2005 Audi A4 vs. 2006 BMW 330i vs. 2005 Infiniti G35 Performance Comparison

Inside, the A4 continues to write the book on interior design and fit and finish. It's an elegant parlor of rich textures and well-fitted details, though perhaps a bit early-2000 (the G35's is, maybe, late-1990s).

The cockpit of the 330i is more mid-2000. There's no getting around the checkbook-shrinking fact that the 330i carries a stiff premium in base price--with every last penny of it accounted for with one glance around the interior. The twisted forms of the door-pulls are Frank Gerhry all the way. The materials, brushed-aluminum against black leather, are rich and daring, like those in the cockpit of a private Italian jet.

Outside, the 330i's is the first new-wave BMW shape we've driven that's triggered universal praise. Where the previous 3 Series was pleated and starched with greased-down hair, the new 3 looks wind-blown, perhaps eroded out of soft-stone cliffs. Gone are the criss-cross confusion and inexplicable rump of the original 7 Series. Now the lines harmonize and resolve into the taillights (amen).

Performance
On paper, there's good reason to suspect these machines can see off 95 percent of the road's sedans, but it's always reassuring to have our test gear's confirmation--and, boy, did we get it. Slalom: 67.8 mph (BMW, a rear-drive-sedan record); acceleration to 60 mph: 6.5 seconds (G35); braking from 60 mph: 112 feet (BMW and Infiniti tie). Serious numbers for cars that, combined, sold over 200,000 units last year. Yet it's in the subjective, one-on-one interview portion of our exam, where the Audi, BMW, and Infiniti characters most profoundly diverged.

Despite a respectable 0.80g lateral acceleration pace, the quattro-equipped Audi's high bulk and heavy nose numbs the A4's driving personality into leaden sluggishness. Although the steering effort is pinkie light and the nose redirects promptly--it's like a one-way conversation, and you're doing all the talking. Increase the pace, and you'll better understand high school Newtonian physics. It's best to be patient in the corners, get the car settled, and nail the throttle only when the apex has been cleared.