enough about our 2007 Infiniti G35's crummy clutch / shifter relationship. I've made an effort not to belabor that point in previous blog entries.
With that in mind, I'm pleased to report that this morning I executed a perfectly smooth downshift in the G35 for the first time.
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor @ 14,221 miles
In the spirit of the original Infiniti ads, I've used a nature-themed photo without a car in it. The significance of this shot is not as murky as those ads seen back in 1989, which showed a tranquil, babbling brook...and no car, leaving people to wonder "What the heck do these new Infinitis look like?" You've all seen what our G35 Sport looks like -- the purpose here is to show our G's natural habitat. Here, among the winding canyon roads located in Malibu, the G likes to show off its moves. With that torquey V6 and the responsive chassis, getting into the rhythm of the road gladdens my heart as much as those tasty waves amp up the surfer dudes.
On a couple of less romantic notes, I also like the power-adjustable side wing supports on the driver seat (they hug you in the turns while the G hugs the road). And fuel mileage over nearly 14,000 miles is 19.4 mpg. This is in line with the updated EPA estimate of 20 mpg for combined city and highway driving. Not bad, considering we fully enjoy the 306-horse V6.
John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 13,884 miles.
Advertisement
Latest Poll
My next car will be:
Recent Posts
1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Role Reversal
May 25, 2012 2:29 PM
1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Shut The Buzz Up
May 25, 2012 11:00 AM
1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata: The Steering
May 24, 2012 8:00 AM
1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata: The Door Bars
May 23, 2012 6:00 AM
1997 Mazda MX-5 Miata: Keegan Engineering Head And Porting Tech
May 22, 2012 4:00 AM
Advertisement
Tip the Editors
Got a breaking news tip for the Inside Line editors?
Send it to tips@edmunds.com
Awards
Vehicles
Past Vehicles
Browse Archives