Before the QX70 came into play, Infiniti’s attempt at making a sporty premium SUV was the FX, a car whose design still looks fairly modern even by today’s standards.

At least that’s how The Smoking Tire’s Matt Farah feels about it, with this customized first-generation FX35 model on hand delivering even more performance and surprisingly decent handling.

The owner of the car actually lowered it and fitted a set of Nissan GT-R wheels. Add the bolt-on engine bits and the ECU tune and you’ve got yourself a very interesting package, and the fact that it’s rear-wheel drive makes it even more interesting.

While Farah and his guest spent most of the drive discussing the car’s performance in various ways, they often came circling back to the first-gen FX35’s design, while wondering about its current and future fate on the used car market.

In the end, this FX turned out to be surprisingly engaging, both in the corners as well as in a straight line, even though both occupants admitted that it could use an extra 100 HP or so.

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