I'm sure Infiniti will come up with something better than F for Fast. And lets hope if/when the performance G is released, it doesn't have stacked tail-pipes and a disgusting hood bulge.

 

So for Infiniti has been pretty good with the looks of the car, so i dont know/hope there wouldnt be a hood bulge. but i think they could easily release a preformance G. people would be it up like crazy.

 

Picus,

Are people measuring these with the Gtechs or something? I do not trust personal 0-60 times as much as drag strip times or magazines. A real 0-60 time in order to be reliable against other recorded times needs to be on a super flat strip, which I do not believe exists anywhere unless purposely built that way.

I believe at least one magazine has recorded a 4.8 time, but 1/4 mile times that I have seen have been around 13.6. If the G gets down to 13.7 or so, hopefully we can stop talking about this huge performance (acceleration) gap. That will make my decision easier when the time comes. If the new coupe gains more weight and keeps the same engine as in the sedan, I may lean toward a 335 coupe. Then again, if the styling is a knockout, then I'm back toward the G. Wow, I have issues.

 

ive performed enough research... and seen enough scanned slips to know 4.8 is possible with the 335i... so yes. lol sad but true and doubt the new "G" coupe will be able to hang.... but im still getting a 08 G.

ppp

 

In order to really understand what taking on the 335 means, look at the big picture. the 3 Series is the benchmark and has been for entry level lux. sedans and coupes for the last 5 to maybe even 8+ years now. The automotive press and the buying public both agree. The cars performance and abilities speak for themselves; the raves and accolades over BMW continue, and it has won almost every car comparison it is reviewed in for a long time now. The initial release of the G35s put a top class competitor aimed at this very segment and for a first round attempt came very far very early on and was - as a price performance minded coupe, an excellent buy, even if not yet up to par against the then 3 series.

Today, the press still calls out the simple fact that no other manufacturer has produced cars directed at where BMW is going, merely where they have been, and BMW continues to improve its line and most competitors simply follow. The G is different as it is targeting where BMW is going, and has not only seriously stepped up its game with the new '07 sedan, (and soon to be coupe) but it is the only car maker out there to be giving such close competition to what is considered the class leader. Even the sales figures show a strong upward trend as of recently, much attributed to the new G.

Nissan and Infiniti combined are up 4.8% just in the last 2 months alone YTD 07 vs.06. Specifically Infiniti is up for Feb, increasing 5% at 9,704 over 06 (2/06: 9,244) total units, and January numbers Infiniti 6.8% at 8,964 over 06 numbers (1/06: 8,058), and again December, up yet again :Infiniti 5.9% at 13,112 Vs. 05: (12/05: 12,856). SO to say the sales figures are all negative is plain wrong. 3 months in a row: good solid gains in sales. You can't argue fact.

This is not to say BMW sales are poor, for JAN they were flat, and up 15% in
Feb, but again, they have a deeper bench, a longer history, and they are the target everyone is gunning for so they obviously are doing something very well. My brother owned an M5, and I have long liked some of their models myself.

To say that the G35 wont offer competition simply on the merits of the new 335's turbo V6's numbers is missing a HUGE point- that cars are sold primarily first on how they look. The auto industry recognized years ago the first and most important selling factor on a car is its looks. Marketing data back this up year after year. This is of course 100% subjective for every individual- but it is simple researched fact. Also, as for all cars, prices that continue to do nothing but go up shrink the pool of available buyers. If you dont believe that, what happened to the Supra, the RX7, the 300ZX,- if the manufacturers cant sell enough to make enough, the car fades into history or drops it prices quickly to stay sell-able (mazda speed6 comes to mind as a recent example).

The looks, the marketability to its segment, the price, the total performance, all of these come to mind for most buyers. If you have a high grade in 1, but low grades in others, you still wont have a success story, unless you put a lot of high priced marketing behind it, and even then some buyers will spend the money for the moniker and the sizzle, but some will not. Selling has to do a lot with both product and how you market it, I will admit, but lots of savvy buyers also recognize it for what it is, marketing.

Personally, I will not spend $45 grand on a badge and a high end performance car w/o more: better quality record, a much more interesting looking exterior and interior, and 'I gotta have it now grabbing soul'- then the current 335i gives me. Its figures are awesome to feel and see, I tested it and loved its acceleration. But for all its bad *** engine and neck-snapping off the line performance, I will not spend that much money for a car that does not thrill in any other category. I also suspect many other may feel the same, not just on this blog, but in general. Cars have always been personal statements, and coupe lovers in general want to be on the road in something that grabs the attention of other drivers for both how fast you can go, and how good you look going that fast.

G35 For Me. April 2007 NYC, counting the seconds, checking the bank statements, waiting for the snow to melt......

 

Very good points. Of course aesthetic appreciation is all subjective, but yes the G-coupe will almost certainly be a knock out.

Two quick comments/corrections. The engine in the 335i is an inline 6, not a V6; that's where it gets that silky smooth characteristic (that the 3 series has had for, well, ever). Also, I hear a lot of talk on Japanese car boards about reliability issues; the 3-series has been traditionally very reliable, like the QX with Infiniti the 7 series tends to drag the brands reliability down.

Oh, the sales thing. I didn't say they were all down months, I said right now Infiniti dealerships are dealing with a lack of new product. They've said it themselves many times. I know they will bounce back, but in the last 8-12 months sales have been on a downward trend, same with Nissan. I only brought that up because we were talking about an Infiniti performance division, which I think is realistic, but only when they have a more solid line up of cars that are *all* selling. No one car tell me the FX refresh was a success (most cars sales are up after a refresh, not down), or that the Q is a success... The only models Infiniti has right now that are selling at the G and M. If they can get a successful flagship, and their new small SUV does well, then maybe we will see a performance division. That's all I was saying.

 

Another obvious prediction: if the hp/engine increase, mpg comes even further down...

 

Snagged on the 6, sorry, thats right; I knew that but just got a little long winded there, she has long been a straight 6. And your right about the line up issue, BMW has a great platform filled with all levels of small, medium size, family haulers, Convertibles, high end Lux 2 and 4 door models, and if I had endless dead presidents I would certainly entertain the M6, but alas my piggy bank is not that big.

There would have to be a lot of development to counter the entire BMW armada of autos, but its nice to see someone giving them a hard chase within the 3 'Cemented' segment, something I think Acura has shot at and missed time and again. (and again even today with the forever bridesmaid TL Type S or not, it ain't no 335 beater)

I will be happy to drive and test the G when it hits the dealers to give it a real hard look, but the 335 is a too conservative for me today. No pulse but a great kick in the azz when you mash the pedal.

 

Why does every single 08 G-Coupe thread have to turn in to a 335i vs G pissing match?

 

I'd be interested to see these. The timeslips I have seen are 1/4 mile times from a drag strip. Where do you get timeslips for 0-60 times? Also, as I mentioned somewhere else, many of the timeslips are people using drag radials - an unfair comparison. They are pulling 1.9 60' times. I'm sure you could knock off 3.-.4 seconds off of most cars with drag radials.

Here's what different magazines have recorded:

BMW/G35

1/4 mi mph 0-60 0-120

Road and Track 13.5/13.9 104/102 5.0/5.4 18.6/19.5
Car And Driver 13.6/13.9 105/103 4.9/5.2 17.9/19.0
Motor Trend 13.6/NA 104/NA 5.1/NA NA/NA
Edmunds 13.3/13.9 106/102 4.8/5.6 NA/NA


Looks like the 2 cars are about 0.3-0.4 seconds apart in the 1.4 mile (excpet for the edmunds review - both cars were automatics). 0-120 differences of about 1 second. In general, stock BMW's should run about 13.6 in the 1/4 mile and the G35 in 13.9. The BMW is no doubt much faster, but they are not worlds apart. If the G gets a tick or two faster in the new coupe, then I will no dount get the G. If it doesn't, it will need to be a visual knockout (which it may very well be).

 

please head over to the bmw boards (they'll have that info documented).... id post the message base url but dont have it any more... and quite frankly disgusted with the attitude there.
lol why do you think picus still hangs out here... c'mon man tell us the truth


ppp

 

C'mon guys, lets keep this thread on topic please.

 

so you aren't going to post what you guys in the dealership have been told or shown? Tease!!

 

NOTHING,,,, NOTHING NADA ZIPP ZILCH NADA

dealerships are the last to know

we gotta wait till end of march for more info.

ppp

 

I've visited their sites. Some of them are ok, but there are alot of badge ****** there.

Anyway, back on topic: Seeing how the GT-R is going through testing now, how can Infiniti put out the coupe without any track testing. I woud think that they wouldn't be able to hide the car from Spy photographers if they tracked the car. Can this car come to market with any real improvements to engine and suspension, etc. without any road or track feedback?