The prices in Coronado range from $525,000 for an old 2 br/2 ba with 1347 square feet to a beach front 6 br/5.5 ba with about 5000 square feet for $5,595,000. Coronado is pretty elite. It's an island with very limited residential area. Lots of reclusive Hollywood types hang out there. Of all California, Coronado's beaches have some of the warmest waters for swimming/diving/surfing. Just the place to show off a bright red G35. Right in front of the Hotel Del Coronado. Also possibly the best weather in So Cal. Never gets too warm or too cold. Definitely Palm Tree weather. Imagine Florida or Hawaii without humidity. That's Coronado.
I sat in a G35 on display at Santa Monica Infiniti and I was NOT disappointed with the interior quality. The dash material, while plain, is of very high quality, as are the seats. Some of the plastics on the doors appeared downmarket, but they felt solid all the same.
yeah i had a blast there, other than the 400lb homeless person i discoved sleeping under a park bench,near the seals training center , but alas i was on vaction so ill let local law enforcement handle that one
The old town trolley tour was actually pretty good.
Yeah, SD lacks nature's cleansing breath called winter, so we get tons of homeless. With a G35 you might legitimately worry that some guy might decide to "wash" your car while you're in George's Top of the Cove on Prospect. Come out after a few fish tacos to discover a G35 with all sorts of interesting scrapes and a toothless guy demanding $5 for his "trouble."
That looks photoshopped. Don't believe what you see from the hollywood extra, the whole place is pretty much a fraud...I doubt that will be what G35 coupe will look like, well, at least I hope not...
No, thats not the coupe. its some guys' horrible rendition of it. he claims to have inside info and official pictures but they are all really horrible photoshops. he even takes official images and photoshops them.
I would'nt mind if that's the coupe. It's simple and has clean lines. My fear is that they'll put spoilers and cladding on it. The photo is certainly consistent with the sedan so even though it's photoshop, it probably isn't far off the mark.
the guy mearly took the rear doors off. While we dont know to what extent, Infiniti's website says the coupe will be wider and sleeker. The coupe should be released in japan in a few weeks so weell see then...
Does it strike anyone else as curious that the I35 Sport (luxury model in sport trim) has 225/50-17 footwear on all four corners, while the G35 Sport (performance model in sport trim) has narrower (215), higher aspect (55) rubber?
Granted that the I35 Sport uses the same configuration as the Maxima SE. But, why (at the very least) wouldn't the G35 carry the same? With the rear-drive setup, there has to be room for 225s if not 235s all around, and a 55-aspect seems to be pretty lightweight for a 260/260 drivetrain.
Would appreciate any thoughts on the rim & cover combos.
keithat - I noticed the tire discrepancy as well. 215/55 is pretty wimpy for a car with performance aspirations. A sport package (i.e. BMW 330ci) with 245/40/ZR17 rear and 225/45/ZR17 front would be awesome. Maybe they'll do this with the coupe.
haven't been online for awhile. my point, i believe (don't remember what i wrote and too lazy to look back) was that car prices should even out, to some extent across geographic areas (unlike houses), and that if they don't that one should seriously consider buying a car from somewhere "far away" and driving or shipping it back to their house.
I've been to Coronado. I must say, I'm not impress. For half million dollars, I prefer living in Newport Beach or Del Mar (San Diego).
Stanny: I have a friend that lives in Dublin, CA. They are planning to relocate to San Diego (depending on whether their daughter accepts admission to UCLA or UCSD). If she chooses UCSD, then the entire family will be moving to San Diego. Where do you recommend they relocate to in San Diego? Their budget is probably $400k to $500K.
How can a car weight 3350, have a .26 cd and get 24 mpg with a 5 speed automatic? This indicates some very high rpms on the highway. A 260 HP Acura TL type S gets 29 (consumer reports posted 34 mpg in its steady 60 mph test in this months issue). I have a feeling the mpg will be much higher unless Infiniti has used some very low gearing-time will tell. Would like to know the rpm at 70. Acura is 2000 rpm at 70. I hold to belief that the highest gear should be pure economy for quiet highway. If you want sport on demand drive in 4th auto or 5th manual. INKY
inky... It is mostly in the gearing. The IS300 and G35 use boy-racerish top gearing that sinks highway fuel economy by keeping the RPMs high at highway speeds. Both should get much, much better fuel economy.
The Acura 3.2TL Type S uses a very, very deep (low numerical) 5th overdrive. Think it is around .47. And it uses a high numerical 1st gear. Gives it good initial acceleration and great fuel economy.
The BMW 3 Series do not use an overdrive, but a low final drive and moderately conservative overall gearing to achieve balance between acceleration and economy. Think the 330i is rated somewhere in 27-29 mpg range for highway mileage. The 325i gets slightly lower rating because it uses a higher numerical final drive.
I think Infiniti must be paying off "testers" to not say too much. It makes no sense that the testers could not glance at the tach and say "geez 3000-3200 rpm at 70 Mph, kinda high" That's pretty easy to note and usually part of any review. Other than the fact I was able to sit in one I have not gotten any info. that wasn't known or speculated months ago. They are all cookie cutter non reviews.
I've been looking for a place for about 4 months now. With 4-500 clams one can have a pick of nicer areas. I'd go with Mission Hills, University Heights, Kennsington, Talmadge, Morley Field, or Rolando. But I like more urban settings with quiet neighborhoods tucked away. If your friends want cookie-cutter bland, they can look in the newer areas of Del Mar or the UTC/University City areas. For the most charm, I still vote for the urban downtown areas though.
San Diego unlike many other places has streets that change vastly from block to block. It's maddening at times because you may find an incredible home with a nice lot that's literally right around the corner from a crack-house looking shack.
Mayberg: Yeah all the current reviews of the G35 are very thin. Vague as all get-out too.
A poster on Yahoo reports that he paid less than MSRP and got a great deal for his G35. He says he will share info through email to i30j30@aol.com. Attached is the link to his post (it is number 85).
You are correct. A real driver would have noticed the high rpms since it goes against common sense economy in these days. you can have the best of both worlds. Especially when one can get the same effect by driving in 4th gear. Perhaps the 24 MPG everyone is quoting is wrong. That is very low. Not sure what maxima/altima drivers are getting with this micropolished engine but must all be at high rpms. One main factor in my TL selection was awesome highway economy but can kick down when needed. Lately many automatics are besting manual trannies. I hope the six speed infiniti is smarter. I wish 6 speed manual available in TL, Accord and Camry V-6's. But no. They are history. I will at least try the 6 speed G35 in 6-7 months when out. INKY
inky... Look over some of the ratios used in same car between automatic and manual. If memory serves me, the former Maxima SE/I30t 5-speed used a numerically higher 5th overdrive (around .82-.85) in the manual and a numerically lower 4th overdrive (around .70-.75) in the automatic. There are lots of other examples (e.g., Hyundai Sonata V-6).
Too many manufacturers think the manual buyer only wants performance in all gears. I want both acceleration (which I can get downshifting from 6th or 5th) and good fuel economy (& lower engine RPMs at higher speeds). Win-win gearing is easy to do, as Acura 3.2TL Type S shows.
Coronado is for people who want island isolation and exclusivity. It's sort of like a cheap Newport Beach. And it's not that family oriented. Lots of professional couples and retired admirals. I suggest University City, just east of I-5 from La Jolla. Built in the 60's and early 70's, it has a dynamite close in location. East and South county have great buys. Bonita, Mt. Helix, Del Cerro. Scripps Ranch, Rancho Penasquitos on the I-15 inland corridor. North County has Carlsbad and Encinitas in that price range. Is the daughter going to do a daily commute from home to UCSD? Then stay near the college as the traffic from the North County is a killer in the morning and evening.
THe reason for the cookie cuter reviews is because these are not true, production G35s that are bing tested. Everyone is testing the same prototype which could greatly effect test results since they drive the car hard.
An Infiniti employee in Canada who posted earlier indicated that the "PT2" cars driven (and probably reviewed) were not spec'd the same as the production cars will be. I wonder what the difference will be.
This daughter is awaiting for acceptance letters from UCLA and UCSD. The whole family "may" relocate depending on what school she goes to. She will be living in the dorms for the first two years. As for the parents, they will either relocate to San Diego or Orange County. My preference is to have them near me in Orange County. If they insist on moving to San Diego, it's good to know that there are two real estate agents they can contact (your buddy and stanny).
I just uploaded some pics on the G35 Yahoo Clubs. They are a couple of the G35 in the elusive dark blue, as well as one pic with the rear LED lights lit to see what they look like.
I was invited by Infiniti of Lisle (a suburb in Chicago) to testdrive a prototype of the G35. I believe the G35 will remain in the Chicago area visiting different dealerships. It was fully loaded and was in the red color (a little too red for me). This car is simply amazing, 0-60 in around 6 seconds, smooth shifts, and the VDC kicks in only when absolutely needed. We skidded around a corner at full speed (around 40 mph) and the VDC kicked in to nudge the rear of the car back in line. The interior was nice, but obviously the A4 wins hands down in terms of quality. The rear seats recline and not simply just two positions, but I counted at least 4-5 different positions just for the rear seats (very cool). The position of the front lighter (which has been a source of some complaints) did not bother my knees or right leg. The engine sounds wonderful and is really smooth even at full power. Over bumps, the suspension (even the sports suspension) was smooth and solid. I suspect the long wheelbase helps a lot. The steering was not overly stiff, but solid, comparable to the BMW and Audi. Overall, I was impressed by the G35 and am looking forward to the all wheel drive version. Good job Infiniti! You have a winner!
You have to log in to see the pics. Sorry. Just set up an account at Yahoo, and you will be able to access just about all their services. Then register with the G35 group, and then you can access the pics. Sorry, but that is how Yahoo works. At least most of their services are free.
If you want, I can email you the blue car pics if you want. Just post your emails here if you want, and I will send over the blue car pics. But you are better joining the G35 group - they have many more pics up there.
They look great. Tough call on the best color. My first 3 choices(not necessarily in this order) until I see them is the Red, Silver and blue. I'm leaning heavily toward buying in Canada if I like the G35. The only thing that stinks is in order to get the sport suspension and wheels you need to have the spoiler on the back. I think it takes away from the nice lines. I guess if I buy in Canada I'll just have to get the premium package and forgo the sport. I'll just have to drive them each back to back under the same conditions to see if the sport suspension is any different.
i'm willing to split whatever referral money i can get. up until now i've never referred anyone. never really thought about it. but we can figure something out.
I think most auto writers are default BMW lovers - ESPECIALLY here in the US. Any other car recieves the critical eye - as it should - but BMWs are automatically inducted to the automotive hall of fame.
Just look at all the recent previews of the new 7er. Instead of dealing with the car's butt-ugly looks, just about all the preivews I have read so far basically say "If you ignore the external design, it is a damn fine car with all sorts of whiz-bang electronics." Just look at what Edmunds list under the cons for the new 7er - "Cons: Toys can be distracting from the task at hand, odd styling details."
"Odd styling details" - that must be the understatement of the year, folks! The G35's rear end looks absolutely beautiful compared to what BMW has done to the 7er. So yes, the fact that the G35 is getting some positive comments bodes very well for Infiniti - hopefully they are on the right track and bring out just as exciting models in the future.
National Public Radio recently ran an interview with a BMW acoustic scientist. This guy's job is to make sure all the little and big noises that BMWs make sound good. Do the doors "thunk" with a sound that denotes quality? It might be because they are built with quality, but then there is this guy with his computers and test panels to make sure the guy who buys a BMW likes the sound of his doors.
Point? Infiniti has a heckuva car here, it seems, but there are reasons BMW has been the gold standard for a long time. The G35 is going to need to be a marvellous car in many areas before it is a true threat to BMW. And I hope it is.
There is no doubt that BMW makes some fine-handling cars. But after reading so many fawning reviews of the 3er for many years, I was expecting the second coming when I finally test drove the 3er (E46 version).
I was underwhelmed, to put it mildly. My only true basis for comparision was the Toyota Camry - since I have owned three different versions over the past decade. When it comes to handling and performance, the 3er wins hands down. But in quality and and fit and finish, Toyota spanks the 3ers [non-permissible content removed]. Just one example was the headliner and sun visor assemblies. The 3er had rough-hewn plastics, and the headliner had very thin cloth. Interior is important - that is where one spends 90% of the time with the car.
May be my expectations were raised too high by reading all the reviews, but in my HUMBLE opinion, the Germans cannot compete against the Japanese in terms of quality - certainly not at the same price points. The exception may be Audi, but for that kind of money, they need RWD and a bigger engine. Before they turned their attention to BMW, Lexus easily spanked Mercedes' [non-permissible content removed] when it came to luxury and quality.
I would say Infiniti's greatest problem over the past decade has been one of identity crisis. They could never figure out what they wanted to be. Hopefully they will be more focused this time around.
Guess I'm odd, but I love the 7 series look. It's distinctive and strong but not showy. It's far from Lexus bloat or Infiniti bland. As for the interior, there isn't another performance oriented sedan I can think of that can match it. The LS430 and Q45 are designed with americans' wide rears and couch-like tastes in mind.
For sports-luxury sedans again the Bimmer 3 series just stands head and shoulders above the "competition". Actually, there currently isn't any. IS300 is a snoozer on the outside, has a really cramped, cheapo-Toyota feeling interior and horrible steering response. The X-type, while pretty to look at has a tacky, flimsy plastic grill and the interior feels like a notch above a Toyota but still not matching the clean, efficient, cool lines and solidness of the Bimmer. C series...lol. Have you looked at the wheel wells with that cheap cardboard-like material? It looks like Mopar had the biggest hand in the C series. Boring is the only description of the C. The toyota ES300 is a couch with 4 wheels. 'Nuff said. Audi's A4 is the only serious competitor to the 3er with those perfect exterior lines, delicious interior and impeccable road manners. My only point of contention with the Audi is the FWD or the horrid Quattro system (please don't babble about awards to me, I hate the sluggishness of Audi's AWD system).
The last hope rests with Infiniti. I like what I see of the G35. Nice size, nice lines (a tad too slab-sided for my tastes), good interior in black (the willow will end up dirty easily) and it's got that awesome VQ. Lets hope Infiniti can make it drive as nice as it looks!
based on the way my rear seat rattled when you hit any type of bump in the road in my brand new 330i. And speaking of engineering, couldn't they have designed a folding seat that did not rub the leather on the headrest every time I folded the rear seat. Mine also had the "new steering" which was unbelieveably light. In big winds you will change lanes when you don't want to. I had to hand it to BMW engineering to produce a rear wheel drive car with "torque steer". They did a fix for the steering by offering to change the steering box but by that time I had offed it.
I think next to the new 7, the G35 is a super model.
I find the G35's rear a bit lacking, but it's nothing, I mean nothing, compared to the hideous look of the 7 series.
Inside, they look like Range Rovers. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Range Rovers look more like Bimmers inside, so I think they collided in the middle!
Here are my subjective impressions of the various luxury cars currently available in the G35's market segment.
BMW 3er - the benchmark. But as I said before, I was underwhelmed.
Lexus IS300 - a boy racer, with bad interior plastics. Would have been a hit if it were sold for $6-8K less (base model).
Audi A4 - benchmark interior, but the exterior design is too derivative of the A6 (I guess the 3er suffers the same from its 5er cousin). But Audi seems to be becoming too conservative in its design - not enough new design ideas. And I still will not accept FWD in this segment.
Jaguar X type - Ford should have brought it over as the Contour that it is and pit it against the new Altima and upcoming Accord. They certainly would have sold more. The Focus and the Contour would have been a great 1-2 combination to capture the youth and college grad market.
Cadillac CTS - looks like a toy car my 5 year old nephew would design.
Mercedes C class - this Benz never really interested me when it was introduced. Just seems like they are charging a huge premium for that three-pointed star on the hood. I still like the current E class (which is about to be replaced), but the E is out of my wallet's capacity.
So that leaves the G35. With that marvelous 260hp V6 standard, and at that price, it represents tremendous value. The fact that the chasis is shared with the Z and the future GT-R is pure icing on the cake. The rear end has gotten some criticism - but you will not confuse it with the rear of any other car! And if spy shots on future BMWs is anything to go by, most people's attention will be diverted away to ugly BMW rears anyway. Another big plus (to me at least) is that the interior volume is much more than all the other cars mentioned above.
I have yet to see the G35 in person, much less drive one. The Houston auto show is coming up in a couple of months....
Sorry, gandhim, as I know I'm new here, but I really think you're too hard on fwd, or at least the better ones. We're not talking Saabs here, y'know, with all the torque steer.
That said: you could have included both Acuras in your list, the 260hp, 6M coupe for this year, and the popular sedan TL-S with the same 260hp.
Both are conservative in design, but that appeals to me as a way for the car to retain its value with a clean and pleasing design, perhaps, when it is about equal to the other cars you mention in the performance area.
But the G35 is so intriguing, like most others I'm waiting to see it before voting on my favorite with my checkbook.
The list I formed is not comprehensive by any means. It is just a list of cars that I have in mind when I go car shopping in 2003.
If you want a comprehensive list, then the Acura TL, the Lincoln LS, the Saab 9-5, and the Volvo S60/80 should be included as well. There is also the Lexus ES 300 and Infiniti's own I35.
But these are not cars I am interested in. I was merely evaluating cars on MY wish list.
Comments
Also possibly the best weather in So Cal. Never gets too warm or too cold. Definitely Palm Tree weather. Imagine Florida or Hawaii without humidity. That's Coronado.
-mike-
http://thehollywoodextra.com/G35/g35.html
The old town trolley tour was actually pretty good.
DL
coupe : I thought the greenhouse looked a little Accordish to me , a good chopjob.
DL
Granted that the I35 Sport uses the same configuration as the Maxima SE. But, why (at the very least) wouldn't the G35 carry the same? With the rear-drive setup, there has to be room for 225s if not 235s all around, and a 55-aspect seems to be pretty lightweight for a 260/260 drivetrain.
Would appreciate any thoughts on the rim & cover combos.
my point, i believe (don't remember what i wrote and too lazy to look back) was that car prices should even out, to some extent across geographic areas (unlike houses), and that if they don't that one should seriously consider buying a car from somewhere "far away" and driving or shipping it back to their house.
Stanny:
I have a friend that lives in Dublin, CA. They are planning to relocate to San Diego (depending on whether their daughter accepts admission to UCLA or UCSD). If she chooses UCSD, then the entire family will be moving to San Diego. Where do you recommend they relocate to in San Diego? Their budget is probably $400k to $500K.
INKY
The Acura 3.2TL Type S uses a very, very deep (low numerical) 5th overdrive. Think it is around .47. And it uses a high numerical 1st gear. Gives it good initial acceleration and great fuel economy.
The BMW 3 Series do not use an overdrive, but a low final drive and moderately conservative overall gearing to achieve balance between acceleration and economy. Think the 330i is rated somewhere in 27-29 mpg range for highway mileage. The 325i gets slightly lower rating because it uses a higher numerical final drive.
San Diego unlike many other places has streets that change vastly from block to block. It's maddening at times because you may find an incredible home with a nice lot that's literally right around the corner from a crack-house looking shack.
Mayberg: Yeah all the current reviews of the G35 are very thin. Vague as all get-out too.
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/infinitig35
That is very low. Not sure what maxima/altima drivers are getting with this micropolished engine but must all be at high rpms.
One main factor in my TL selection was awesome highway economy but can kick down when needed.
Lately many automatics are besting manual trannies. I hope the six speed infiniti is smarter. I wish 6 speed manual available in TL, Accord and Camry V-6's. But no. They are history.
I will at least try the 6 speed G35 in 6-7 months when out.
INKY
Too many manufacturers think the manual buyer only wants performance in all gears. I want both acceleration (which I can get downshifting from 6th or 5th) and good fuel economy (& lower engine RPMs at higher speeds). Win-win gearing is easy to do, as Acura 3.2TL Type S shows.
Lots of professional couples and retired admirals.
I suggest University City, just east of I-5 from La Jolla. Built in the 60's and early 70's, it has a dynamite close in location. East and South county have great buys. Bonita, Mt. Helix, Del Cerro. Scripps Ranch, Rancho Penasquitos on the I-15 inland corridor. North County has Carlsbad and Encinitas in that price range. Is the daughter going to do a daily commute from home to UCSD? Then stay near the college as the traffic from the North County is a killer in the morning and evening.
the wife of a very good friend of mine became a real estate agent in san diego a few months ago. she is very hungry and is beginning to do well.
if you want anymore information drop me an email at jdbstorage@hotmail.com
Now, do I get any commission for referrals?
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/infinitig35
If you want, I can email you the blue car pics if you want. Just post your emails here if you want, and I will send over the blue car pics. But you are better joining the G35 group - they have many more pics up there.
up until now i've never referred anyone. never really thought about it.
but we can figure something out.
Just look at all the recent previews of the new 7er. Instead of dealing with the car's butt-ugly looks, just about all the preivews I have read so far basically say "If you ignore the external design, it is a damn fine car with all sorts of whiz-bang electronics." Just look at what Edmunds list under the cons for the new 7er - "Cons: Toys can be distracting from the task at hand, odd styling details."
"Odd styling details" - that must be the understatement of the year, folks! The G35's rear end looks absolutely beautiful compared to what BMW has done to the 7er. So yes, the fact that the G35 is getting some positive comments bodes very well for Infiniti - hopefully they are on the right track and bring out just as exciting models in the future.
Point? Infiniti has a heckuva car here, it seems, but there are reasons BMW has been the gold standard for a long time. The G35 is going to need to be a marvellous car in many areas before it is a true threat to BMW. And I hope it is.
I was underwhelmed, to put it mildly. My only true basis for comparision was the Toyota Camry - since I have owned three different versions over the past decade. When it comes to handling and performance, the 3er wins hands down. But in quality and and fit and finish, Toyota spanks the 3ers [non-permissible content removed]. Just one example was the headliner and sun visor assemblies. The 3er had rough-hewn plastics, and the headliner had very thin cloth. Interior is important - that is where one spends 90% of the time with the car.
May be my expectations were raised too high by reading all the reviews, but in my HUMBLE opinion, the Germans cannot compete against the Japanese in terms of quality - certainly not at the same price points. The exception may be Audi, but for that kind of money, they need RWD and a bigger engine. Before they turned their attention to BMW, Lexus easily spanked Mercedes' [non-permissible content removed] when it came to luxury and quality.
I would say Infiniti's greatest problem over the past decade has been one of identity crisis. They could never figure out what they wanted to be. Hopefully they will be more focused this time around.
Guess I'm odd, but I love the 7 series look. It's distinctive and strong but not showy. It's far from Lexus bloat or Infiniti bland. As for the interior, there isn't another performance oriented sedan I can think of that can match it. The LS430 and Q45 are designed with americans' wide rears and couch-like tastes in mind.
For sports-luxury sedans again the Bimmer 3 series just stands head and shoulders above the "competition". Actually, there currently isn't any. IS300 is a snoozer on the outside, has a really cramped, cheapo-Toyota feeling interior and horrible steering response. The X-type, while pretty to look at has a tacky, flimsy plastic grill and the interior feels like a notch above a Toyota but still not matching the clean, efficient, cool lines and solidness of the Bimmer. C series...lol. Have you looked at the wheel wells with that cheap cardboard-like material? It looks like Mopar had the biggest hand in the C series. Boring is the only description of the C. The toyota ES300 is a couch with 4 wheels. 'Nuff said. Audi's A4 is the only serious competitor to the 3er with those perfect exterior lines, delicious interior and impeccable road manners. My only point of contention with the Audi is the FWD or the horrid Quattro system (please don't babble about awards to me, I hate the sluggishness of Audi's AWD system).
The last hope rests with Infiniti. I like what I see of the G35. Nice size, nice lines (a tad too slab-sided for my tastes), good interior in black (the willow will end up dirty easily) and it's got that awesome VQ. Lets hope Infiniti can make it drive as nice as it looks!
I find the G35's rear a bit lacking, but it's nothing, I mean nothing, compared to the hideous look of the 7 series.
Inside, they look like Range Rovers. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. Range Rovers look more like Bimmers inside, so I think they collided in the middle!
-juice
BMW 3er - the benchmark. But as I said before, I was underwhelmed.
Lexus IS300 - a boy racer, with bad interior plastics. Would have been a hit if it were sold for $6-8K less (base model).
Audi A4 - benchmark interior, but the exterior design is too derivative of the A6 (I guess the 3er suffers the same from its 5er cousin). But Audi seems to be becoming too conservative in its design - not enough new design ideas. And I still will not accept FWD in this segment.
Jaguar X type - Ford should have brought it over as the Contour that it is and pit it against the new Altima and upcoming Accord. They certainly would have sold more. The Focus and the Contour would have been a great 1-2 combination to capture the youth and college grad market.
Cadillac CTS - looks like a toy car my 5 year old nephew would design.
Mercedes C class - this Benz never really interested me when it was introduced. Just seems like they are charging a huge premium for that three-pointed star on the hood. I still like the current E class (which is about to be replaced), but the E is out of my wallet's capacity.
So that leaves the G35. With that marvelous 260hp V6 standard, and at that price, it represents tremendous value. The fact that the chasis is shared with the Z and the future GT-R is pure icing on the cake. The rear end has gotten some criticism - but you will not confuse it with the rear of any other car! And if spy shots on future BMWs is anything to go by, most people's attention will be diverted away to ugly BMW rears anyway. Another big plus (to me at least) is that the interior volume is much more than all the other cars mentioned above.
I have yet to see the G35 in person, much less drive one. The Houston auto show is coming up in a couple of months....
That said: you could have included both Acuras in your list, the 260hp, 6M coupe for this year, and the popular sedan TL-S with the same 260hp.
Both are conservative in design, but that appeals to me as a way for the car to retain its value with a clean and pleasing design, perhaps, when it is about equal to the other cars you mention in the performance area.
But the G35 is so intriguing, like most others I'm waiting to see it before voting on my favorite with my checkbook.
Take care.
Joe W.
is300: make it a 20k toyota it is not even deserving being mentioned wiht these other vehicles.
I really used to favor the E Class until it was mentioned how the rear tail lights replicate that of a 1988 ford taurus ACKKK....
DL
If you want a comprehensive list, then the Acura TL, the Lincoln LS, the Saab 9-5, and the Volvo S60/80 should be included as well. There is also the Lexus ES 300 and Infiniti's own I35.
But these are not cars I am interested in. I was merely evaluating cars on MY wish list.