QUICK SPEC
- Engine: V8 5.6l
- Horsepower:420bhp
- Transmission: 7-speed automatic
- 0-100kph: n/a
- Top speed: n/a
- Cost: from Dh184,000 to Dh239,000
"Hey, someone brought home a shiny new Lexus," enthused one of my neighbours, mistaking the 2011 Infiniti M56 Sport for one of its chief rivals. I'm not sure which model my errant friend had in mind because, if anything, the M56 has a bit of a Jag mojo going on, with its sinewy curves and elongated roofline. Over the four quite enjoyable days that I drove the car, I came to think of it fondly as the ‘Japaguar' because, while this car definitely has a level of refinement to rival some of British motoring's finer exemplars, there are a few very minor attributes that root the car in the land of the rising sun.
"What's this third pedal for?" wondered Craig, features writer at 4men and sometime Luddite. "I mean, it's not a clutch, is it?" No Craig, in fact that's an emergency brake of the foot actuated variety. The sort you might expect to see in, say, a Toyota Hilux. It's a bit odd then that the fully loaded and extraordinarily comfortable M56 has eschewed the now ubiquitous electronically activated emergency brake found in other cars at this rarified price point. On the other hand, if you're the sort of driver that laments not being able to do handbrake turns in a vehicle worth several hundred thousand dirhams, well then high fives are in order.
The other thing about the car that is just so gloriously Japanese - and I say this with a tip of my American hat (picture Benjamin Franklin rocking a tri-corner) to one of the world's other deeply weird cultures - is the advent of a climate control setting called ‘forest breeze'. To be honest, this feature, which is meant to simulate exactly what it sounds like it's meant to simulate, didn't seem to make much of a difference. But the thought of driving down Shaikh Zayed Road under a cool forest-like breeze, perhaps en route to an indoor ski slope in the middle of the desert, seems vaguely like something out of a Haruki Murakami novelisation of City of Life.
OK, but how does it drive? Beautifully, just beautifully. The M56 is both agile and aggressive; enough so that it can hold its head high among the usual round up of Teutonic beasts that, let's face it, basically dominate this market category. The handling isn't quite as nuanced, but with a saving of around Dh90,000 compared to a BMW 550i,I'd be sorely tempted by the M56 if I ever felt financially secure enough to buy one of these executive power sledges. Not likely to happen in this century, but there you have it.
The V8-equipped M56 Sport boasts a healthy 420bhp at 6,000rpm and can really snap your head back on short notice. Unless of course you're in Eco mode, the M56's cripplingly underpowered fuel conservation setting. Now don't get me wrong, I think improved fuel economy is a wonderful thing and human beings are unequivocally the cause of global warming. But buying a V8-powered technological marvel like the M56, and then electronically limiting the throttle response to Yaris territory seems a rather backwards way to save the planet. Maybe just take the Metro to work and then unleash the Japaguar on weekends because, once you've had the car out on the open road in Sport mode, you're exceedingly unlikely to drive it in Eco mode again, unless maybe you're running on empty.
Sometimes the most interesting person in the room has to try a little bit harder to be noticed. Perennially overshadowed by Lexus, Audi, Mercedes, and BMW among others; Infiniti is clearly making strides to make over its image and run with the, er, big cats. Perhaps now people will finally stop spelling Infiniti with a ‘y'.
Heavy Hitter
Toyota has released its special-edition 60th Anniversary LandCruiser to commemorate six decades of its off-road icon. These models come with a "leather accented interior", silver roof rails, touch-screen satellite-navigation with a four-CD changer, a premium steering wheel and gearshifter, Bluetooth hands-free compatibility and 60th Anniversary exterior and dashboard badging. The 5.7-litre V8 engine has dual variable valve timing and improved cooling which enhances power and economy. It also provides plenty of low-end torque, smooth acceleration and buckets of pull. From a driving point of view, visibility is perfect in all directions. However, the LandCruiser is not comfortable when it comes to driving it in tight inner-city conditions. It is long and wide, it feels bulky and driving one is more like piloting a light truck, not a passenger car. The Cruiser is designed for owners who look for comfort, bling and a definite upmarket feel to their set of wheels. If you are not one of them, then the investment that the Cruiser requires is definitely one you should walk away from.
- Sooraj Raveendran
Dh338,000, Al Futtaim Motors, 04-206-6600
Posh wheels
Why would anyone want to buy the BMW 5 series Gran Turismo? The 5 series is a capable enough luxury sedan - agile, refined and sufficiently grown-up. Why this station-wagon-ish touring sedan then? It's a bit like contemplating buying the iPad when you have the MacBook. Once you fall prey to the charms of the Apple's tablet, it's easy to confuse ‘want' and ‘need'. So it looks fairly tragic - the station wagon and X6's lovechild isn't pretty; imagine if Woody Allen and Heidi Klum had a baby girl and it looked like him. But apart from that, the GT's character is unblemished. The three-litre v6 engine on the 535i is responsive - your passengers are travelling business class with the raised seating position and well-appointed leather interiors. BMW's xDrive all wheel drive system is standard and combined with the adaptive suspension ensures the car keeps its poise when cornering and through roundabouts. I was quite in awe of the Head-Up Display that projects speed and directions from the car's GPS directly into the driver's vision - it's clever and easy to get used to. The GT has the ability to lull you into thinking that your everyday ride needs changing. -
Nitin Nair
Dh270,000 at all BMW dealerships
