This is one of my favorite transmissions in any car in the world. The shift action has the slick, mechanical feel of a bolt-action rifle. Trustworthy and precise, it reminds me of those terrific old Muncie transmissions you find in the 1960s Corvette Stingray.

Every transmission feels different. In a Honda S2000, the shift throws are short and the action is precise. In a Porsche Boxster, the throws are long and slightly vague to reduce effort, while the gear engagement is pronounced and precise. And in an old Mitsubishi Eclipse, it's like stirring a plastic rod in a box of rocks.

The transmission is the most complex example of mechanical engineering in a car. It's no wonder that racing drivers of past eras like Dan Gurney always have said that the thing that really set apart a Ferrari from other racing cars of his day was the durability of the transmission, its ability to stand up to both the torque loads of the engine and the brutality of an uncaring driver.

Of course, there are plenty of people who want more isolation from vibration and a lot less mechanical effort than you'll find in the G35S's transmission. The Getrag-built manual gearbox of the BMW 3 Series is what they talk about, and they're always blathering about quick shifts. After having put up with far too many tired Getrags with worn synchros and notchy gear engagement, it doesn't make any sense to me. Trying to make time by using the transmission just leads to expensive visits to your mechanic. 

The G35S's Aichi Kikai-built manual transmission never confuses me about gate selection or gear engagement, and its totally mechanical feel is always a pleasure. If you understand that a shift lever is more than a funny arcade-style wand sticking out of the console, then you'll really appreciate the Infiniti G35S's transmission. 

Michael Jordan, Inside Line Executive Editor @ 21,230 miles
 

As our G35 prepares to depart the Edmunds Long Term fleet, I was initially struck with..., well I didn't really care much. It's a great car and all but I'd never get the Sport version and the six-speed manual only appeals to me when I picture myself living in Nebraska or Montana or anywhere that's not Los Angeles.

Just as I was all set to not care about the car leaving, I had a glance at the window sticker - $37,400 including Premium Package and Navigation. For that price our car has a Bose stereo w/ hard drive, Bluetooth, real time traffic info for the nav system, sunroof, power memory for seats, mirrors and steering wheel, heated seats and one touch windows all around.

Here's where our Long Term 2008 CTS with DI comes in, it has similar features and is a similar kind of car only it's $9,000 MORE EXPENSIVE. I love our CTS but it's not $9,000 better than the G35. Granted the CTS has an $8,000 option package but that includes stuff like a Bose stereo w/ nav, XM traffic, heated leather seats, power tilt/telescope wheel, memory seats and an Ultra View sunroof.

I never realized what a bargain the G35 is. I don't  think I properly appreciated the car. Now, I'm sorry it's leaving.

 Brian Moody, Road Test Editor

It's sad to say that our year with the G35s is almost up. So, like all of our test cars about to go away, we took it to the track. While you'll have to wait for the long-term wrap-up to get the official numbers, follow the link below to see some videos of the day.

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Um, that's not good. The right front Bridgestone on our 2007 Infiniti G35 Sport has been curb crunched to the point of two large lacerations. For the record, it wasn't me. But I did check the car's tire pressures when I discovered the damage. No problems to report, 33 psi all around, just as Infiniti recommends. BTW, I also checked the oil which was at proper operating level.

Since the tire is holding air and the G's 12 months in our fleet are quickly coming to a close, we'll probably just pretend those huge jagged slices of sidewall aren't out there flapping in the breeze. And when that doesn't work we'll Krazy Glue them back into place.

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 19, 841 miles

Motohiro Matsumara says the VQ35 V6 in the Infiniti G35 began as a kind of  lucky guess and became a success by accident. He designed it, so he should know.

Nissan built Japan's first V6 in volume production for an automobile, and when it introduced the VG30 V6 in the 1984 300ZX, the company was so proud that it took journalists to the engine foundry to see the aluminum cylinder heads being cast. For Nissan, it was a big thing to break away from the inline-6 engine that had defined the company since the 1960s.

That's where Motohiro Matsumura comes in. When Nissan went to redesign its V6 for 1994, Matsumura was put in charge of the project. Ever since he had first arrived at the company, he had become something of an expert in forced-induction engines. He'd started with the little 1988 Nissan March's compound engine and then later worked on Nissan's turbocharged Group C V6 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The VQ seemed like a big assignment to him at the time, though the senior Nissan engineers simply asked him to pay special attention to controlling noise and vibration in what would be one of the first all-aluminum V6 engines in volume production.

As Matsumura tells us, he decided that a soundly engineered structure is the best way to keep an aluminum engine from vibrating and making noise. So he just put his racing instincts to work, making sure the parts were rigid as well as lightweight. It was a lesson he'd learned with turbocharged engines. And because this V6's bones were sound, it became relatively easy to coax more horsepower out of it without compromising reliability. It seems so simple, doesn't it? That's what Matsumura says, anyway.

Some complain that the VQ's mechanical soul is way too apparent in the way it vibrates, but this is what makes it terrific. The G35's VQ35 revs cleanly from idle right to redline, and its throttle response is crisp and precise, so unlike other V6 engines that are either soggy, low-revving lumps like those from GM, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota, or torqueless screamers like those from Chrysler and Honda.

Matsumura's lucky accident worked out for him, as he went on to develop the turbocharged version of the SR21 inline-4, became chief of Nissan's engine testing department, and just recently became the president of Nissan's engineering facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As for the VQ, it has been one of Ward's 10 Best Engines ever since the award was created 14 years ago.

Not too bad for a lucky guess.

Michael Jordan, Executive Editor, Inside Line @ 19,831 miles

As much as I like our G35, it’s never impressed me in the looks department. There’s something about its soft lines that leave me a little cold. Then there are the wheels. Like most Japanese and American sedans, the design of the G35’s wheels do little to highlight its rear-wheel drive layout. If Infiniti had done it right, the rear wheels in the picture above would have a deep dish to them instead of looking so slab sided. It’s such a simple visual clue, yet only the Germans seem to have figured it out. Just take a look at the rear wheels on a BMW 5 Series to see what I’m talking about.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor, Inside Line @ 19,811 miles

The more time I spend in our long-term 2007 Infiniti G35 Sport, the more I like it. I'm a huge fan of its power, pure and simple, and the fact that it's held to the ground by such a capable suspension so you only want to go faster.

But it's not just the power per se, it's where it happens. According to our full test, the G35 makes its considerable 306 horsepower peak all the way up at 6,800 rpm and its 268 pound-feet of peak torque at 5,200, but it sure doesn't feel that way. You put your foot to the gas and it pulls hard from down low, providing gobs of usable torque all the way down at 2,500-3,000, where most of us city dwellers want it.

I don't have the numbers, but I'm pretty sure dyno testing would confirm that this car makes a lot of its power at low engine speeds. Which suits me just fine.

Doug Lloyd, Senior Copy Editor @ 19,163 miles

Playing smashmouth football means running the ball down the throat of the defense. It means punishing blocking and bone-crunching impacts. In a word, it's brutish. And so it is with our long-term Infiniti G35 Sport. This is a wonderfully capable car, but there’s an undeniable edginess to it as well. It’s the brute of the sport-sedan segment.

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At 18,563 miles it's time for a fuel economy update on our long-term G35 Sport...

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Walking around our G35 Sport after Wednesday's antics in the wet I noticed something strange through the wheelwell opening. 

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