Introduced in spring of 2002, as an early 2003 model, Infiniti's newest near-luxury sedan headed into that autumn with a coupe companion and a second transmission choice. Aimed at enthusiast drivers, these cars shared a basic rear-wheel-drive platform and V6 powerteam. Sedans used a 260-horsepower engine, versus 280 horsepower for the coupe. The sedan was one of the longest near-luxury cars in wheelbase and overall length, and took a sportier tack than Infiniti's front-drive I35. Essentially, the G35 coupe was a stretched version of Nissan's new-for-2003 350Z sports car, with a small fold-down back seat, different styling, and a greater luxury emphasis. It had less power than the Z-car, but more than the G35 sedan. Both G35s offered a five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift gate; or later in the season, a six-speed manual. The manual transmission also became available in sedans, early in calendar 2003. Both body styles had antilock four-wheel disc brakes with full power brake assist, front side airbags, curtain side airbags (covering front seat only in coupes), and an in-dash CD changer. The Luxury sedan came with fabric upholstery and 16-inch wheels, and had no options. The Luxury Leather sedan added leather upholstery, a power driver's seat, and 17-inch wheels. Xenon headlights went from optional to standard at midyear. The Luxury Leather sedan could be upgraded with wood interior trim, a sunroof, and a Premium Package that included reclining rear seatbacks and a firmer Sport-Tuned Suspension with performance tires. All coupes came with xenon lights and with suspension tuning equivalent to that of the sedan's sport-tuned setup. The base coupe rode on 17-inch wheels and contained cloth upholstery. With leather upholstery, coupes got 18-inch wheels, a limited-slip differential, heated front seats, steering-wheel audio controls, and other amenities. Manual-transmission coupes got uprated brakes. Bose digital audio and DVD navigation were available for all G35s, as was satellite radio with a choice of XM or Sirius service. Competitors included the Acura TL, Audi A4, BMW 3-Series, and Cadillac CTS.