Hot in the Lot
To Infiniti and Beyond
NEIRAD enilno edition
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It is not everyday you can look at your car’s control panel and see a birds-eye view of the vehicle and its surroundings. It is also not everyday you see a high school student behind the wheel of such a vehicle. However, DHS senior Katherine Crump’s Infiniti EX35 gives her that vantage point. With almost every feature imaginable, this car is sure to inspire a road-trip or two. Katherine picked out the car with her father as a late birthday present in November and has no regrets. When asked if there was another car she would rather have, she responded with somewhat of a laugh/sigh combination, “Well, originally I was going to get my dad’s Land Rover, but then he decided he liked it and wanted to keep it, but I like my car a lot.” Competing against the likes of the BMW x5 and the Lexus RX300, the EX35 holds its own in all categories, and retailing up to $20,000 less than its competitors, it can surely win over buyers, including Katherine and her dad.
Of the many features of the EX35, Katherine’s favorite feature is the music box hard drive. This enables the driver to upload up to 2,900 songs straight into the hard drive. No more swerving into oncoming vehicle while fumbling through burnt CD’s or glancing down at your iPod; Katherine’s playlists are now quite literally at her fingertips, with the buttons right on the steering wheel.
However, if you prefer your CD’s or you do not have an iPod, you don’t have to worry about drifting into the wrong lane while looking for your song of choice; the EX35 features a lane departure prevention system. This technology uses sensors to monitor the distance between your car and the adjacent lane markings. If you begin to drift towards the wrong side of the road, you will first be alarmed by an audible warning. If this fails to catch your attention, the car will then lightly apply selected breaks to help ease you back into your lane. I know… I too was waiting for Katherine to express her love of how her car can pick her up all by itself, but was surprisingly disappointed.
If you’re thinking, “I don’t need all of those stupid features,” or, “I would never use any of that,” think again. Katherine emphasized how she uses almost all of the car’s options every time she gets on the road. Katherine said that her most useful feature has to be the bird’s eye view. “I use that all the time because I really suck at parking,” Katherine said. Even if you feel you can pull up to the curb with no problems and drive around like race car driver Michael Schumacher, this car can still meet your needs. Along with its 297-horse power V6 engine come ingeniously engineered handling dynamics. Inspired by high-performance sports cars, the EX’s front midship platform centers the vehicle’s weight to deliver quick steering response and precise balance through curves. To enable you to whip around those curves more thoroughly, adaptive headlights move with the road as you turn around bends and corners. Now you can see the road ahead, instead of the building or tree.
Along with all of these amazing features come the GPS navigation system, intelligent all-wheel drive, and the convenience of the push-to-start keyless ignition. And if you have ever had to push the un-lock button on your keys to try and see your car light up in a dark parking lot, those cold nights are over. The EX35 senses your keys as you approach within a certain distance of your car and you are greeted by the radiant glow of eight interior and exterior lights, welcoming you back into the warmth of the cabin. What else could you ask for? This car is begging to wait on you hand and foot. It is like having a huge, metallic butler. If the EX stands for exceptional, the EX35 lives up to its name.
If you think your car is “Hot in the Lot” e-mail Neirad at neirad@darienps.org. Happy Motoring!
