2011 Infiniti M56

I know exactly what Eric Tingwall is talking about when he mentions the seven-speed automatic. If you're at about 30 mph and the engine is at about 1500 rpm and you're in automatic mode, the transmission is in fourth gear. Nail the accelerator, and the gearbox hesitates, taking at least a second or two for the engine to climb to about 3000 rpm. Then, suddenly, the big V-8 comes on with fury and the tach zooms from 3000 to 6000 rpm as it downshifts. It's a weird, very nonlinear, response. Helluva engine, though. Very athletic chassis, too, but these twenty-inch tires are a bit much for Michigan roads. I find the four-wheel steering to feel quite artificial, especially at around-town speeds. Nice interior. I like the aluminum trim piece on the interior door panels, all swoopy and teardrop-shaped. It's a modern, clean, Japanese aesthetic in here and for the most part I like it.
- Joe DeMatio, Deputy Editor