Short review: 2006 Infiniti Q45s

[MattB]

Yes, they do exist. I drove one on Sunday.

I was home for fall break from school and stopped by the dealership I work for during the summer to say hi. Sitting in the lot was a white/tan '06 Q45 Sport, complete with "Q45s" badging. This thing looks great in person, especially the 19'' wheels. The interior is similar to other F50s with a few slight changes (seats, shifter, I'm sure there are more but I can't think of them right now).

Now for driving impressions. It accelerates like all late model F50s: fast. Handling seems to be slightly improved over older F50s I've driven at work.

It's unfortunate that this car has sold so poorly because it really blows away the Acura RL (at least in my opinion).

I have some cellphone pics of the car, and if I can figure out how to get them onto my PC I'll post them.

[TgduMg]

Yes, they do exist. I drove one on Sunday.

Funny. Sunday was the first time that I've seen an 05 and 06 Q45 actually in motion.

I was taking my niece across town in the rain and got rerouted because the maintenance crews had the South-Eastbound Inner Dispersal loop of the Broken Arrow expressway blocked off, forcing me to continue Southbound on Hwy 75 (also known as I-244, the Okmulgee-Bee-Line and MLK-Memorial Expy), that happens to run parallel to a small section of Old Hwy 66.

A little less than one mile north of the Skelly Drive cloverleaf (also known as I-44 and New Hwy 66) I see it approach and I ogle at the Black 2005 Q as it goes by.

After I drop off my niece, it was off to Jackie Cooper to locate the 2007 G35 my friend told me was in their possession last Tuesday or Wednesday.

I peeked in the service drive and the back lot. Nothing.

Then I went across the street to their Nissan lot to look where they concealed the first 07 Benz S550 when they got it in. Uh-Oh. No windows on the doors of that part of the building. Dang it.

But as I walked toward an 07 Sentra that was slightly more upmarket than the one that was parked in front of the showroom, I glance to my left and OMG.

I size up the new G sedan and pretty much like what I see. Not feelin' the Washi-paper dash accents though. Take three snaps with the camera phone and then I'm out.

Back in the Taurus (the Maxima is in the garage) while waiting for the green on 91st and Memorial here it comes. 06 Desert Platinum Sport approaches intersection from the West and comes to a stop. The split 19's look so good on the F50. Crossing the intersection I grab a couple more quick glances and then I'm on my way.

Yes it was a rainy Sunday in Tulsa. But it was still a good day!

Nissan Love On A Sunday

It's unfortunate that this car has sold so poorly because it really blows away the Acura RL (at least in my opinion).

I've driven a SH-AWD RL and it's fantastic.

Again I say. It would be a wonderful benchmark for the next Maxima. AWD, and a transmission that shifts.

Danisiti 1

[Jesda]

I love the 05+ interior. The white leather is cushy-soft, super thick, and smells like dead cow heaven.

[maxnix]

Forget the phone's camera! Get a real camera please and post up!

[MattB]

Forget the phone's camera! Get a real camera please and post up!

These are off the dealership's website...I will see if I can get some better ones.
Modified by MattB at 7:27 PM 10/19/2006

[Jesda]

God, LOOK at that creamy leather. I wanna be chocolate to that milk.

[xerexabante]

sure looks as good as mine. ha ha ha. they just have refined the exterior a little bit. like that accents on the bumper and the door trim.

[Jesda]

The chrome does a really nice job of reducing visual height, something this car desperately needs. Small wheel arches would also help, especially for the rear. Just need to get the wheels out further to match.

[Romeo5k]

meh... It looks nice.. but i still dont like it.. It doesnt say luxery.. Its says im an expensive nissan. Not, I am the King. It sits nice on those wheels.. but its not long. Like they tried to make it economical. I like long cars.. Like the G50 over any other.. Or a 96 impala over a 2000 imapla or newer. But the Q still looks good.

[BadQ45t]

Are those the same M45 Sport Enkei produced rims? They sure look like it.

I agree, the interior is awesome, the exterior needs work to compete in the 60k marketplace that it plays in. Now it is downright embarrasing as the LS460 comes out with 380 horse, really the first time tha Infiniti is looking in its rear view mirror. They should work with one of the body kit people and spice the Q up and throw a T-charger on the the stock 340 to get 500 and blow Lexus away....if you had to make the call on this now you'd be a fool unless someone GAVE you the Q not to buy a LS if you wanted a new japanese luxury car and needed more back seat than the M gives you.

[maxnix]

Very nice!

[TgduMg]

Are those the same M45 Sport Enkei produced rims? They sure look like it.

Almost, but not quite. Same size and style, different offset.

Now it is downright embarrassing as the LS460 comes out with 380 horse, really the first time that Infiniti is looking in its rear view mirror.

Actually, the 1998-2000 LS 400 1UZ-FE 4.0 Toyota V8 with VVT-i, made 290-hp @ 6000 & 300 ft-lbs @ 4,000 rpm (300-hp/310 ft-lbs in the GS 400) compared to the 266-hp of the VH41DE of the 1997-2001 Q45. The 3UZ-FE 4.3 introduced MY 2001 had the same horsepower ratings but made more torque, both at lower rpms (290-300 @ 5600 & 320-325 @ 3400).

They should work with one of the body kit people and spice the Q up

The F50's exterior style is closer to the previous gen GS, but with available interior accoutrements of an LS 430.

Throw a T-charger on the the stock 340 to get 500 and blow Lexus away....

Give me apples to apples. A couple of Lexus guys have already turbocharged their V8 engines that are pushing over 500 horsepower.

If you had to make the call on this now you'd be a fool unless someone GAVE you the Q not to buy a LS if you wanted a new japanese luxury car and needed more back seat than the M gives you.

Instead of following the "me toos" out there, having a personal preference does not make me a fool, just an individual. If someone wants to have the "In" car of the moment, that's ok as well.

Take the S-Class, 7-Series and XJ for instance. I have always preferred the SWB models over the longer ones. They just have a sportier appearance IMHO. Mercedes doesn't offer a present gen SWB S-Class in the states. The previous gen SWB S-Class they offered in the US was not only at the end of its product cycle, but was only available as an S350 that didn't offer the 4-matic option.

But since I'm the driver (and somewhat vertically challenged BTW) though they are nice, I don't require an extended wheelbase full size four door.

If you needed more back seat than the M gives you prior to the introduction of the LS 460 L, I suppose that would have limited your choices to the LWB Jaguar XJ, Audi A8, BMW 7-Series, Merc S-Class and Lincoln Town Car Signature L. None of them Japanese. The interior dimensions of the M35/45-Y50 and outgoing LS 430-UF30 are very close.

Don't get me wrong. I stopped by my local Lexus dealer yesterday to take a peek at the black LS 460 on the showroom floor, and I've gotta admit that it's one hell of a car.

It was the standard (not short) wheelbase as the sales manager continually stated, with the Advanced Parking Guidance System and stickered somewhere North of seventy-one grand.

A fully optioned LS 460 L nudges $95,000, so the LS 600h L will surely be well into six figures.

I can parallel park with the best of em.

Still, the new LS is Unprecedented

Danisiti 1

[BadQ45t]

don' get me wrong, I like the newer Q, it is just from a resell standpoint and price point hard to sell to me. I agree, the 97-01 had a bit less horse, but actually my brother bought a 96' in 2000 for about 6 grand more than I paid for a 97' Q and my Q is way more sporty and doesn't look as much like I borrowed my dad's car.

I wish I could get more on board with the exterior styling, but the embarrasment is that the Q came out in 2001 really, as the 2002 model with 340 horse. If you're even going to have a model called Q45 out there it should be 500 horses or just sunset the model.

I still think the Q interior is every bit as nice as a LS430...BTW, my dad's comes off lease in a year and he wants me to buy it. I said no, two reasons, first it is white, I hate white cars (I know there are alot of white car fans, sorry but I'm not one of them) and two it looks like my dad's car. With my 97' Q now lowered with Tein springs/KYB SR Specials I'm home for another 5 years.

[Qproject]

hey I thought you sold your Q no ?

don' get me wrong, I like the newer Q, it is just from a resell standpoint and price point hard to sell to me. I agree, the 97-01 had a bit less horse, but actually my brother bought a 96' in 2000 for about 6 grand more than I paid for a 97' Q and my Q is way more sporty and doesn't look as much like I borrowed my dad's car.

I wish I could get more on board with the exterior styling, but the embarrasment is that the Q came out in 2001 really, as the 2002 model with 340 horse. If you're even going to have a model called Q45 out there it should be 500 horses or just sunset the model.

I still think the Q interior is every bit as nice as a LS430...BTW, my dad's comes off lease in a year and he wants me to buy it. I said no, two reasons, first it is white, I hate white cars (I know there are alot of white car fans, sorry but I'm not one of them) and two it looks like my dad's car. With my 97' Q now lowered with Tein springs/KYB SR Specials I'm home for another 5 years.

[BadQ45t]

Me, nope, never for sale. I tried to sell the M rims for a while but decided to go the spacer route..I just dumped a bunch into suspension so I'm hanging in for 5 more years.

[MinisterofDOOM]

That auxiliary control cluster is a HUGE improvement over most of the rest of Nissan and Infiniti's models.

I loved those wheels on the M and I love them on the Q. I want to steal a set for my Maxima.

Does that have a regular key? I figured they would have moved to the push-button start like in the M. Even the new Altima and (I believe) new Sentra have the push-button start...

[MattB]

That auxiliary control cluster is a HUGE improvement over most of the rest of Nissan and Infiniti's models.

I loved those wheels on the M and I love them on the Q. I want to steal a set for my Maxima.

Does that have a regular key? I figured they would have moved to the push-button start like in the M. Even the new Altima and (I believe) new Sentra have the push-button start...

It has the same key that IIRC all other F50s have, the Mercedes-style key and remote all in one.