2008 Infiniti G37 Sport Coupe

by Michael A. Coates
photography by Michael A. Coates

It has been an interesting week. With 330 hp under the hood, it felt more like 330 ways to lose a driver’s licence. And to top it off - this particular G37 out of Infiniti's press fleet was bright red or 'Plasma Red' according to the marketing department at Infiniti. Rumour would have us believe that red cars are a sure way to attract more than one's fair share of attention from the police. Although there is no evidence to support this common belief, I wasn't going to take any chances. However, as it turned out, I never spotted one police car during the whole week I drove the car. Regardless - the Infiniti G37 was a joy to drive at any speed.

Love at First Sight

The Infiniti G37 was definitely a case of beauty being more than skin deep. However, first impressions do count and the first impressions were ones of 'elegant' and 'sophisticated'. The G37's uniquely sleek design and profiled fenders quietly make this car stand apart from the crowd. Its appearance also passes the ultimate test in as much as it also looks good from all angles. Interestingly, the only outward hint of this car's potential are the tell-tail huge air induction vents at either side of the front air dam.

Other than the front grill, the Infiniti emblem and name on the rear end of the trunk lid and the barely visible tail pipes, there is a remarkable absence of chrome work. I've often felt - sometimes with just cause - that chrome work is a clever but cheap way of finished an edge properly. On the G37, all edges are nicely finished. I also noticed there was a marked absence of wide panel gaps. Instead, panels were joined and the seams were hardly noticeable.

When viewed from the side, only the contrast of the 19" aluminum alloy spoked rims add a sparkle of balance. And talking of the side view, the slightly taller shoulder gently tappers upwards and the line continues to blend in the spoiler along the rear lip of the trunk.

Access to the Vehicle

For security reasons and convenience, most vehicles these days have remote access and keyless entry and the Infiniti G37 is no exception. One click of the open button, unlocks the driver's door - two clicks for the passenger door - and they said chivalry was dead? Hold down the 'Trunk Open' button to unlock the trunk. The hold-down feature helps prevent opening the trunk by accident. Touch the panic button and you'll suddenly have the undivided attention of people who are not amused by loud noises, kids will run crying to the parents and cats and dogs will make themselves scarce.

And while we're mentioning keyless entry - the G37 also has keyless start. Press the Start button once to turn on the igition, Press it again to light it up. Press it a third time to shut it down.

Since this is a coupe, access to the front seats is good due to the elongated doors, however, access to the rear seats has always been a challenge in coupes, and no less so on the G37. While it is OK for the young and flexible, the aging baby boomers may find it a tad inconvenient and undignified as they try to squeeze past the front passenger seats. Naturally, the front seats fold forward, and according to the media literature that came with the vehicle, there should be a way to move the seats forward thus making access to the rear seats somewhat less awkward. However, I was unable to discover the location of such a switch. Regardless, I did manage to squeeze myself into the rear. Leg room was naturally limited, but I was gratified to discover there was adequate headroom despite the low profile and sloping roof line. If it is necessary for fully grown people to sit in the rear for and extended length of time, expect to hear, "are we there yet?" coming from the back seats.

However, we have to keep in mind that this is a sports car, albeit a luxury sports car, and so it is naturally all about the driving. Who cares about passengers when you're having fun - right?

In the Driver's Seat

The designer's at Infiniti really got this one right. The driver's seat is solidly anchored to the floor. It's comfortable, yet firm and fully adjustable. In fact there are 14 ways to adjust the driver's seat on the model I was testing. I felt sorry for any front seat passenger who was limited to a mere 8 adjustments. The main seat controls were located down the side of the seat and were intuitive to the point that I had the seat perfectly positioned relative to the pedals, in moments. For those who share the driving there were 2 memory positions. Once the seating was set, everything fell into place. The shift was positioned exactly where I needed it - no leaning was required to engage 5th, the furthest gear. This was due in part to the fairly tight gate and the short-throw shifter. The mirrors were refreshing practical, something rarely seen on cars, especially some sports cars where safety seems secondary to aesthetics and/or aerodynamics. Regardless, these mirrors were perfectly placed and gave an excellent field of view.

Next - the steering wheel. This was nice - not only was the steering wheel telescopic as well as adjustable for height, the height adjustment also raised and lowered the instrument cluster so no matter where the steering wheel was positioned, all the instruments were visible. Yes - I have driven more that one vehicle where I've had to duck my head to read the speedometer - go figure!

And my number one criteria - headroom. The Infiniti G37 has real headroom. Not 'artificial' headroom created by leaning the seat backwards, but real headroom - headroom with enough clearance that I didn't bang my head every time I ran over a freshly filled pothole. This was a car with a sun roof and power seats - the two excuses used by many manufacturers to explain why their cars cannot accommodate drivers 6ft or more in height. Infiniti has shown it can be down - well done lads!

Forward visibility was surprisingly quite good. I say this because the "A" pillars were somewhat narrower than what is usually found on a lot of vehicles today, and they were set back slightly thus giving a relatively wider field of view to the left. Rear visibility was also good when viewed through the rear view mirror. Looking over the should while backing up was another story, however, the Infiniti G37 has that covered. There is a small video cam located in the underside of the rear spoiler - cool! First came proximity sensors to detect kids, cats and dogs and other objects immediately behind the vehicle. Now we have live video so we can see what we are about to hit. This image is displayed on the video display and shows the area immediately behind the vehicle. This video cam only works while the vehicle is in reverse so don't try this on the highway to see how close you are being tail-gated.

This video is a brilliant concept. One could argue that before backing up, we should visually check what is immediately behind the vehicle. That is only practical if we are about to enter the car with the intention of immediately reversing from a parked position, but more often that not, we need to reverse while we are still in the driver's seat. For example - when we are about to reverse into a parking space. A quick glance at the screen will verify if there are any obstacles in the way. It gets better - there is a yellow outline superimposed on the video which highlights that area into which the vehicle is entering, even to the point of bending to one side if the vehicle is turning. Regardless of how it's used, the rear view camera is an innovative and practical safety feature.

The pedals were OK although personally I would have preferred the brake pedal to be touch closer to the accelerator. The reason for this was, shifting down was a little restrictive due to the synchromesh doing its job by waiting until the gears were properly matched. I soon discovered that this car's gear box really responded well on the down-shifts if I double-clutched (accurately known as double declutch). Having the brake pedal just a wee bit closer to the accelerator, and it would have been easier to brake and blip the engine at the same time.

The centre console housed the usual functions, namely the climate and sound controls and in this case, the navigation system. New owners should spend an evening curled up on the couch with a good book - the User Manual - and familiarise themselves with the various controls associated with the these functions. For example, I experienced some frustrating moments trying to turn off the voice directions to place I had no desire to visit. Trying to fathom the various functions while driving is a recipe for disaster.

Passenger Comfort

The interior of the vehicle is superb - design, quality and ergonomics - smart enough to rival the best of traditional luxury vehicles. I had to constantly remind myself that this was a sports coupe, because the comfort from the leather bound seats was excellent.

Despite the four seats, this car was built with two people in mind as only the driver and front seat passenger have the luxury of independently selecting temperature levels and seat warmth, while the poor unfortunates sitting in the rear seats are left to suffer cold seats and whatever warm or air conditioning manages to filter its way to the rear.

There was little in the way of storage space. The user manual compartment (formerly known as the glove compartment) had enough space to hold the User Manual. The odds and bobs compartment just south of the gear shift also seconded as a cup holder. There was another small compartment for a phone or iPod and this was located beneath the centre half armrest. There was no place to store CD's. One may argue that CD's are looking to find extinction, but since the car had a CD player, my feeling was, if the vehicle has a CD player, then there should be a place to store CD's. The door compartments were not particularly practical. There was an ashtray and cigarette lighter which in today's society, seemed a little antiquated but I suppose, some people still like to smoke while driving.

Please Don't Stop the Music

Sound and communications are integrated into today's vehicles as standard equipment. The only options these days seems to be how much and what quality. The G37 naturally comes with sound, but is also wired for Satellite radio and iPod as well as a phone. When it comes to the sound, the Bose 11 speaker system in the G37 delivers sound - oh yeah! Playing Rihanna's "Please Don't Stop the Music" from her album "good girl gone bad", seems somewhat appropriate because who would want to stop listening to the dynamic range of the music from that album played on this system. The plunky bass notes to the crisp clear trebles, the sound system in the G37 is better that some home systems.

Cargo Space

Considering the G37 is a sports coupe, the trunk seems quite practical. On the inside of the trunk lid, there was even a diagram showing how to store two sets of golf clubs. Not having two sets of golf clubs at hand, I was unable to convince myself that this was indeed possible. However, if that proves to be too much of a challenge, the rear seat can be flipped forward to provide some extra space for such lengthy items. The position of the taillights does limit the size of the trunk entrance at either side, so don't expect to use the trunk for items that are bulky and rigid. My only real criticism with respect to the trunk is the trough that surrounds the trunk entrance and designed to catch water, snow or ice from entering the trunk. While it appears large enough and deep enough for rainwater, I seriously doubt if it could handle snow or ice come winter time. I'm thinking of those times when you gingerly lift the snow laden trunk to find the snow brush and before you know it - there's trunk full of snow and slush that slid down the back. However, this is summer so let's move on to more cheery stuff.

The floor of the trunk is completely flat - no bumps or bulges to make trunk packing a logistical challenge. Also, the trunk is clean and tidy, with nothing, such as wiring, hanging down begging to get entangled.

In all the years I've been driving, I've experience two flat tires where I needed to install a spare wheel. Things have changed over the years. We now have cell phones and roadside assistance. We also have 'run flat' technology as well as instant inflation products, so I'm still amazed at our reluctance to rid ourselves of this cumbersome space hogging fifth wheel - that big heavy round thing we keep in the trunk and cart around with us wherever we go. Perhaps manufactures simple pander to our insecurities. Regardless, Infiniti has seen fit to provide a large heavy spare wheel AND Infiniti provides a roadside assistance program so that we will never need this wheel. The spare wheel is as redundant as the crank handle. It's time to let it go. But since it is provided, it is neatly stored beneath the floor of the trunk. All the tools needed to change the wheel should you suddenly find yourself in the furthest reaches of our fine continent where the sun don't set for six months of the year, where cellular phone networks fear to tread and roadside assistant non-existent, are placed conveniently in the hub of the spare wheel.

WARNING - do NOT remove the spare wheel to make more space because it is if a car has a spare wheel, it is actually part of the protection should the vehicle be hit from the rear.

Under the Hood

Gone are the days when we men would stand around an open hood and 'ooh' and 'aah' at chrome stuff, brand spanking new belts, glazed hoses and pristine wiring. Cars these days don't offer that thrill. Instead, all we get to see is a pretty engine cover - some are prettier than others. The G37 has an engine cover - it's unremarkable. However, popping the hood did reveal an interesting feature not found on many cars and that is - a double catch, each one cunningly located at either side of the hood. This simple design prevents a hood from flapping at the two front corners as so many are apt to do.

Under the car it was fairly neat and tidy with no extraneous items hanging down, although I did notice the twin exhaust pipes did hang low as they ducked under the rear axle and suspension arms. And talking of exhaust, it terminates at a set of two large pipes barely visible under the rear skirt. Listen to the guttural sound resonating from the exhaust as the car idles and instinctively you know you've got game.

Test Driving the Infiniti G37

The way I look at it, there are four ways to test drive a car that seems at home at 200 or so km/h -

1. 1. Take it to the track,
2. 2. Find a convenient autobahn,
3. 3. Enjoy it for 15 minutes and kiss your licence goodbye, or
4. 4. Drive smartly.

I chose number 4 - to drive it according to the conditions available to me. Having said that - this car is not for the timid or the faint of heart, nor is it a car for the reckless or those who are long on hormones and short of talent. 330 hp demands a lot of respect and in the right hands, this car can be a lot of fun to drive.

Infiniti claim that this car's platform is some 36% stiffer of the first generation model. Having not test driven the G37's predecessor, I cannot judge, but I tell a stiff body when I drive one. The first thing noticeable in a stiff chassis is how the suspension reacts - the springs and shock absorbers are not trying to compensate at both ends at the same time. Anchored on a solid platform, all suspension movements are focused on controlling the un-sprung parts.

It's sometimes all too convenient, especially on this continent with its abundance of straight roads, to judge a car's performance by how fast it will go. But at the end of every straight there is a turn. In many parts of the world, the turns are much closer together, and so in places like Europe for example, cars are judged on how well they are able to corner. There is an over-used cliche when referring to a car that corners well, and that is to say, "it corners like it was on rails", well excuse the over used cliche, but this car corners like it was on rails. It is so perfectly balanced, it almost reaches that point in space and time where miracles manifest. I'm sure this phenomenal ability to remain stable at cornering speeds where some cars struggle in a straight line, is due in no small part to the 19 inch low profile Bridgestones that interface the car to road, and with equal credit to the incredibly fine tuned suspension. I'm also sure the 4-Wheel Active Steering played a significant part in this near defiance of physics. Yes the rear wheels steer as well, but since the 4WAS was not something that could be turned on and off, there was no way doing a back to back comparison. Regardless, this car cornered very nicely indeed, and not once did it feel the urge to activate the Vehicle Dynamic Control - Infiniti's traction control. Incidentally, the tires are fatter at the rear (245/40R19) than at the front (225/45R19).

It's interesting watching the trends in the automotive industry. There's sometimes a bit of a herding instinct at play. For example, as one manufacturer does something, it's not long before others feel compelled to follow suit. For instance, one of the latest trends is - any new car designed to join the fast ranks has to first undergo extensive testing at the Nuerburgring, and after the vehicle has come to market, this information is 'candidly leaked' to explain the vehicle's superior performance. After sarcastically saying that, I must admit - every car I've driven that has been 'surreptitiously' tested on the 'Ring' has actually had superior performance and handling capabilities, and no less so than the Infiniti G37 that according to the media information was "developed at test circuits throughout Europe - including the famed Nuerburgring". I'm just sorry I was not able drive it myself at this 14 mile tracked nestled in the heart of Germany. Costs and logistics aside, sneaking the G37 out of Canada was a Nein Nein!

OK enough dreaming, back to reality - we're talking Ontario, where roads are unsafe at any speed. What I found particularly interesting about this car was the overlap of the gear ratios and the power curve. Only a couple of times did I get caught 'flat-footed' in the wrong gear for the situation. I guess the close ratio 6-speed manual transmission and flattish power curves made all the difference so that driving in stop-and-go traffic is not nightmare.

The day I picked up the car - it rained. The New style wipes took me by surprise. I immediately thought someone had forgot to remove some sort of protective wrapping. But no - the wipers are big and solid and by the way - did an excellent job of wiping the rain from the windshield. My only real complaint about this car is - it seriously needs a rear window wiper. The G37 has a large nearly flat rear window that offers virtually no way to naturally drain water and so there the water sits, obscuring the rear vision. I can only imagine what it would be like had it been snowing.

Stopping Ability

Before my daddy taught me how to drive fast, he first taught me how to stop, so when presented with a car with this much power, the first thing I looked for was its stopping power. There's a good reason this car has 19" wheels, besides the superior handling characteristic of low profile tires - it's to accommodate the 14" rotors that fit snuggly into the cavity along with a set of 4 piston calipers (13.8" on the rear with 2 piston calipers). But when it came to stopping, never once did I feel I was going to run dry on brake supply. Now I'm very gentle on the brakes, I don't wear melted brake pads like trophies. but even so, braking was a sheer delight in the G37.

Diving at Night

Not many new car owners get to test drive a car at night. It's usually a few days after they've made their purchase do they experience night driving. This can sometimes come as a mild to wild shock as they see the instruments come alive in unexpected colours for the very first time. However, the Infiniti does not hold too many surprises or break too may rules when it comes to colour co-ordination, just as long as you don't mind a combination of white, red and purple.

Driving the Infiniti G37 at night was actually quite pleasant. The self leveling headlights (Adaptive Front Lighting System) have a very sharp cut-off horizon, a feature designed to illuminate the road ahead without searing the eyeballs of people in oncoming vehicles. Having said that, I did notice a couple of oncoming drivers who must have thought the High Intensity Discharge Bi-Xenon headlights were actually high beams, as they flashed their lights at me in annoyance. I refrained from deep-frying their eyeball by not demonstrating the full potential of the Infiniti's light show.

Improvement Suggestions

I'm not sure how we managed without a rear window wiper, but now they're been introduced, let's use them, and the G37 seriously needs a rear window wiper.

The sun roof is great feature but even the superb sound system in the G37 cannot drown out the noise from the open sun roof above 80 Km/h.

Safety

Full marks to Infiniti for making the same safety and security features standard on all G37 models. Safety should not be an optional extra - well done!

The Ouch Factor

You don't get 330 hp from a finely tuned motor by running it on regular fuel. Think premium fuel- think $1.35 a litre. That's what I paid at the pumps. Despite the maddening high cost of fuel these days and the requirements of the G37 so it can perform to expectations, it wasn't too uneconomical boasting 7.8 litres/100 km on the highway and 12 litres/100 km in the city - that's 36 and 24 mph respectively. While Infiniti claims an 8 percent increase in fuel economy over the previous model, this seems somehow lost in the resent 30% increase in fuel prices.

Pricing

All figures are quoted in Canadian Dollars.

The 2008 Infiniti G37 Premium with automatic transmission starts at $47,350.
The 2008 Infiniti G37 Sport Package with automatic transmission starts at $49,950.
The 2008 Infiniti G37 Sport Package with manual transmission also starts at $49,950.

This test vehicle from Infiniti's press fleet was the Sport Package with manual transmission PLUS HiTeck Package ($3,900) PLUS 4-Wheel Active Steer Package ($1,500), and price as tested was $57,000.

(The Hi Teck package included the Navigations System and the Rear View Monitor among other items.)

---

Infiniti Canada

INFINITI is a Division of Nissan Canada Inc. headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario. Infiniti markets and distributes Infiniti vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of 29 dealers across Canada.