Costa Mesa, CA – I have to admit that the subject of this week’s column, the Infiniti M45 Sedan is high on my wish list of what to put in my garage and has been since it was released in 2003.  Back then it was a big slab sided sedan that kept its sporting intentions secret until you put your foot into it.  In 2006 the M series was redesigned and what a beauty I think it is.
                Since ’06 the model has seen minor revisions to its exterior styling that have enhanced the looks even more and some changes to the navigation and entertainment systems have been the headlines.
                The 2008 M45S packs a good punch too.  A 4.5-liter DOHC 32-valve V8 delivers 325 Horses and 336 lb-ft Torque and many smiles to your face.  Jump on the gas and you can hear a good growl come from under the hood and out the back through the dual exhaust with quad chromed finishers.  The engine noise entering the cabin during normal driving situations is very well isolated and just a bit of growl can be heard inside, just enough to remind you the power is there at the tip of your toes whenever you need it and more importantly, when you want it!  19 inch W-rated performance summer tires, mounted on handsome 5 spoke rims keep you stuck to the tarmac and in control.  This wheel and tire option are part of the Sport Package which also includes Rear Active Steering, which I did not notice helping or hurting any performance so that’s a good thing, and a sport tuned suspension along with Aluminum trim on the pedals and fantastic Sport-Bolstered  leather seats, heated and cooled, more on that later.
                The car you see pictured here also had the Advanced Technology Package which included the 5.1 Bose Studio Surround Sound System with 14 speakers.  Of which, two are at the top of each front seatback.  Intelligent Cruise Control and the Lane Departure Warning System which beeps a few times until the brains of the car realize you wanted to change lanes, it takes a little getting used to but is not overly offensive, and the Lane Departure Prevention System which luckily never kicked in.  Part of the changes I mentioned earlier to the Navigation system adds Real-Time Traffic Information and a hard-drive to store digital music on for playback.
                The main competitors to the Infiniti M45 Sedan are the more powerful BMW 5 Series and the standard of the Luxury Sport Sedan Segment the Mercedes E550.  The styling of the Infiniti makes this car stand out against these rivals. 

A little less raucous then the Bimmer, and not as mundane as the Mercedes.
                As with other lesser Infiniti models the interior is outstanding.  Jewel like instruments, the electroluminescent dials and gauges in the dash seem like active pieces of art and the lighting at night is, well, awesome in my opinion.  The pastel colors are very easy on the eyes and make night driving very pleasant.  With the Sport Package, Aluminum dash trim comes standard, instead of Rosewood accents, a unique sport steering wheel with the obligatory controls for cruise control, stereo, Etc., on it and the exclusive sport front seats.  Many cars have heated seats these days (as this car does) but only a few offer air conditioned seats.  If you have not experienced seats like this yet you have got to check it out.  On a hot day there is nothing to soothe the savage soul like cooling your backside at the same rate your front side is being cooled by the cars A/C.  This is more than just air being blown through the seat of your pants (literally) but cool, air conditioned air!
                The center stack is well done and is most impressive for what it does not have….a dial to point and click to interface with functions a button can do for you.  Working your way through the menu’s to deal with thing like turning on the voice activation systems, setting up your Bluetooth device; settings for the NAV System, Etc are all intuitive and easily accomplished without calling a help desk as you’re pulling out your hair in angst to accomplish these tasks.  A few of the buttons seem oddly placed but I’ll take that over the high blood pressure inducing “dials” found in the competitions offerings.
                As in any automobile that lists for $57,865.00 all the safety and convenience features such as ABS, airbags galore, traction control, keyless remote entry, auto up/down on all windows, dual-zone climate control, Etc. are all there.
                A V6 version of the “M” is offered, the M35, and both are offered with AWD which splits torque 50/50 but is capable of sending 100% to the rear wheels.  I’ve not driven an M35 but hope to soon and tell you all about it.  Other than better fuel mileage and few less ponies I’m sure the Infiniti experience will be intact. 

Column and photos provided by Rich Branch, EVP of Race Central.