Topic: Test Drive: 2011 Infiniti M56S

[Autos_Editor]

With a substantial horsepower increase and a drop in price, the V8-powered Infiniti M56S is a good value, says Haney Louka, and it "comes with an exhaustive list of features."  But he wasn't crazy about the car's four-wheel steering system.

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[JohnM]

For a review on a drivers car, there was very little in the way of comment on how it cornered, accelerated or took bumps.  Also, how about something on fuel usage?

If you loved it, let's hear why.  I await part deux!

Cheers,
John Meyer

[Bubba]

Haney;

Can you take car exterior pictures while standing?  I'm seldom on my knees when I approach a vehicle.  Thanks. 

[safristi]

     and this coming from a DRAG QUEEN..................

[Wilson]

Very nice car.  But one question i have is for the Lane Departure system.  How well does the system work on a snow covered highway?

[aaronk]

Are these the same photos from the M37S? Looks the same to me - maybe I'm just getting confused! After pondering the interior for a while, it still seems busy to my eyes but it's getting better. I'm sure the owners of said car will be very pleased, and assuredly it's a nice place to spend time while on the road. I'd probably skip the 'additional crap' package and just stick with the base M56S - seems like that has pretty much every creature comfort anyways.

[guest]

love this car.  a vast improvement over previous generations.

while the 3.7L is probably more than adequate for most people, this engine is definitely for people who believe "there's no replacement for displacement".

i've often wondered about whether the 5.6 V8 could be squeezed into the G sedan/coupe to create a viable alternative to the M3 or AMG Benz.

i also wonder about the 4WS system on this car.  The 300ZX twin turbo I had 20 years ago had the Super HICAS rear-wheel steering.  Around high speed corners, the rear would give this weird sensation, as if it were getting a little loose.  But, once you got used to the sensation and learned to trust the sysyem, you'd realize that the car would grip quite tenaciously.

In the 20 years since the Z twinturbo, I wonder if they have greatly improved the 4-wheel steering.

[CanuckS2K]

love this car.  a vast improvement over previous generations.

while the 3.7L is probably more than adequate for most people, this engine is definitely for people who believe "there's no replacement for displacement".

i've often wondered about whether the 5.6 V8 could be squeezed into the G sedan/coupe to create a viable alternative to the M3 or AMG Benz.

I've been hoping for that for quite some time now. 

[DougC]

Folks, I've had my new M56 non-S model for a couple of weeks now and I really wish some of the magazines would look at the non-S version. Without the rear wheel steering, stiff suspension and 20" wheels, I think it's perfect. It's got great 18" Michelins and though it definitely leans more than the S-model in corners, it still sticks like glue, and breaks loose nice and progressively...at least for any on-road use. The active noise cancellation makes it extremely quiet inside, the high end Bose audio system seems pretty good to me, and it's got enough room in the back seat that passengers don't complain. Gas mileage so far, mostly short runs, city, (I'm in Tucson) is averaging 20 mpg US, 25 mpg CDN. I expect over 30 mpg CDN on the highway. (maybe 9 liters/100K ?). A big factor for me is reliability and Infiniti and Lexus seem consistent tops...noticeably better than BMW's that I've owned. Keep the rubber side down folks, Doug.

[John MacDonald]

I think if it was my money I would buy the Hyundai Genesis V8 Sedan and a 2011 Ford Mustang V6 and get the best of all worlds for the same price.

[wing]

Congrats on the car Doug, it is very nice indeed.  Fuel economy on the highway is poor though unfortunately, but that is not what the car is about.

[lebowski]

A big factor for me is reliability and Infiniti and Lexus seem consistent tops...noticeably better than BMW's that I've owned. Keep the rubber side down folks, Doug.

Thanks for your review, Doug. Your note about consistent reliability is one reason I'm glad brands like Infiniti and Lexus are around: so that they can force the German marques like BMW to make their cars more reliable.

[guest]

I'm glad brands like Infiniti and Lexus are around: so that they can force the German marques like BMW to make their cars more reliable.

Remember, you have to thank Infiniti/Lexus for "persuading" the Germans to introduce V8's into their lineups.  Without the original Q45 or LS400, BMW and Mercedes might still be using exclusivley straight sixes.  Or, the Germans may not have adopted 8-cylinder engines until much later.

The Japanese, and now the Koreans, created game-changers that forced other established brands to evolve, or else.

[Erik]

My 1976 Mercedes had a very sweet V8 in it. Not light on gas though!

[lebowski]

Remember, you have to thank Infiniti/Lexus for "persuading" the Germans to introduce V8's into their lineups.  Without the original Q45 or LS400, BMW and Mercedes might still be using exclusivley straight sixes.  Or, the Germans may not have adopted 8-cylinder engines until much later.

The Japanese, and now the Koreans, created game-changers that forced other established brands to evolve, or else.

That's a good point - though there was good with the bad: the introduction of those Japanese cars and their aggressive pricing signaled the death knell for Mercedes' prior "build it at any cost" mantra, and ushered in their current mantra of "build it *to* a cost." The new cars may have V8's, but the build quality hasn't been as good as it was before the mid-90's.

[mmret]

Perhaps not. But its not like Lexus and Infiniti are building jalopies at these prices.

[lebowski]

Perhaps not. But its not like Lexus and Infiniti are building jalopies at these prices.

No, I agree. Of course Lexus and Infiniti have built superb cars. I'm mainly just lamenting the  loss of the unique bank vault-solid feel that the old Benz's had, and which disappeared when MB decided to cut costs.

[nsmyhte]

Beauty is definitely subjective because I think its one of the poorest exterior designs in its class.  Very boring, soft, bulbous, generic and forgettable.  The Germans don't need to resort to putting 20 inchers on just to make it stand out.

[nsmyhte]

For a review on a drivers car, there was very little in the way of comment on how it cornered, accelerated or took bumps.  Also, how about something on fuel usage?

If you loved it, let's hear why.  I await part deux!

Cheers,
John Meyer

Agreed, the article reads more like a marketing brochure rather than a test drive.

[CanuckS2K]

M56S vs 5 Series comparo from Insideline.

http://www.insideline.com/bmw/5-series/2011/2011-bmw-550i-vs-2011-infiniti-m56-comparison-test.html