2006 Lexus GS 430 vs. 2006 Infiniti M45 Sport

Like a pair of sumo wrestlers, Lexus and Infiniti have been going head-to-head in the U.S. market for approximately 15 years. They often chase the same buyers, but in different ways and often with different maneuvers, and both profess to be inspired by the success of European blue-bloods. As the Japanese move into midluxury V-8 rear-drive territory long held by the Europeans, BMW's propeller logo appears in the crosshairs as many competitors target its products as segment benchmarks. Lexus executives have already stated that its future products will have more focused dedication to high performance and handling akin to what BMW has achieved. Infiniti had the BMW 3 Series under the microscope when it developed Motor Trend's 2003 Car of the Year, the G35, and Nissan's premium division shone a spotlight on BMW's 5 Series when it executed the new, larger M35 and M45.

The passionate direction taken by the new GS--blending classic proportions and contemporary sleekness--is a clean break from previous, more rotund Lexus designs, which could be best described as Hong Kong Mercedes knockoffs. The Infiniti, on the other hand, shares and upsizes themes from the smaller G35 sedan. The M45's hoodline and cowl grew some two to three inches taller to accommodate the V-8 engine and the flanks a couple of inches wider to handle the beefier chassis. The not-unattractive result could be described as a G35 sedan pumped to 120 percent.

Interior design, materials, and fit and finish are usual Lexus strong points, and as noted in our GS launch story elsewhere in this issue, the new GS 430 doesn't disappoint. A new panoramic dash design is dramatic, culminating in electro-chromatic gauges with machined aluminum faces that automatically adjust their brightness for good visibility regardless of outdoor lighting conditions. Lexus is among the best in the business at coddling, and the GS 430's sumptuous leather seats, real bird's-eye maple or walnut trim (from the same tree on each car!) add rich ambiance. Head restraints adjust automatically with seat travel. An array of tiny LED courtesy lights illuminates the interior. The Herculean effort Lexus typically lavishes on executing seemingly minute details such as the muffled "chunk" sound of the door closing, the consistency by which power window and power seat motors sound and operate, the substantial way trim bits such as the console latch or turn signal stalk feel--all of these are no accident. With the possible exception of a cramped, though well-sculpted back seat, the GS 430's interior is beautifully executed.

The M45's cabin is no deprivation chamber, either. Infiniti listened to complaints about hard plastic and painted metallic trim on previous models and gave the Sport version of the M45 real aluminum trim and rich-looking electroluminescent gauges. Attractive-looking, well-bolstered and supportive seats welcome the M45 driver and his lucky passengers. The Infiniti has just enough spread-out room inside, which by every interior measurement is more generous than that of the GS 430. The nearly flat, command panel-style center stack takes some getting used to, but there's a lot of functions to control, and, for some, it's still a more appealing alternative than an iDrive-type system.