Infiniti M25 test drive since 2010 sedan

Winter sport

Cars that are well sold in America are usually not very popular in Russia. Infiniti M35X proves that there are pleasant exceptions to any rule.
It seems incredible, but at the end of winter, snow appeared in Moscow. When December ended, there was still autumn in the capital, and when February came, many decided that spring had come. Thinking about the quirks of nature, we can assume that the grandchildren of our grandchildren will no longer know what a snowman and skis are, and instead of a Christmas tree, they will decorate the palm tree. Perhaps this is not so bad, but while I write these words, the snow has covered the city and suburbs in a day. Yesterday, the sky was clear, and the roads are dry, so the snow in the winter once again became a real surprise for road services. To make life easier for car owners, traffic police officers now and then overlapped the ring road, and the city was more like a huge parking lot. It should be, on my part, it would be to be courting those poor fellow who were driving on this day, but do you think about the hard life of an office cleaner, enjoying the sea, sun and snow -white sand of the Thai Island of Samui? The truth is, I am a little ashamed, but on the day when everyone was bad, I felt true pleasure. Of course, Samui has nothing to do with it, but Japan and America were involved in this. After all, it was the Japanese who created a car for the American market, while driving you can come off on the snowy roads of Russia.
 
So, we are in front of the Infiniti M35x. When contemplating its impressive silhouette, it may seem that Infiniti M is suitable for competitors of Mercedes-Benz S-class, but in reality the Infiniti sedan is 20 mm shorter than the Audi A6 and 80 mm longer than the countryman as noble blood Lexus GS. This means that his main competitors of the e-class sedan. True, Infiniti M prices can strongly puzzle competitors. The base version of Premium with a 3.5-liter V6 engine and an automatic box will cost 64,900 dollars German sedans in a comparable configuration more expensive by 1015 thousand! And if we consider the M45 Elite (V8 4.5, 339 hp), then the difference in price will be almost 30%.
 
But for Russia, where five months a year have to ride winter tires, there is an even more attractive offer of the M35X sedan with the ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system. It is $ 3,000 more expensive than the rear-wheel drive version, but at the same time cheaper than the BMW 530xi, Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic, Audi A6 3.2 Quattro, not to mention the Honda Legend with the innovative SH-AWD drive system. Even the top version of Elite, packed with luxury attributes, costs cheaper than 70 thousand dollars! It was such a car that raised me the mood during the snow apocalypse in Moscow.
Premium monument
If the Flintstone family lived in our time and was engaged in a profitable business, then its head would certainly acquire Infiniti M35. Until I care about what is inside, but the car looks like an oligarchy. The monumentality of the outlines and the abundance of chromium always aroused respect, but in this case, 1900 kg look more convincing than ever. Wherever you look, there is always a lot of this car. In front of the aggression adds a predatory optics with xenon guns, on the side of the multi-spoke wheels of 18-inch wheels, huge lamps of lanterns in which LED dimensions shine, symbolizing the generosity of Infiniti when designing a M-Series: they say, for a good car, we are not sorry for the car. And everything would be nice, but the backbone is heavy. Let the trunk is huge and the reserve is full -size, but when you look at the short front overhang, headlights open on the wings, sloping windshield racks, you look forward to the stern in the style of tightly knocked down Bavarians or playful Italians. But no, the Americans who have fallen from the fast food should taste on the premium yeast Infiniti M. For this completeness there are purely practical virtues.
 
Do not rush to drive. It is clear that from 280 hp. Under the hood and four graduation pipes under the rear bumper, this car calls to test it in business. And, believe me, he met expectations. But to complete the sensations, first try yourself as a passenger. On the back sofa no worse than in sedan class above. The roof does not press, does not press on the shoulders, the knees do not rest against the back of the front chair, and the seats are tailored to the glory. In addition, a personal climatic zone, heating and adjustment of the seats, as well as an automatic rear window curtain are provided for the rear passengers. So, if you are ready to transfer the steering wheel to a personal driver, the M35 will pleasantly surprise a high level of comfort. But it is not easy to choose a driver for this car, because the M35 is configured in such a way that, moving into it, say, from the Nissan Z350 sportkup, you can’t feel the dynamics lack of a lack of dynamics. There is a small steering wheel with a profiled rim, a clear digitization of devices, drowned in deep wells, and a compact machine gun selector. True, it is not very convenient to switch the gears in manual mode due to more than you expect, efforts on the selector, and in quick turns there are not enough side support of the seats. Well, okay, but in traffic jams the back does not get tired.
 
It can be seen that here they tried to combine coziness and, in a sense, classic luxury with advanced electronic technologies. Here is a soft skin, pleasant in appearance and to the touch plastic, a massive wooden strip on the front panel. But polished aluminum and manipulator of a proprietary multimedia system. The Japanese did not name this round and nine auxiliary buttons, but it is worth mentioning the convenience of using them, because if a distinctive feature of German multimedia is entertaining graphics, then Infiniti puts an ergonomics at the forefront. True, the stabilization system disconnection button has to be felt from memory.
Premium compromise
How are things going with comfort? Acoustic comfort could be higher into the salon, noise from the road penetrates, after 120 km/h the side mirrors are singing, and the rolled v6 is heard from 2000 rpm. It is good that the vibrations are minimized and the suspension is almost not felt. After 300 km on the concrete, I was convinced that the suspension was really adapted for our roads. And also a full -wheel drive version above the rear -wheel drive by 15 mm. It is unlikely that an enlarged clearance will help to overcome the off -road, but the snowdrifts of the M35X is not an obstacle. In addition, the front wheels are connected very quickly, and now the sedan rowing with all four paws. On a snowy road, the M35X retains rear -wheel drive habits, the car easily goes into a skid and is also easily controlled. Soon you don’t even notice how automatically you are drawn to the stabilization button to turn off the stabilization system try to deny yourself such pleasure! After all, in addition to the light, predictable controllability of the M35X, it sounds great! His heart is the famous engine of the VQ35 series. It has 280 hp and 363 Nm. It is not as economical as the 3.2-liter FSI Audi, and not as good as well as the 3-liter Lexus unit, but what you can’t refuse is in character. With it, the relatively light compartment of the Z350 shows a truly frantic dynamics, and the mighty Pathfinder shoots from the place like from a slingshot. So for the M-series he is what you need. Acceleration to the first hundred takes about 7 s, but due to the sports growl VQ35 it seems that the set of speed is no worse than in the M45 with its 340-horsepower V8.
 
Oh, these emotions! The M35x heating them, but does not allow them to boil. He offers the pleasure of driving, but he also says with all his appearance: I manage a calm ride no worse. On the one hand VQ35, and on the other, an elastic, silent suspension, a smooth machine and a wide armrest under the right elbow. Perhaps this M35X could become the Luxury car rally star if it existed, because it was possible to pass in a controlled skid, holding the steering wheel with one hand, this is just what could have entertained the top manager after a monotonous working day. And, you can imagine, there is not even a zummer that warn of an unhealthy seat belt. This means that while you are going to the supermarket around the corner, the car will not bother the heartbreaking squeak. At the same time, so many means of active and passive security were collected in the M35 that there would be enough decent golf class hatchbacks.
 
The entire concept of Infiniti M35X is built on compromises. Like everything that comes from America, M35 is a impressive, comfortable and not so expensive. But his dad and mother Japanese, which means that the blood of a real fighter flows in his veins. The driver feels speed and agility in him, and the passenger is reliability and courtesy. It remains for me to hope that soon another new sedan of class D Infiniti G35 will reach Russia. In the meantime, winter is on the street, you can enjoy winter sports.
Technical characteristics Infiniti M35x
Dimensions, mm 4900x1795x1524
Base, mm 2900
Equipped mass, kg 1900
Benzine engine type V6
Working volume, cubic meter. cm 3498
Max. Power, L.S./rpm 280/6200
Max. moment, nm/rpm 363/4800
The transmission is automatic 5-band
The drive is complete
Max. Speed, km/h 206
Tires 245/45 R18
Acceleration time 0-100 km, with 7.1
Fuel consumption (average), l/100 km 13.7
Tank volume, l 76
 
 

 
Stanislav Goncharenko
Photo by the author

Source: Avtopanorama magazine