chicagotribune.com's view

Wasn’t too many years ago that Nissan was in dire straits, and the vultures were circling overhead.

So, Nissan gathered as many members of the media it could talk into spending a few days in Tennessee and put on a show that would make Lee Iacocca proud.

While chairman of Chrysler, Iacocca found the automaker in dire straights with vultures practicing landings.

Iacocca gathered the media and rolled out a host of future products that typically would be guarded from view.

The sneak peek was meant to convince the public that if they allowed Chrysler to have a future, it would treat them to lots of good products that would lead to a recovery.

It worked at Chrysler and Nissan, too, though some of the Nissan prototypes–especially the Z coupe–looked as if duct-taped together.

In two years Nissan has gone from a $5.6 billion loss to a $3 billion profit. Though U.S. sales slipped to 703,308 Nissan/Infiniti vehicles in ’01 from 752,088 in ’00, cost-cutting ensured profitability.

Now a rash of new products (30 in four years) is on the way to boost vehicle sales–and profits–more.

The major reason for the turnaround was the arrival of Carlos Ghosn from Renault as the no-nonsense, no-excuses chief executive of Nissan in 1999. Ghosn’s philosophy: Pepper consumers with new product, not promises.

One of the new breed is the ’02 Infiniti G35 sedan, the latest entry from Nissan’s luxury division, vital because it’s built on a rear-wheel-drive platform. By 2005, all Infinitis will be rear- or all-wheel-drive.

The G35 sedan platform will be shared by the G35 coupe this fall, the 350Z sports coupe this summer, the Infiniti FX45 crossover in January, and the next generation of the flagship Infiniti Q45 sedan in a few years.

And there’s more.

The Nissan Murano, an Altima-based crossover, comes out this fall, along with the Infiniti M45, a RWD sedan priced between the $28,000 G35 and $50,000 Q45. The next-generation Nissan Maxima arrives in early ’03 built off the Altima platform at Smyrna, Tenn.

In January, the FX45 bows as an Altima-based crossover companion to the truck-based Infiniti QX4; and in mid-’03 a new minivan built off the Altima fills the void left by the departure of the Nissan Quest.

In the third quarter of ’03, a new full-size Nissan sport-utility vehicle bows, followed by a new full-size Nissan truck in the fourth quarter, and a new full-size Infiniti SUV, the first Infiniti to be built in the U.S., shortly after that. All those vehicles will be built at Nissan’s new Canton, Miss., plant.

We tested the new entry-level G35, similarly priced to the front-wheel-drive I35 that’s offered now but may not be after ’03, considering the swing to RWD/AWD, which is why the FWD G20 is dropped after ’02.

A neat G35 feature is the tilt steering wheel. The instrument pod moves with it when you adjust the wheel to driver height so you don’t l ose sight of any gauges.

And, the driver’s seat comes with a “dual density foam” to mold and hold you in place; power seat switches are on the top right side of the driver’s seat rather than under or alongside it for easy access; rear seat backs recline, a ceiling holder over the driver’s door carries gas credit card or parking lot pass within easy reach; and shocks have “ripple” control to reduce unnecessary vibrations to smooth ride.

But some features appear an afterthought, such as burying the power sideview mirror control directly behind the steering column, where you don’t see it.

And some trickery was used. Those controls had to be located on top of the seats off to the side because the door armrest protrudes out so far you can’t slip your hand along the side of the seat to reach the control in the traditional location.

And rear seat backs recline because when your back reclines, your knees automatically move closer to your body and away from the front seat backs for the perception that rear-seat legroom is spacious because your knees don’t touch the front seat backs.

Randy Fior, corporate manager of Infiniti product planning, said G35 is intended to attract younger, more affluent buyers into Infiniti showrooms and out of BMW and Lexus stores, perhaps the reason the G35 nose looks like it belongs in the Lexus family.

The G35 is built on a 112-inch wheelbase, only slightly smaller than the Q45 (113 inches).

It is powered by a 3.5-liter, 24-valve V-6 that boasts 260 horsepower and 260 foot-pounds of torque. A lively V-6 that delivers quick yet quiet bursts of power when needed. The 3.5-liter will be in the G35 coupe and 350Z, too, tweaked to deliver 270 and 280 h.p., respectively.

The 3.5-liter is teamed with a 5-speed automatic with manual mode. A 6-speed manual is coming, first in the 350Z due out this summer, then the G35 coupe coming this fall and finally in February in the sedan, when, speculation is, the G35 may offer AWD.

The 3.5 is smooth and potent, but the G35 is designed primarily for sure-footed handling and above-average performance while sticking to the pavement.

That’s why stability/traction control is standard and wheels have been pushed out to the corners for optimum balance. Four-wheel independent multilink suspension with coil springs and front and rear anti-roll bars also contribute to smooth, quiet ride and precise handling with minimum body roll.

An optional aero package ($550) with spoiler to reduce rear-end lift, and special underbody diffusers to keep air flowing smoothly under the car without turbulence and prevent rear-end lift at speed are aimed at the serious driver.

To ensure even better handling, the G35 coupe will have a wider and lower body as well as wider tracking and ride on 17-inch radial tires, compared with 16-inch on the sedan.

Base price of the G35 sedan with leather interior is $28,950 ($27,100 without leather; $32,000 for coupe).

Our test car also came with a premium package at $2,200 that adds a Bose audio system, reclining rear seat backs, driver’s seat memory system, power passenger seat, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming inside mirror, auto-down rear windows and a Homelink system for garage/gate opener.

A sports-tuned suspension package that adds the 17-inch radials runs $425, power sunroof $1,000 and a pop-out-of-the-dash navigation system $2,000. For Snow Belt motorists, a $450 winter package adds heated seats/mirrors and substitutes 16-inch all-season radials for the 17-inch summer performance tires.

Standard equipment includes dual front/side-impact air bags plus side-impact curtains, four-wheel anti-lock brakes, power windows/mirrors/locks/seats, automatic climate control, outside temperature/compass displays, rear-window defogger, remote keyless entry, first-aid kit, analog clock and AM/FM/cassette/in-dash six-disc CD changer with steering-wheel controls.

Infiniti expects sales of 32,000 G35 sedans and perhaps 15,000 coupes.