Road Test
Nissan's Infiniti Division hasn't been selling as many M45s as it had originally hoped to, given that the model was intended to fill an obvious gap between the company's Q45 and its smaller cars. But that was no reason to give up on this model. No way. Instead, the product planners went back to the drawing board and produced a whole new M45 that clearly resembles the G35, its hot-selling smaller sibling. While they were at it, they produced a V-6-powered M35, too. The new M shares much of the FM platform used by the G35 and other Nissans, but fully 60 percent of its platform components are reported to be new.
What an improvement. The previous car (introduced here for 2003) was a modified version of the Japanese-market Cedric/Gloria large sedan, and along with looking pretty stodgy, it lacked interior space, even for front-seat occupants if they were tall. Nevertheless, the old M45 found happy customers at a rate of about 400 to 500 a month, drivers who loved the silky snarl of that 4.5-liter V-8 along with its torquey thrust. There isn't much that 340 pound-feet can't cure.
But those sales added up to only 4066 M45s out the door during the first 10 months of 2004, and the deployment of a replacement model was undoubtedly being planned from the moment the stop-gap car went on sale. And here it is, the new M-series, in an extended range including V-6 and all-wheel-drive models alongside the V-8 flagship, with option packages that should satisfy the tech geeks and audiophiles alike. The Sport version tested here flaunts 19-inch wheels, a retuned suspension, and rear active toe control.
The latter is an electrically powered system that produces a brief surge of opposite-phase steering (the wheels turn right about one degree when you turn left) to induce quick turn-in, then switches to same-phase steering (also about one degree) to stabilize the car in mid-bend.
Our test car also had xenon headlights that swivel in corners, climate-controlled front seats, a so-called premium steering wheel, and metal interior trim. Non-Sport models feature rosewood trim to provide what Infiniti spokesmen said was "a more vibrant interior." We think the metallic look suits the interior better, particularly since the center display screen and controls remind us strongly of an ATM. That control panel is certainly more practical than it is vibrant, with a round multifunction control that is simple and intuitive to use.
All models have leather furniture, but the Sport model has more aggressively bolstered seats with double-stitched seams, and they proved quite supportive and comfortable in use. Infiniti claims the rear-seat room to be on a par with that of the Lexus LS430 (at 46 cubic feet, the M45 has two fewer than the Lexus), and sure enough, we found space back there tolerable even for a six-foot-five passenger. However, the rear center seat is much less inviting, with a broad transmission tunnel consuming much of the floor space, forcing the middle passenger to splay his legs and have his feet share the front seatback cutouts with the outboard passengers.
Any doubts about the amount of space up front were instantly erased by the fully adjustable seats and abundant legroom. Ahead of the driver is a gauge cluster with big electrofluorescent faces and bright red needles that produce a glow in the gauge's perimeter ring to accentuate their position. The sweeping, wave-shaped dashboard has a shallow contour angle that makes the surfaces recede from the occupants, thus increasing the perception of space. All in all, it is a pleasant environment.
It is also an entertaining car to drive. A keyless fob allows the vehicle to recognize its owner as the driver comes near, permitting said driver to unlock the car at the touch of a button on the pull handle, get inside, and then touch the start button while depressing the brake pedal. This is all possible with the fob stashed in your pocket or stored for safekeeping in a little spring-loaded niche in the dash. If you push the start button without applying the brake, you simply power up the electrical systems without starting the engine.
