2006 Infiniti M45
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By Richard J. Newman
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Nits: There's no mute button for the radio. The glove box is puny.
G forces: The primary difference between the M35 and the M45 is the engine. The 35 comes with a 280-horsepower V-6, the 45 with a 335horsepower V-8. The car I tested, with the V-8, was like the perfect father figure: Overflowing with quiet strength. The V-6 is the same engine used in the saucy G35. The M's insistent handling helps keep you focused on the right path.
Gizmology: Dashboard controls are nicely arranged in a slant that allows you to rest your hand on the dash when fiddling the with temperature or fan buttons. A centralized display screen keeps you informed of climate and radio info, though the system can be a complicated way of inching the fan up a notch or accomplishing something simple. In which case, revert to the manual controls.
Kidmarks: There's copious room for kids in the back seat, along with rear A/C vents, middle cupholders, map pockets, overhead lights, and mostly everything else you could ask for to help keep kids cozy. The only drawback: Heavy doors that can be hard for little arms to pull closed.
Hot or not: Hot. The M is graceful, athletic, and toned.
Envirometer: Mileage ranges from 17 mpg/city to 25 mpg/highway. The EPA hasn't yet rated the M for air pollution or emissions.
Crash course: Not yet crash tested by the governmnet or by private testing organizations.
Price points: Base prices range from $40,100 for the M35 to $49,750 for the M45. Price as tested: $51,450 (est.)
More info: www.infiniti.com
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I was in a New York City parking garage, waiting for my car to be delivered from an upper floor, when it appeared like a scene from a Tim Burton film noir. The car elevator descended in a cloud of steam, with only the beam from a headlight visible from inside the cage. Then the cloud began to clear and the M came into view, its athletic stance evoking a sprinter in the blocks, its xenon headlights drilling through the night like the targeting beams on an F-16. The steam slithering beneath the car brought to mind the image of a racehorse in the gate, snorting and bucking as it prepares to bolt.
Ordinarily I am not prone to such metaphorical excess. Not in parking garages, anyway. But the M45 made me reach deeper than usual to express my enthusiasm—partly because the car really does belong in a class with other high performers. Its specs are impressive—a 335-horsepower V-8 engine, superstable rear-wheel drive, sumptuous inner appointments—but this luxury sport sedan is even better than that. It's one of those cars on which everything just seems to click. You could drive the M45 in your sleep, but you don't want to—the feisty acceleration and grabby handling make it too much fun.
The thrill of zipping around corners is enhanced when you do it in the kind of comfort the M offers. The seats are among the cushiest I've ever inhabited. It's like sitting in a recliner in your living room and playing a driving game on a superrealistic, 3-D Nintendo. The armrests seemed to caress my elbows. Touch points like the door handles and the steering wheel have a comforting feel, resisting softly. And the swept, nicely appointed dashboard is tastefully avant garde. The M competes with heavy hitters in the near-$50,000 category, like the BMW 5 Series and the Audi A6. And it's an edgy yet refined package that manages to stand out without looking like a copycat. Or, truth be told, a racehorse.
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