In ritzy Palm Springs on one recent sunny morning, most of the motorized machines backing up at a slow-to-switch traffic signal along palm-fringed Palm Canyon Drive seem coincidentally to consist of some variation of the boxy and brutish sport-utility vehicle.

An exception to all of that squared-off sheetmetal and so many high-hiking roof rails comes from the elegant curves and slinking posture of a new type of sport-ute tucking into the line of traffic and sporting the badge of Infiniti, the spin-up brand of luxury and performance cars out of Nissan of Japan.

Stretching excessively long and decorated with a raked face flashing streaking headlamp clusters on front corners plus curvaceous fender blisters bulging over enormous multi-spoke alloy wheels, the new Infiniti wagon looks different from the lot of right-angled and too-tall SUVs. Its lower body seems substantial and strong like SUVs but the upper section including a narrow wrap of windows with tipped-back windshield and sweeping roofline may be more reminiscent of classic sports car or even a GT-style coupe.

It's taut and athletic in a sculptural shape, but also smooth and sleek, even sensuous — but clearly a departure from the ordinary two-box school of SUV styling.

And it's designed to act differently from that lot.

Infiniti tags it as the FX series of wagons.

Riding on Nissan's Front Mid-ship (FM) platform that also underpins Infiniti's G35 sedan and coupe as well as Nissan's fastback 350Z sports coupe and convertible, the vehicle amounts to a crossover wagon that functions like a sUV but handles more like a sporty car.

It's available with either rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive organization and a pair of powertrain variations that tie each model to nomenclature describing the displacement of the engine.

FX35 gets a 3.5-liter V6 used by the spirited G35 and 350Z coupes, with RWD or AWD traction choices. FX45 goes even further with the 4.5-liter V8 carried by Infiniti's Q45 flagship sedan and it stocks AWD equipment exclusively plus super-scale wheels and tires of 20-inch diameter.

The five-seat cabin of each FX wagon is a luxurious space fitted with sport-style leather seats and perks but also high-tech equipment for passenger safety, communication and navigation.

And beneath all of that sheetmetal, each FX totes the kind of mechanical hardware that forges dynamic vehicle handling qualities. All of the magic starts with the innovative platform that puts the engine behind the front axle, which moves the hefty plant closer to the center of the vehicle and sets up an ideal weight balance — engine's mass located near the front with almost half the vehicle's load resting on front wheels and the other half at the rear.

The platform fosters the long (112-inch) wheelbase and a wide track of 62.7 inches up front and 64.6 in back. Pushing wheels to edges of the chassis brings stability to the stance and enhances FX's agility when cornering.

Both FX35 and FX45 carry a sport-tuned four-wheel independent suspension system with strut design in front and a multi-link rear plus stabilizer bars fore and aft to check excessive lateral roll of the body when running down a course. Many of the suspension components are constructed from lightweight aluminum, which trims the unsprung weight and improves control of the vehicle.

Steering, through a quick-to-respond rack and pinion mechanism, feels firm despite a power boost.

A vented disc brake stands at every wheel and all tie by computerized links to a sophisticated anti-lock brake system (ABS) with brake assist (BA) and electronic brake force distribution (EBD). Addition high-tech hardware is optional on FX35 but standard on FX45, such as vehicle dynamic control (VDC) with a traction control system (TCS) and Infiniti's new AWD equipment for dependable grip on slippery pavement.

The AWD rig has a mouthful of a name best crimped to the acronym ATTESA E-TS, which stands for advanced total traction engineering system for all electronic torque split. It normally operates in RWD mode, although if rear treads begin to slip, the smart rig can divert as much as half of the engine's muscle to turn the wheels in front.

As to those powertrain packages, FX35 feels quite lively with the V6, although FX45 kicks it with the V8. The 3.5-liter aluminum V6, with dual cams on top and four valves in each cylinder plus an electronically-controlled drive-by-wire throttle, produces 280 hp at 6200 rpm, with torque pumping up to 270 lb-ft at 4800 rpm.
That V8 displaces 4.5 liters and comes with dual overhead cams, modular cylinder heads and titanium valves, a continuously variable valve timing control system (CVTCS) and electronic throttle.
Output climbs to 315 hp at 6400 rpm and torque hits 329 lb-ft at 4000 rpm. Both plants connect to an efficient electronically-controlled five-speed automatic transmission that provides combined automatic and manual shifter gates.

The long and broad structure for these wagons whittles out a spacious cabin and utilitarian cargo bay. Layout pitches a pair of bolstered buckets in front of a bench for as many as three. Infiniti's designers created three zones tailored for the person using it.

The driver's zone is a cockpit space with all of the right controls plus power-everything. A comfort zone maximizes cushy fittings for the front passenger, while a play zone for backseat riders brings reclining seats and reading lamps, a center armrest with tray and storage space plus optional equipment like a DVD player with wireless headphones and ceiling-mounted video screen. A sound system with six-disc CD changer is standard and a 300-watt digital Bose premium audio kit with 11 speakers is available. Optional gear goes high-tech with a DVD-based navigation system, intelligent cruise control, keyless entry and engine start system, or the RearView Monitor with images from a bumper camera projecting rearward views on a dashboard video screen when the wagon runs in reverse.

Base price points for FX wagons start at $34,200 for the FX35 RWD and $44,225 for FX45 AWD.

Click here for more information on the Infiniti FX.
For the Infiniti 2004 Model Guide : Click Here