Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Replacing the BMW - result: Infiniti M45 (2 of 2)

[Dennis Liu (bigheaddennis]

Fellippe wrote:
 
>If I recall correctly, the M has the console with a billion buttons on
it... I've never seen so many buttons on a dash/console like this car.
Surprised you didn't include that in your report, and how you felt about it.

 
Well, I did mention this:
 
>The Infiniti does have a circular, iDrive resembling controller, but it's
only visual. There are plenty of buttons too - a little cluttered, but makes
it very easy to get to the controls you want, immediately. And the climate
controls have their own dedicated buttons, while you can change radio
stations/discs/volume with the lower audio buttons, or use the steering
wheel controls.
---------------
 
To expand:
 
So, if you're the interior designer, and you need to enable the driver to
control the (a) climate system, including heated and cooled seats, (b)
am/fm/xm/sirius radio, (c) 6-CD/MP3 changer, (d) DVD player, (e) navigation
system, (f) Bluetooth phone integration (hence all sorts of phone
functions), (g) computer (settings, trip info, fuel economy, tire pressures,
comfort settings, etc.) and (h) all the other gadgets, like AFS, LDW, VDC
and other TLA.
 
Well, in the 1st gen iDrive, BMW said, screw it, we'll stuff it all into the
computer and give the driver a mouse-like controller and run EVERYTHING
through the screen/controller.  This caused perhaps the single biggest
uproar in automotive interior design in living memory.  The upside of which
is only that given the limits of page space, magazine editors had to choose
between complaints about the iDrive and complaints about the Chris Bangle
styling.  :-)
 
BMW wised up over the years and simplified iDrive and ADDED MORE BUTTONS, so
that more functions can be accessed directly.  Which is what MB and Audi did
when they introduced their own versions of iDrive, after watching BMW get
scorched.  
 
When we first picked up the car, we left immediately for a road trip down to
PA.  It took a few hundred miles to acquaint ourselves with all the
functionality, but now it's utterly second nature.  All of the important
stuff can be operated directly, like changing radio stations, turning up the
A/C, turning on the defrost, etc.  The nav system is pretty intuitive.  All
of the settings can be accessed with just 3-4 clicks.  
 
Bottom line, I much prefer MORE buttons than fewer.  And I think that
Infiniti (and, for the record, AUDI) have hit the right balance between
simplicity and complexity.
 
vty,
 
--Dennis
 


  _____  

From: Fellippe Galletta [mailto:fellippe.galletta [at] gmail.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 12:52 AM
To: BigHeadDennis [at] gmail.com
Cc: The FerrariList
Subject: Re: [Ferrari] Replacing the BMW - result: Infiniti M45 (2 of 2)


Dennis,

Congrats on the new Infiniti M! My friends just got an M35 not too long ago
and they seem very content with it...also former BMW people as well....an
E46 M3. 

If I recall correctly, the M has the console with a billion buttons on it...
I've never seen so many buttons on a dash/console like this car. 

Surprised you didn't include that in your report, and how you felt about it.


I'll be at the NY Auto Show this week and will check out your car a little
more closely for kicks. :)

FG