At a wedding not too long ago, a fellow Urban DINK started quizzing me about the new BMW 3 Series and if it was worth the money. The new 3 Series is a great car, but if you have to ask “is it worth the money,” a car like the G35 is probably a better choice. Not because their prices are astronomically different; the 328 starts $1,500 higher than the G35, and the 335 and its larger engine are roughly $7,000 more.
No, it’s because, after a week in an all-wheel-drive G35x, I realized this car is almost as good as a 3 Series on equal footing. Sure, we beat the two together last fall, but on its own, with an automatic, I enjoyed the G35 almost as much as the 3 Series (the 335 with the new twin-turbo is just too amazing to beat out).
The interior quality is so much better in the new G35 than the previous model that, besides the window switches, I’d say it was more attractive inside than the BMW, and much more ergonomically pleasing. All the buttons on the center stack felt great, and the dial/knob/buttons for the navigation system had a nice weight to them. The steering wheel was well-balanced and full of useful buttons, and, as is true in most Infinitis, the most ergonomic features were the stubby stalks for the turn signals and wipers. They’re the perfect length with the perfect feedback. Sometimes it’s the little things.
My main beef my last time in the new G35 was the manual transmission, which I thought was a bit crude for a luxury sedan. It should be noted that three other reviewers at Cars.com all disagreed with me. My tester this week had the automatic with manual shift capability. I just left the thing in drive and let my right foot do all the work. The 306-hp V-6 engine is a thing of beauty. It sounds great, responds immediately and seems to deliver endless power. Getting onto the highway is just a blast. Then there’s the all-wheel drive, which held up in extremely icy conditions and unplowed alleys with near SUV-like confidence.
Nothing about the exterior really thrilled me, but the look shouted “I’m a luxury car,” with its large, chrome grille. When I valet parked at a nice downtown-Chicago restaurant, the guy in the red jacket kept it up front without any added monetary enticement, and that was during the nasty weather when the G35 had been caked with dirt. Still, the inside was what really sold me. The seats were nice, the gauges glowed a subtle blue and that center stack is one of the best I can remember.
As far as Urban DINK-itude goes, the G35x could win an award. If only we didn’t have a dog I’d think about getting one myself. The next person to ask me about a 3 Series might get a more definitive answer now.
*I apologize for the lack of images. Bad weather, a busy auto show schedule and forgetting my camera during Sunday errand runs are all to blame.
Related:
The Urban DINK: 2007 Audi S6
The Urban DINK: Acura RDX
Taking a leaf out of their Western counterparts’ books, Roewe is showing off a group of badly modified Roewe 550s in an effort to get down with the young folk. Apparently, Chinese males between the ages of 18 and 34 find tacky modification as “groovy” as we do here in the states. We’re particularly impressed by the Liberace-esque gold lamé interior and hope it makes its way stateside when Roewe’s parent company Shanghai Auto buys the Not-So-Big Three.
We gave you all the details on the 
close-up of the 1960 Eldorado with friction motor by Ichiko Kogyo
‘56 Ford sedan delivery by Bandai
1954 Bel Air manufactured by Marusan.
