2 2003 - 2006/2007 Infiniti G35 | Japan's First Real Bimmer-Fighter
By Jason Cammisa
In a list of used cars we'd love to see in our own personal garages, there's no way we could leave out Japan's first real Bimmer-fighter. The G35 - coupe and sedan - hit the market for the 2003 model year with its rear wheels spinning. This was a first for Infiniti's G, and sending its power rearward catapulted the G35 right to the front of the dynamic pack. The cute but wrong-wheel-drive G20 had grown up - and in the place of its little four-cylinder was a big, 3.5-liter V-6 with serious muscle. Sedans were rated at 260 hp, coupes at 280, and 0 to 60 mph was dispensed within the six-second range.
The first Infiniti to use the FM (front-midship) platform, the G35 had its wheels pushed out to the corners and its powerplant mounted behind the front wheels' centerline. The resulting long-hood, long-wheelbase proportions gave the G35 not only an aggressive look but fantastic handling as well. The words "incredible grip and body control" were used in this very magazine to describe the G35 coupe - which was then honored with an All-Star award for 2003.
Aimed squarely at the BMW 3-series, the G was bigger on the outside and roomier on the inside, particularly in four-door form. A 2005 face-lift included upgrades to a few interior bits and gave both models a power boost. Sedans and coupes equipped with the five-speed automatic (including the all-wheel-drive G35x, new for 2004) received the 280-hp engine. Buyers who opted for the slick-shifting six-speed manual got 298 horses to play with.
When new, the G35 was between $3000 and $5000 less expensive than a comparably equipped 3-series, but that gap lessens as the vehicles age, since the G35 (the coupe in particular) holds its value better. Why? Well, for one, the Infiniti offers one thing that the BMW doesn't: knock-down, absolutely-refuses-to-break, bulletproof reliability. We're hard-pressed to find a single area where the Infiniti experienced problems - and this is also typical of other Infiniti products. The G35 sedan was replaced by a second-generation car in 2007, but the coupe continued on for one more year. For nine-tenths the performance and refinement of a BMW with eleven-tenths the reliability, the G35 should easily earn a spot on your shopping list. Especially at these fantastic prices.
Price Then $29,645 (2003 coupe)
Price Now $13,000
> Award
All-Star ('03)
> Watch Out For
2003 and '04 models had brake equipment that wore quickly, an issue addressed with more durable components.
> Fun Fact
The G35 shared its chassis and soul with the Nissan 350Z, giving it sports-car moves with a sexy, practical, and luxurious body.
> Certified Pre-Owned
6-yr/100,000-total-mile warranty
> Web sites
g35club.org, infinitiforum.net, g35driver.com
> Specs
- 3.5L V-6, 260-298 hp, 260-270 lb-ft
- 6-speed manual, 5-speed automatic
- Rear- or 4-wheel drive ...next page >>