© Price as tested $26,500 ¢ Base price $26,000 © Type 5 passenger, 4 door, sedan ¢ Layout transverse front engine/front wheel drive viscous limited slip differential © Engine 2.0 litre DOHC, 16 valve, 4 cyl- inder w/sequential multi-port fuel injection Horsepower 140 @ 6,400 Transmission 5 spd. manual/4 spd. automatic overdrive Tires 195/60 HRI4 ASR Curb weight 1,245 kg/2,744 Ibs. Wheelbase 2,550 mm/ 100.4 in. Length 4,440 mm/174.8 in. Width 1,694 mm/66.7 in. Height 1,389 mm/54.7 in. Trunk space 400 litres/14.1 cu.ft. Fuel economy avg. 8.4 1/100 km, 35 mpg Warranty Basic 4 yr/100,000 km Major components 6 yrs/ 100,000 km 16 - Friday. January 4, 1991 - North Shore News as oie T Sporty character but uninspired styling IT WAS only two months ago that Nissan’s new luxury car division, Infiniti, opened their first showrooms in Canada. Two models are offered at the moment, but Infiniti eventually plans to offer a full line of luxury and performance cars, possibly including a mid-engine sports car to compete with the new Acura NSX. At the moment, Infiniti's flagship is the $55,000 V8- powered Q45 sedan, which has received good reviews in the automotive press. Their second model, the G20, is an ‘entry-level’ car, about half the price of a Q4S5. The front-wheel-drive, four-door, five passenger G20 is a_ well- equipped compact sports sedan starting at about $26,000. Since there aren’t many im- ported four-door luxury sports sedans in the G20’s price range, its direct competitors are few. These include the BMW 318i, Honda Accord EXR ALB, and Acura Integra GS. The G20’s styling is a bit of a disappointment. While generally attractive and well-proportioned, there is nothing particularly unique about it. Even though my test car was painted bright red and one of the first on the road, it turned very few heads. But what it lacks in style, it makes up for in personality and practicality. § thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with the G20. Nimble, solid, well-finished and roomy, the G20 has a high-revving double overhernd cam 2.0 litre engine that blurts out Italian sports car sounds; probably a first for a Japanese automobile. I was most impressed with its Greg Wilson TEST DRIVE driver-friendly orientation. Out- ward visibility is superb, especially forwards over the low hood. The five-speed manual gearbox is well-placed and a delight to change. Clutch action is light. Rack and pinion steering is direct, accurate and power- assisted, and its four-wheel disc brakes offer confidence-inspiring INFINIT’S COMPACT G20 is a five-pansenger sports sedan with a roomy inte- rior, a high teve! of standard equipment and a 140 horsepower 2.0 litre four cylinder engine. Leather interior, anti-lock brakes and air condition- ing are standard equip- ment. Manufacturer's suggested retail price is $26,000. Car courtesy of North Shore Nissan/ Infiniti. stopping power. ABS anti-lock brakes are standard equipment. The only criticism I had was that the engine is buzzy at freeway speeds, turning over a rather high 2,800 rpm at 100 km/h in fifth gear. The G20 has a limited slip front differential, a feature unique to Infiniti and Nissan. On slippery surfaces, it transfers torque from the wheel that is slipping to the wheel that has traction, improving acceleration, handling and safety. Standard equipment is exten- sive: leather interior, air condi- tioning, power windows, power door locks, cruise control, anti- theft system, tilt steering wheel, electric sunroof, am/fm = auto reverse stereo cassette with four speakers, and a_leather-covered steering wheel and shift knob. My test car had a light grey leather interior with contrasting black dashboard and trim. The cabin’s appearance and level of fit and finish is excellent, sort of a cross between Honda aad BMW. The front sports seats have ad- justable lumbar and cushion height. A thoughtful feature is the unique trunk lid. It swings open more than 90° so that owners won’t bump their head on it when loading. Though the G20 tends to play second banana to the high-profile Q45, it is a car that more people can afford, and is therefore likely to be more popular. The fact that it is fuel-efficient, spacious, and has a very good four year/100,000 km basic warranty, may prove advantageous as we enter the cautious °90s. The Infiniti G20 can be seen on the North Shore at North Shore Nissan/ Infiniti on Marine Drive in North Vancouver.