Orlando Sentinel's view

The new 1997 Q45 from Infiniti is the automotive equivalent of smooth, cooljazz on wheels.

This handsomely styled sedan, which sells for $47,900, is not one of thosestuffy, make-a-statement luxury cars that tells the world you’ve arrived.

PERFORMANCE, HANDLING

The new Q is a car designed with today’s fiscal and environmental realitiesin mind.

For 1997, the car has a smaller 32-valve, double overhead-cam V-8 enginethan the original Q. And horsepower is down. But this is not bad news.

In shrinking the engine from 4.5 liters to 4.1 and reducing horsepower from278 to 266, Infiniti did not take away the car’s crisp performance. The new Qweighs less than the old model, so the power-to-weight ratio and accelerationare about the same.

The new model offers very strong performance from its exceptionally quietand smooth V-8. As with the original, the accelerator is more like an”exhilarator.” The Q is quick from a stop and very responsive at all speeds.

The standard four-speed automatic transmission drives the rear wheels anddelivers exceptionally smooth shifts.

At whatever speed you drive the new Q, the finely tuned independentsuspension system can handle the road. The ride is soft, ultra-quiet andcompetent.

The power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes are the best on any Japanesesedan I’ve tested. The pedal is firm, and the brakes bite hard. A tractioncontrol system is standard.

FIT AND FINISH

Our test car was a very early preproduction car designed to test how wellthe various trim parts fit together.

It was, in a word, tight.

At first the new Q looks a lot like the Infiniti I30, especially from thefront. But when you get closer, you see that the beauty of this car is in thegently scultped details. There is a nice-looking accent line chiseled into thebodywork that runs the length of the car.

Although the Q45 is about 2 inches shorter and a bit narrower than lastyear’s model, the interior has only been marginally affected. You feel cozy,not claustrophobic. The cabin has a contemporary, pleasing design and layoutand a warm ambience.

The soft and comfortable tan leather seats in our test car were excellent.Rear seat passengers are treated to first class appointments. There’s a rearair-conditioning vent built into the center console and more foot room.Headroom, front and rear, is excellent.

But new Q does need a few improvements.

Why did Infiniti use fake wood trim in its flagship? Not that the fauxstuff looks cheap or tacky. It looks OK, but real wood would have put the Q’sinterior on par with a Jaguar XJ6 or a Mercedes E-Class. Also, Infinitiditched the classy old-fashioned-looking clock that was the most striking partof the old Q’s interior.

Now there’s just an ordinary electronic clock that is no different thanwhat you might find in a Nissan Sentra. Bad move there.

And one minor shortcoming carried over from the old Q: There’s still notmuch room for the driver’s left foot, because the emergency brake pedal is inthe way.

I always felt the original Q was a little weird looking but technicallyexcellent. The new car has a much more mainstream look and is technicallyexcellent.

And it just may be the vehicle that finally launches Infiniti onto the topof buyers’ shopping lists.