Celebrating 35 Years with the Luxury Performance G Coupe

Few individuals have influenced automotive performance and design as profoundly as Hiroyoshi Kato, a master driver at Nissan Motor Corporation since 1976. With a career spanning nearly five decades, Kato’s expertise has been pivotal in shaping the driving dynamics of countless Nissan and INFINITI vehicles, including the groundbreaking INFINITI G35.

Kato’s first experience with the G35 during its development phase marked the beginning of a vehicle destined to redefine luxury performance. The G35 coupe’s innovative Front Midship (FM) Platform was inspired by Nissan’s motorsport success, particularly in Le Mans and Group C racing. By positioning the 3.5-liter DOHC V6 engine just behind the front axle, engineers achieved a 52:48 front-to-rear weight distribution—balancing stability with nimble handling while leaving room for its iconic design with wheels pushed to the corners.

As Kato recalls, the team benchmarked the BMW 3 Series but sought to create a uniquely “nimble and explosive” driving feel, emphasizing quick steering response, aggressive acceleration, and impressive line-traceability. Although some questioned whether the G35’s sharp steering was too bold for luxury buyers, glowing media reviews and customer enthusiasm quickly validated their daring approach.

The G35 was manufactured at Nissan’s Tochigi facility, adjacent to a proving ground where Kato spent countless hours fine-tuning its performance. On average, he logged 100 laps daily, testing the G35 and competitor vehicles under diverse conditions. Weekly, this amounted to nearly 2,000 miles, equivalent to driving three times the length of Japan’s Honshu island, all at speeds up to 200 kph.

Later in the G35’s lifecycle, INFINITI introduced a rear active steer system, a pioneering feature at the time. Kato and his team meticulously calibrated the system to enhance handling without compromising the driver’s connection to the car. For Kato, the challenge lay in ensuring the system felt natural and engaging, placing human feedback at the forefront of innovation.

Celebrating 35 Years of INFINITI
As INFINITI celebrates its 35th anniversary on November 8, 2024, the G35’s story is a testament to the brand’s enduring commitment to innovation and daring design. Guided by three core values—Human, Daring, Forward—INFINITI continues to challenge the conventions of automotive luxury.

This legacy lives on with the launch of the all-new INFINITI QX80, ushering in a new era of bold, driver-focused vehicles that honor the brand’s storied past while shaping its future.

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