Just lovin' that 'luxe
| • | Cars, cars and more cars |
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
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| When it comes to cars and many other things, beauty is in the details. The Infiniti M35 is Motor Trend magazine's top-rated luxury sports sedan ... and a sweet ride, according to The Advertiser's Wayne Harada. | |
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| The front exterior of an Audi A6. | Inside the Mercury Montego. |
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| The new Chevy Corvette (a detail of which is seen on Page 14) is scheduled to be among the many machines at the auto show that opens Thursday at the convention center.
First Hawaiian International Auto Show Noon-10:30 p.m. Thursday and April 1, 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. April 2, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. April 3 Hawai'i Convention Center $7 general; $5 ages 62 and over, military, students 13 and older; $4 ages 7-12; free for 6 and younger. Also: free for kids 12 and younger when accompanied by an adult on April 3, Kids Day; and two-for-one tickets for college students Thursday. hawaiiautoshow.com, 943-3500 Note: The Honolulu Advertiser is a sponsor. Looking ahead Hoku Scientific, a local company, offers a peek into the future of cars with a booth about its role in developing a major component in hydrogen fuel cells. These fuel cells are expected to some day power vehicles efficiently and without gasoline. Exotica On display will be several gleaming machines with a total value of more than $1 million, courtesy of JN Automotive Group. These include: • 2005 Lamborghini Gallardo Other attractions • Jasmine Trias will appear from 7:30 to 9 p.m. April 1 at the show. • The Z Club of Hawaii offers a tribute to the Z car, from the Datsun 240Z to the new Nissan 350Z. • In Aftermarket Alley, EFI Unlimited showcases tuners — modified, show-quality sport-compact vehicles. These are truly customized machines, outfitted with body kits, wheels, stereo systems and more. |
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Like "intelligence key" locking and opening — you push a button where the key normally goes, and the door responds as long as the key is close by (in your pocket, for instance).
Keyless starting, too. You step on the brake and push an ignition button — which signals a rash of activity on the dash dial. Bright red needles on the speedometer dance and swivel, like luminous samurai swords.
Voice-activated controls — follow the prompts and you can orally set the AC temperature (you say "68" or "72," whatever your desire); and even radio stations can be vocally programmed.
Talk about cruising in style.
The Infiniti M35 is just one of about 250 new vehicles on view at the First Hawaiian Auto Show, which opens Thursday and continues through April 3 at the Hawai'i Convention Center.
Motor Trend magazine's March issue compares six luxury sports sedans — and the Infiniti M35 is its No. 1.
I wanted to find out why, so I took a test ride. And drive.
First, a disclosure. I have a friend who owns an M35 and swears by its efficiency and sleekness — she says it's almost like driving ... a piano. Well, the dash has curves and sleekness that resemble a grand piano, with rosewood or aluminum textures.
So when my Infiniti QX4 SUV was in the shop for air-conditioning maintenance, I ventured into the showroom to peek at some of the newbies car buffs will be drooling over at the upcoming the auto show.
Clearly, the M series car will be a hottie.
The model I tested doesn't come cheap, but at $39,900, it's considerably below comparable luxury sedans.
My first ride in the M35 (a V6 sports model) was in the front passenger seat, with sales rep Richard Crabbe driving. It was my first meeting with him; he wasn't pushing a sale. I simply said I wanted to experience whatever car might be the buzz of the auto show.
Without hesitation, Crabbe said it would be the M35.
It's an impressive number, for sure. Even before you step into the cabin.
He pushed the door button, and the door opened — wider than most. The remote key was in his hand. Easy access, good starting point. No need to search for the key in a briefcase, pocket or purse. No big deal, perhaps, since many other cars also offer such entry.
It truly felt like a comfy first-class seat in an airplane — not a domestic flight, but an international one, where luxury is abundant. Only the flight attendant was missing.
Crabbe placed the remote key into a receptacle between the two front seats, stepped on the brake, then pushed the ignition.
The car hummed, like it was eager to rev up and hit the road.
"The amber dial is for ease on the eyes," said Crabbe. It was still daylight, so the warm glow was not so evident. "Less strain at night."
When it started its journey, the car felt like a royal chariot, with moon roof, leather upholstery, Bluetooth Wireless technology (which works in tandem with your cell phone).
All standard.
With Bluetooth, you can talk story while driving without being a road hazard. And you can keep both hands on the steering wheel — and use a finger to launch the voice-command button on the wheel panel. No more pushing buttons to change radio stations or launch a CD. You command, it responds.
And though we don't yet have satellite radio technology available here for the masses, the Infiniti offers the choice of XM or Sirius — in case the service is offered here down the line.
Once I was behind the steering wheel, I knew this was a state-of-the-art, the-future-is-now car.
Anyone can experience fatigue, driving for long stretches, and this model has a feature (if you're cruising over 45 mph) that lets you know if you're crossing the painted lines (when visible) on the road. The Lane Departure Warning sounds off if you don't have your lane-changing blinkers going, thanks to a camera discreetly tucked into the space above the rear-view mirror.
If you reverse into a parking stall, the dashboard screen displays an image with "guidelines" that help you navigate into the space, thanks to a rear-mounted camera. Clearly, you should still rely on eyeballing both sides of your car, but this feature lessens the chance of your bumping into a trash can you couldn't see or parking six inches over your left or right stripe.
Power?
The car has incredible energy and takes curves nicely, even without braking. Hairpin turns, consequently, will be easier to maneuver.
Braking?
Should you be speeding and need a quick halt, the brake system enables you to practically land on that proverbial dime. And you don't have to brake when you take certain curves: the car is engineered to maintain control without screeching or tilting.
Entertainment?
Besides the usual AM/FM audio system, a single-feed six-CD player is standard, along with mp3 capability. Some models have a DVD option, too, with both front (it plays only when the car isn't in drive) and rear (for those 'round-the-island treks).
The only thing missing is a bed for quick naps, really.
Of course, there are other options, or packages, that upgrade the audio system with a Bose stereo that yields surround-sound, rear sunshades, chrome-finished wheels, rear hood spoiler, and rear audio controls for climate adjustments.
I felt quite like James Bond in his Aston Martin, with doohickeys and gizmos not commonly anticipated in a car. Or maybe an astronaut — the car is techno-heavy, which almost mandates a few hours of pilot training before the flight. Crabbe said it's easy to learn the drill — then it's vrooom, vrooom, vrooom.
Hey, if I could afford $40K, I would gladly sign up for the schooling. And give up my elevated SUV perch and hauling space for the luxury of the M35.
Who doesn't love 'luxe?
Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525- 8055.
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The auto show is your chance to look at dozens of new cars, trucks and sport-utility vehicles, all in one place. Among the 2005 models scheduled to be at the auto show:
- Acura RL
- Audi A6
- BMW 6 Series and X3
- Buick LaCrosse
- Cadillac STS and SRX
- Chevrolet Cobalt and Corvette
- Chrysler Crossfire roadster, PT Cruiser convertible and 300C
- Dodge Dakota and Magnum
- Ford Five Hundred and Mustang GT
- GMC Envoy Denali
- Honda Odyssey
- Hummer H2
- Infiniti M35 and QX56
- Jaguar X-Type wagon
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Kia Spectra5
- Land Rover LR3
- Lexus RX 330
- Mazda3
- Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
- Mercury Mariner and Montego
- Mini Cooper convertible
- Nissan Frontier
- Pontiac G6
- Porsche 911 Carrera
- Saab 9-2X
- Saturn Relay
- Scion tC
- Subaru Legacy
- Toyota Avalon and Tacoma
- Volkswagen Jetta
2006 models:
- Ford Fusion
- Honda Ridgeline
- Infiniti M
- Lexus RX 400h
- Subaru B9 Tribeca
- Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Concept vehicle:
- Ford Shelby GR-1
