A loud and sometimes annoying exhaust tone combined with an aggressive transmission is what usually completes the muscle character of a car with due consideration for the large engine and a mean body design. This has always been the formula for cars that deliver both performance and killer looks and it has worked pretty well, especially in the American Muscle Car segment which had the added advantage of being affordable for a large section of people as well.
The only compromise here was that when something's relatively less expensive, it usually means that some corners have been cut and in the case of these innocent muscle cars, it was usually build quality and reliability.
Defining reliability
The term ‘reliability' has always been a topic of debate among motor heads simply because there is never a ‘true test' for it.
Some decide that a car is reliable simply because it ran a few hundred thousand miles without failing.
Some define it as the ability of a car to sustain and live through years of duress and extreme environments irrespective of the mileage.
So, given the vague nature of the term, reliability in layman's terms simply means being able to use a car satisfactorily to one's needs.
This definition seemed a lot easier to work with. And when the Japanese came up with reliable cars to suit every kind of need, the future of the automobile industry and the term ‘reliability' changed forever!
The Japanese filled the void for cars that had state-of-the-art engineering, reliability and affordability. They then slowly moved into the luxury segment with cars like the Lexus and Infiniti taking care of the luxury aspect - something Japanese cars initially lacked.
Improvements infinite
The 2011 Infiniti M56 - which I got to test drive - is a car which I must say has managed to keep up with the industry in every way. It also has a lot of innovative gadgetry that makes it stand out from its competition. I am not really a big fan of fancy gadgetry in cars especially because it kind of takes the focus away from how the car actually feels like to drive. However, I haven't come across a lot of cars that offer sophistication along with exceptional handling and ride comfort.
The Infiniti's interiors are appealing in every aspect. The M series especially has a design that is quite unique and isn't simply a rebadged Nissan.
The seats and the dashboard layout radiate an intense feeling of luxury which I feel blends in with the true nature of this car.
The rear seats are perfect to be chauffeur driven in and offer a lot of leg room as well.
The Bose entertainment system which comes with a ‘Noise Cancelling function' is good and the multimedia interface on the dashboard is easy to use. The microphones that aid the noise-cancelling feature are situated on the roof and this feature makes the cabin a lot quieter. Good thinking I would say!
Under the hood
The 2011 M series comes with two engine variants: the M37 with a 3.7 litre V6 engine that generates 328 horsepower, and the M56 with a 5.6 litre V8 engine that generates 402 horsepower. The VVEL and Direct Injection Gasoline technology are used in both variants and this ensures that the car delivers power when needed while staying fuel efficient at the same time.
The M56's engine although very large and powerful, is not very sporty in nature although a sports version with active four-wheel steering, optimised suspension and brakes is available. The car is more luxury oriented and the smooth seven-speed transmission contributes a lot to the way it feels. With the traction control switched off, the car is capable of bringing its 402 horsepower driven rear wheels to life for a little bit of drifting action, but somewhere in the back of your mind you realise that this is not what the car was intended to do. It's a gadget-laden luxury sedan.
In the city, the car does not throw its weight around and handles quite well. It's got four drive modes - Standard, Economy, Sport and Snow - which according to Infiniti, adjusts throttle sensitivity and transmission mapping to suit.
To be honest, I felt no significant difference among any of the modes, except for the different modes being displayed on the instrument cluster.
This car is a highway cruiser. That's what I think it's built for because it does that perfectly well. It's powerful, has a great comfy suspension and the noise has been taken care of. These are not the characteristics of a sports car. I personally would not opt for the sports package add-ons because the standard options deliver everything I expect from this kind of car.
The only area where I think this car could have had more appeal is in the way the steering wheel feels. Although it's extremely smooth and easy to drive, I miss the connection that I feel to the road and the car as I drive along.
And finally...
To summarise, the M56 is indeed a very sensible and functional car especially considering the price tag of around Dh239,000 for a full option car. All the innovation, smooth power, ride comfort and premium brand status for the price of a regular midsized European sedan. Choosing this car is definitely a no-brainer if these are the aspects you're looking for, combined with a pinch of Japanese reliability.
- Philip Shane is a Dubai-based motoring enthusiast and a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers, UK
