Could This Be The Next G35? Quite Likely.Infiniti has come a very, very long way since its e
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| While the Coupe Concept looks like the existing G35, closer inspection reveals a myriad of differences. (Photo: Infiniti Canada) |
arly days. Originally known as Nissan's "stick some wood panels to a leather Nissan interior and call it a day" branch, first-generation Q45 aside, Infiniti was ages and acres behind its competitors; Acura and Lexus. Fast forward a decade or so and Infiniti is no longer struggling to keep up with its luxury Japanese stablemates. With tight, comfortable interiors that are gorgeously laid out and easy to use, some would argue (including this writer) that Infiniti hasn't simply drawn up alongside it's uber-Honda and Toyota competitors; it's run them down, blown them out of the water, and kept right on going.
And they owe it all to the G35. Selling over twice as many G35s as any other model in the Infiniti lineup, the G35 sedan is Infiniti's sales leader. And why shouldn't it be? After all, with attractive, graceful styling, a nice interior, and an even friendlier MSRP, the sedan would be the way to go, if the G35 coupe didn't exist.
The 2+2 sibling of Nissan's impressive 350Z, the G35 coupe should be the
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| The profile is tighter, with shorter overhangs and cleaner lines. (Photo: Infiniti Canada) |
best selling Infiniti. It looks better, goes faster, seats four (and let's face it; who really uses the middle rear seat of a car on a daily basis?), sounds absolutely astonishing, and is an excellent deal even at its $47,000 CDN ($33,200 USD) MSRP. In fact, if you can afford it, it's probably the best GT in its price range. But, if the G35 has one single flaw, it's its age. Introduced in 2003, the coupe, although young, is starting to look a little tired. So, Infiniti has unleashed this; the aptly-named Infiniti Coupe Concept.
An evolution of the current G35 coupe's design, the new conce
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| The rear sports the same taillights that the actual new G35 coupe will use, hinting that this concept is almost production-ready. (Photo: Infiniti Canada) |
pt uses what Infiniti calls its "design vocabulary", that is, according the press release, "used to define both the premise and promise of Infiniti vehicles - usually with just a gesture or a simple line or two." And it's true. As the Infiniti ads illustrate, it's possible to draw a recognizable profile of the G35 using two simple lines. The effect of this simple design is that the coupe looks dramatic and simple at the same time. The concept's exterior also includes a full-length glass panel roof, a deep front spoiler, polished "bare metal-look" paint and large projector LED headlights and
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| An integral spoiler trimmed in polished aluminum increases downforce, but muddles the design. (Photo: Infiniti Canada) |
taillights with a special sunglass-style multi-layered surface treatment.
Lastly, and perhaps most notably are the nifty touch-to-open door handles, plus compact cameras in place of traditional outside rearview mirrors, completely uncluttering the sides of the sleek Coupe Concept.
Pairing with the bare-metal-look paint is both polished and brushed aluminum, appearing in tandem on the signature "double-arch" front grill as well as the side sills, exhaust, and integrated rear spoiler. Finally, huge 20-inch 9-spoke aluminum alloy wheels that have been painted to match the body give the car a hunkered down and ultra-wide stance, especially from the rear.
