The Sacramento Bee's view

Infiniti bills its 2002 Infiniti Q45 sedan as “The New Q,” but in truth, it really comes off as “The New T.”

That’s “T” as in Technology, and the capital letter certainly applies in this latest generation of the Nissan luxury division’s flagship model.

Consider the bar raised in the luxury division. Granted, not everybody can afford the $50,500 starting price, but Q45 is so pleasing in the luxury segment that it’s sure to help boost Nissan’s recently revived financial standing.

The New Q is so loaded with technological goodies that the buyer who drives it before thoroughly reading the owner’s manual is a fool.

The DVD-based navigation system, which gives the easier-to-digest horizon view of the roadways instead of a glorified flat road map, would ordinarily be the center of attention in a car. In the Q45, it’s a secondary attraction.

Why would you want to stare at the in-dash screen when the “Infiniti Voice Recognition” system is responding to your verbal commands? The system — what some might consider the ultimate in laziness, considering that most controls in a motor vehicle are within easy reach — responds to the voice telling it to control the interior climate, the sound system and navigation functions.

The bonus is that verbal commands can be issued without taking one’s eyes off the road. Given the ugly statistics on highway accidents blamed on in-car distractions, it’s a handy feature.

Worried about backing over your child’s favorite toy when you leave your driveway? The Q45 has the answer.

Shifting into “reverse” activates a rear-mounted camera that displays a wide picture of the area into which you are backing onto an in-dash screen. Lines on the screen help the driver judge position and distance to nearby objects.

Anyone who has ever backed into a short pole or low fence in a tightly packed parking garage can understand the joy of having this high-tech spy camera.

These are just the highlights, mind you.

The tested Q45 had the automaker’s $8,000 “Premium Package” option — which included the rearview monitoring system, an active damping suspension, special 18-inch tires/wheels, a power rear sunshade and rear-seat audio/climate controls — but the standard package still ranked as mighty impressive.

Standard amenities included multi-lens xenon headlights, power sunroof, remote-control power mirrors with heat/memory/automatic-dim functions, a tire-pressure monitor, a 300-watt Bose audio system (with AM/FM radio, cassette player and six-disc CD changer mounted in the glove box, a 10-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support, a seat position memory system, dual-zone climate control, side-impact air bags, a vehicle-immobilizer security system and a first-aid kit.

Ye gods!

Is this the future of driving? You bet it is, and it’s a preview of the kinds of devices that Lincoln, Lexus, Acura and Cadillac are going to ha ve to build into their future models to top the third-generation Q45.

Oh, did I mention that the Q45 handles very well? I must have been mesmerized spying on my across-the-street neighbor’s driveway when I backed out of mine.

With a 4.5-liter, 32-valve V-8 engine laying down 340 horsepower, the nearly 4,000-pound Q45 blasts off with attention-grabbing muscle. Turning onto a busy street full of fast-moving vehicles in The New Q is a piece of cake — no need to get nervous about that pesky sports car approaching your rear bumper. It will be a distant speck in your rearview mirror in about three seconds. (Infiniti touts a zero-to-60 mph performance time of 5.9 seconds.)

And the Q45 cuts a fine figure as it leaves the trailing traffic in the dust. Elegant, long, traditional lines make for a classy sedan look. Happily, Infiniti resisted the temptation to put swoopy curves or an extraneous spoiler on its top-level vehicle.

The one prohibiting factor here,of course, is price. The tested Q45 came to a few coins short of $60,000, and that’s no small investment. But if you’re looking for the latest, best blend of luxury, performance, technology and safety features for well under $75,000, start saving up.

Infiniti Q45 at a glance
Make/model: 2002 Infinti Q45
Vehicle type: Five-passenger, rear-drive, four-door luxury sedan
Engine: 4.5-liter V-8 with 340 horsepower at 6,400 revolutions per minute and 333 pounds/foot torque at 4,000 rpm

EPA fuel economy: 17 miles per gallon city; 25 mpg highway
Transmission: Electronic five-speed automatic with overdrive and manual shift mode
Steering: Power rack and pinion with speed-sensitive feature
Brakes: Power four-wheel vented discs with anti-lock
Suspension type: Four-wheel independent with front strut and stabilizer bar; multi-link coil spring on rear
Interior volume: 102.1 cubic feet
Trunk volume: 13.6 cubic feet (with full-size spare tire).
Fuel tank: 21.4 gallons
Length: 199.6 inches
Wheelbase: 113 inches
Final assembly point: Los Angeles