2005 Infiniti G35 Test Drive

Couper Duper

The Infiniti G35 Sport Coupe is faster and handles better than the Audi TT or BMW 330Ci--and it costs about $5,000 to $10,000 less.

When it goes on sale next month, Infiniti's new G35 Sport Coupe is going to challenge a lot of preconceived notions about the coupe category.

First off, the idea of sports coupes over the last 15 years meant slightly soft cruisers, cars intended to rekindle an acquaintance with spirited driving but not meant to take your heart and soul and pour them into the act of driving hard, fast, and with sweat and will. In other words, sports coupes were pricey baubles that asked little and delivered little. The last thing their buyers wanted was a firm-riding, zero-compromises sports car.

So it was that Lincoln made the Mark VIII, Volvo the C70 Coupe, and BMW had the 6 series. All these cars have since bit the dust, but Lexus still has the SC430 -- a slimmer, slightly tauter hardtop convertible than the SC coupes it replaces. It's not without company, though: Mercedes-Benz has its elegant new CLK, which has been reengineered to be a somewhat tighter car than it once was; Audi still produces the TT roadster; BMW makes a two-door version of its 3 series; and Acura makes its CL Type-S.

That the latter set of vehicles is sportier than the now-deceased former set speaks to the notion that coupes are getting more aggressive and more powerful. They just haven't been getting more affordable.

Until the G35 Sport Coupe, that is. Only the front-wheel-drive CL Type-S, selling for $32,330, comes close to the base price of the Sport Coupe ($29,100). But the Acura is slower than the Infiniti and, more importantly, doesn't handle as well. The layout of the G35 Sports Coupe (front engine, rear drive) produces excellent balance, and its wide stance -- two inches wider than the G35 sedan -- gives it astonishing grip.

To even approach the same speed and handling characteristics, buyers have to step up to the $35,635 BMW 330Ci or the $39,475 Audi TT Roadster. Neither car is quite as fast or powerful as the Infiniti, and both are much more expensive.

In fact, in terms of performance for the money, the only rival to the G35 Sports Coupe at this price is the Nissan 350Z, a car upon which the G35 Coupe is based (Infiniti is Nissan's luxury division), and one we recently proclaimed the best sports car value on earth.

We stand by our proclamation about the Z, largely because the G35 Sports Coupe isn't quite as raw or as quick. But if you want a slightly more refined ride, yet a car that can easily stack up and even best the nearest European or Japanese competition (there isn't anything made in the U.S. that can hold a candle), look no further than the G35 Sports Coupe. Quibbles? Details? Fine Print? You bet. Just click below.