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Consumer Reports First Place: Top 10 Cars
(upscale sedan category) for 2007 and 2008.
The current generation of the Infiniti G features standard dual front airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags, and front side torso
airbags. It was rated "Acceptable" by the IIHS. However, an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Status Report, released in 2007, ranked
the 2003-4 Infiniti G35 as the safest car in the Luxury Mid-size category and the second safest vehicle Overall, based on its observed
fatal-accidents rate.
History of Infiniti
The Infiniti G20 was Infiniti's entry-level luxury car in the United States during most of the 1990s and into the 2000s.
Similar to the Japanese/European market Nissan Primera sedan, the G20 offered higher levels of standard equipment. It was launched in 1991 as
Infiniti's first small car as an entry-level alternative to the Q45; later advertisements emphasized its European heritage with the tag line
"Born in Japan. Educated in Europe. Now Available in America." Two generations of the G20 exist in the United States, the HP10 (P10), built
from 1991 to 1996, and the HP11 (P11), built from 1999 to 2002. All G20s were front-wheel drive and were built in Oppama, Japan.
The first 1991 G20 was completed on July 10, 1990. The final 1996 G20 was completed on July 19, 1996. The P10 featured the first application
of Nissan's multi-link front suspension in a front-wheel-drive car, with an independent MacPherson strut setup in the rear. It came standard
with a 5-speed manual transmission. The only options to begin with were an automatic transmission, leather interior, and a power glass
moonroof; a Touring package (labeled G20t) was introduced in 1994 and featured a black leather interior with sport front bucket seats and
fold-down rear seats, as well as a limited-slip differential in the transmission and a
spoiler on the rear decklid.
Equipment
The G20 was a badge-engineered version of the Nissan Primera, but because Infiniti was pitched as a premium brand, it featured a high level of
equipment compared to its European and Japanese relatives. The only engine available was the 2.0 litre SR20DE Inline 4-cylinder; in Europe
this was the top-of-the-line engine for the Primera lineup. 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions were both available, with the
5-speed being praised as "one of the best in the business."
Power windows, power locks, power mirrors, air conditioning, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, alloy wheels, a Bose stereo, a theft-deterrent
system, cruise control, floor mats, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob were all standard. Leather and a power moonroof
were common options, and were later offered in a package that included power seats and keyless entry. Later models also featured dual front
airbags. The standard trim was called Luxury. Two major trim package upgrades were offered: Touring, badged G20t, available from model years
1994 to 1996 and 1999 to 2001, and Sport (with no badge modification) which was offered during model year 2002. These packages featured a
limited-slip differential in the transmission, sportier, more highly bolstered front bucket seats and fold-down rear seats, fog lamps, and a
spoiler on the rear decklid. The details of these trims varied from year to year.
2003 Car of the Year: Infiniti G35 Infiniti G35 Sport Sedan and Sport Coupe January 01, 2003
2005 refresh
2006 Infiniti G35 coupe
2006 Infiniti G35 sedanThe G35 was refreshed inside and out in 2005. The interior was given sportier gauges with better backlighting and
higher quality trim and knobs. MP3/WMA playback was added to the now standard 6 disc in-dash CD player, and the cassette player was removed.
Brembo brakes were removed for the 2005 and 2006 models, and the brakes were redesigned with larger discs and a different caliper design. This
was partly in response to a number of complaints about the previous years' brakes, which included a class action lawsuit filed in California
related to premature wear on 2003-2004 models.
A sport-tuned suspension package was standard on all six-speed manual equipped models, which included a viscous limited slip differential and
the higher output VQ35HR "Rev-UP" engine. The 2006 models received minor updates. On the exterior there were new headlights, taillights,
spoiler, sport side sills, and front bumper. Bluetooth capability was added to the interior for hands-free phone use. Rear active steering was
an option for the '06 coupe.
Fourth generation (V36 2007-present) G35 and G37 Also called Nissan Skyline Production 2007-present (sedan) 2008-present (coupe) 2009-
(convertible) Assembly Tochigi, Tochigi, Japan Predecessor Infiniti
G35 Class Mid-size entry-level luxury sedan Body style(s) 2-door coupe
There are few differences between the 2003 & 2004 G35 coupes. Both '03 & '04 six-speed manual models had the option of Brembo brakes and the
Performance Tire and Wheel Package.
Infiniti redesigned and significantly updated and upgraded the interior, exterior, chassis and drivetrain of both the G sedan and coupe for
the 2007 and 2008 model years, respectively. The initial fourth generation G sedan launched in September 2006 for the 2007 model year with a
significantly upgraded version of the venerable 3.5 L VQ engine, the VQ35HR and a 5-speed automatic as standard transmission. The second gen G
coupe launched in 2007 for the 2008 model year with the larger and again much improved 3.7 L VQ37VHR with 5-speed automatic and in late 2008
for the 2009 model year the G sedan followed suit now also using the VQ37VHR. For 2009 - present both the coupe and sedan also come with an
all-new 7-speed automatic as the standard transmission.
G35 sedan
The G35 sedan underwent a major revision for the 2007 model year. This 2nd generation front-mid (FM) platform underpinning the new G is shared
in part with the new M and has several structural reinforcements around the engine and rear floor area. Along with three times more laser
welding and 16 percent more spot welds than the old version, overall body stiffness was improved by 40 percent. Single-pivot lower control
arms in front replace the 1st gen model's twin lower links. Along with these chassis refinements the sport package equipped models (auto as
well as manual transmission models) get firmer rear shocks, bigger front brake calipers, and larger 13-inch (330 mm) rotors all around (up
from 12.6/12.1-inch front/rear).
Sport package equipped cars also get a viscous limited slip rear differential. An all-new Active Steering package can be ordered for sport
package equipped models. It features a planetary gearset on the steering shaft (similar to BMW), that varies the steering ratio between 12.0:1
and 18.5:1. A rear-wheel steering system that induces up to one degree of rear steer is also included in this package. The Active Steering
package includes even stiffer shocks than the sport package at all four corners and the ride has been repeatedly reported as being too stiff
for most customers except the most "enthusiastic" drivers. Base and Journey model 17-inch (430 mm) tires bump up from 215s to 225s, while the
18-inch (460 mm) upgrade (included in sport or wheel package) with 225/45-ZR18 front and 245/40-ZR18 rear is now a size smaller in front and
larger in back than the 1st gen model's all-around 235/45R18s.
A new engine block maintains the same bore and stroke, but the connecting rods were lengthened and the block deck was raised by 8.4 mm to
reduce piston side-loads. This modification, along with the use of larger crank bearings with main bearing caps reinforced by a rigid
ladder-type main cap girdle to allow the engine reliably rev to 7500 rpm. With an increase in compression ratio from 10.3:1 to 10.6:1 these
changes add 26 more horsepower (306 total + 3 hp (2.2 kW) ram air effect not measured by SAE testing = 309 hp). Torque is down 2 foot-pounds
force (2.7 N·m) from the old DE engine (268 vs. 270). The engine now sits 15 mm lower in the chassis for a lower center of gravity.
Although the nominal horsepower rating shows only 8 more hp than the latest version of the previous generation "DE" engine, the real
horsepower difference was much more significant due to the changed SAE guidelines for horsepower ratings in 2007. According to Consumer
Reports an Infiniti G35 Journey sedan with a 5-speed Automatic transmission can reach 0-60 mph (0–97 km/h) in 5.4 seconds, and the 1/4 mile
(~400 m) 13.8 seconds. According to the also newly revised EPA guidelines (which are much less favorable than the old guidelines), fuel
economy is estimated at 17 mpg-US (14 L/100 km; 20 mpg-imp) in the city and 24 mpg-US (9.8 L/100 km; 29 mpg-imp) on the highway.
Second generation G35 performance: according to both Motor Trend and Automobile Magazine, the previous model a 2005 G35 6MT sedan in their
tests reaches 0-60 mph in 5.7 seconds and the 1/4 mile in 14.1 seconds, giving the new 2007 2nd gen G35 sedan a .4 and .3 second edge
respectively.
However, this specific comparison actually proves how much performance was improved since it compares a 2007 G35 Journey Sedan with a 5-speed
automatic transmission to a 2005 G35 6MT with a 6-speed manual transmission having the 2007 G35 auto sedan outperforming the 2005 G35 manual
car handily.
Best ever performance measured and documented for a 2nd gen 2007 G35 sedan (Sport 6MT) anywhere was achieved by Car and Driver magazine at the
end of their 40,000-mile (64,000 km) long term test showing a 0-60 time of 5.1 seconds, a 0-100 time of 12.8 seconds and a 1/4 mile time of
13.7 seconds at 104 mph (167 km/h).
Mostly, 5-speed automatic G35 cars are performance wise not far behind the manual version. In a 2008 Motor Trend Magazine comparison test with
the new 2008 Cadillac CTS a 5-speed auto transmission equipped G35 sedan achieved a 0-60 time of 5.3 seconds, a 0-100 time of 13.1 seconds and
a 1/4 mile time of 13.8 seconds at 102.9 mph (165.6 km/h).
Infiniti also announced Infiniti G37 Convertible, G37 Sedan, G37x Coupe for 2009 model year. All 2009 models come standard with a new 7-speed
automatic transmission that was already introduced in the 2008 FX35 and FX50.
As before to equip your G sedan with the optional 6-speed manual transmission the Sport 6MT model must be specified. Base, Journey and X
models cannot be ordered with manual transmissions, however the Sport Package including all sport options of the 6MT model (except the manual
trans) can be added to the Journey and X models.
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