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Sedans Luxury Performance Sedans
10007 messages, Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 7:40 AM
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Replying to: lexusguy (Jul 28, 2006 3:16 pm) Exactly...German car reviews typically include discussions of the drivetrain and chassis, etc. Japanese car reviews more typically describe the pleasant (and sometimes exciting) experience, but, taking the M35 as example, looking over the reviews that got me excited about it, none go into any detail about new advances developed by Nissan in engine or transmission for this car. Nissan had a good engine/drivetrain (the V6 has been on Wards ten-best-engine list for years and the "rev-matching manu-matic" is good, for a 5-speed), but--my view now--a media-seducing vehicle was assembled by dropping an existing well-regarded (12-year-old engine) and an available transmission (geared to run like a 1960s muscle car and with about the same mpg) onto a modified 350Z->G35 chassis wrapped with a modified Maxima body, while all the left-over design and development money went into creating a swell living-room/command-post interior. A marketing marvel that seduced successfully; but it isn't BMW/Audi/MB 21st-century engineering.
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Replying to: markcincinnati (Jul 27, 2006 4:23 am) My introduction to autobahn driving was five years ago, in an A3 (1.9Tdi), and of course it was a lasting impression -- got my Jones for an Audi started. Sadly, the cars I like best over there aren’t even available over here -- diesel/manual, preferably both. Here, outside of the A3/A4 which at least still have manuals, the options are: neither. On another trip to Germany, I took the weekend (& an A4 1.9Tdi this time) & had my first Swiss adventure. Opted to drive over the San Bernardino pass (rather than through the tunnel) and learned that even with decades of Colorado experience, there’s nothing quite like an Alpine pass for narrow roads without guardrails (& tour coaches); same for Gotthard, then the Furka pass -- lifelong ambition finally realized, once again in an Audi. I used to do business in Ohio (Springfield, near Dayton) & had weekends free to discover WV, PA & KY backroads, so have a pretty clear idea of your “local” environment, and a fine one for fun cars it is. I don’t see how someone who lives in Kansas or Oklahoma or any of the other states where 90% of the roads are straight & the highest altitude is the NW corner (based strictly on tilt), can ever understand 3-D driving & the passion some of us have for it. Unless I’m severely pressed for time, I ALWAYS avoid the interstates. Your Inglostadt tale combines another good “where I enjoyed driving” (or learned to better) with a (partial) explanation of how you have come to have 2 dozen or so Audis in your household over the past decades. Given that you’ve been there several times, it’s certainly understandable how the Audi has become a lifestyle. The only cars I drive in winter weather are rentals, so AWD holds no attraction to me, given what it does to the car’s balance. It sounds like appropriate manipulation of tire pressure can compensate, but there’s still the extra weight & complexity. Munich -- well, in a perfect world, that’s where I’ll be taking delivery of a BMW 3-series diesel in a couple of years for my ED holiday with my wife. Time will tell. The text of your post has been saved, in case all the stars align properly.
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Replying to: sfcharlie (Jul 28, 2006 4:01 pm) Infiniti deserves more credit than that. They greatly increased platform stiffness and rigidity for the "FM-L" platform under the M compared to the G35. The Infiniti could use more forward gears, I will give you that. However, the rev-matching feature is something thats not offered on most of the competition. The Sport versions of the M have "rear active steer", while the AWD versions have a very sophisticated, race proven AWD system capable of sending 100% of the power to the rear wheels. Most of the competition can't do that, either.
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Replying to: sfcharlie (Jul 28, 2006 4:01 pm) Wow. I've never seen such a world-class, industrial-grade, water-cooled case of buyer's (or, more properly, lessor's) remorse played out so quickly. What a shame. I lost interest in the M when I learned that it didn't come with a manual. Of the handful (five) of new cars I've bought since '73, I was generally pleased with them all for at least the first few years, but the plethora of choices that are available these days certainly weren't a factor then, even as recently as 2000, when I was last in the market. Either way, I hope you can come to terms with your M, or come up with a way to unload it so you can indulge your passion for Audi. Good luck!
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Replying to: purplem46 (Jul 28, 2006 6:30 am) It might, but it will still be a "Nissan" and one car isn't going to trump the many AMG/M models or their hold on the luxury car buyers seeking performance. If anything the car should have been an Infiniti here in the U.S. if Nissan is serious about making Infiniti a true threat to BMW and their Motorsport division. A high-end Nissan is going to be percieved as a boy-racer to most, though a very competitive/impressive one. M
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Replying to: cdnpinhead (Jul 28, 2006 4:45 pm) At least he thinks it has a nice glovebox and cupholders and is mildly pleasurable. As far as having a 12-year old engine design goes, I think it speaks volumes for the engine that it is still on the 10 best list 12 years later. Alas, while the car can perform as well or better than any of its peers, the owner can't tell everyone that my car has the newest engine technology. Good reason to slink away in shame.
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Replying to: merc1 (Jul 28, 2006 11:06 pm) You're absolutely right on that one, deciding to put a Nissan badge on the car in the states could turn out to be a serious mistake. Infiniti dealers were fuming about it, because it could've been a proper flagship car for them, instead of the Q45 joke. I guess it depends on what kind of market they want to go after. If they want a piece of the Shelby Mustang\Corvette market, the Nissan badge is fine. There's a definite price cap on that market, however. Too much over $60K, and it just wont work. If they want a piece of the Porsche\M\AMG market though, a Nissan badge won't cut it. What I still think they should've done is use the GT-R to establish a tuning brand for Infiniti, just as the BMW M1 did for Motorsport. Infiniti GT-R "Z tune" to use a badge they've used in the past for the GT-R, and then a few years later, launch "Z tune" versions of the G, M, FX, etc. |
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Replying to: merc1 (Jul 28, 2006 11:06 pm) Hmmm. . . Something makes me (word association) think Phaeton. . . . |
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Replying to: lexusguy (Jul 28, 2006 4:28 pm) |
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The GT-R will will be a success independent of a Infiniti logo. With the exception of the dismay of Infiniti dealers I dont see a problem. Sport does not need to be intertwined with luxury. There is nothing wrong with a Honda logo on the more modest S2000. And there is nothing wrong with a Nissan logo on the not so modest GT-R. Otherwise a Chevrolet Corvette would have been discontinued many decades ago and be re-born as a Cadillac Corvette. The GT-R's success will be determined by its superlative performance and not its logo. The Phaeton is another story altogether. A Luxurious Phaeton needs to be backed up with a luxury logo. |
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