2006 BMW 330i vs. 2007 Infiniti G35s

Conditions were far from optimal. Our charcoal-gray G35S six-speed contender arrived fresh off the plane with barely 200 miles showing on its odometer. The similarly somber-hued BMW 330i Sport six-speed on hand to defend its hard-earned sport-sedan title had been around the auto journalists' block some 2900 miles' worth. A long-threatened weather system promising relief from a 90-degree muggy

Michigan heat wave was just about a half day away. Still, at high noon, we mounted our test gear and rang the bell.

Round 1: Acceleration Testing
The benchmark BMW came out swinging first, and the raw numbers showed evidence of power-sapping heat and humidity. The first few passes covered 0-to-60 mph in around seven seconds, with the quarter mile falling in almost 16 seconds at barely 90 mph. But with adequate cooling between runs, and perhaps a bit of adaptation on the part of both the engine controller and the driver, the raw times fell to the mid-six-second range to 60 and 15 seconds in the quarter. A hefty weather correction for the falling barometer and the high ambient heat and humidity brought the official performance figures down to a right respectable 6.2 seconds to 60 mph and 14.7 seconds at 94.5 mph though the quarter mile--smack in the middle of the scatter representing our previous BMW 330i test results. Clearly, the Bimmer wasn't sweating much.

Unfazed by heat or mechanical immaturity, the green G motor pinned our test driver to the seat with more thrust, laying down a first pass that knocked a full second off the BMW's opening 60-mph run--six flat. In four successive runs trying different launch techniques, the raw times improved only by about 0.3 second to 60 mph and through the quarter mile, which speaks volumes to the ease with which this car can lay down repeatable numbers. The computer-crunched official numbers shaved 0.8 second off the Bimmer's best 60-mph run and cleared the quarter in 14 flat at 100.3 mph. Even the Infiniti's 45-65-mph passing time eclipsed the 330i's by 0.4 second, at just 2.8. Ding! Clear advantage--Japan.

Round 2: Braking
Both cars stopped short and straight, with a firm, reassuring pedal and no histrionics. The test results award a scant three-foot advantage to the 133-pound-heavier Infiniti, which stopped from 60 mph in just 112 feet. The BMW trailed by three feet, but its five stops were varied by only four feet, while the Infiniti's longest stop was nine feet longer. Slim lead, Infiniti.