Monday May 21

2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe: Big Things Poppin’ in Small Packages

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Written by Virgil Moore III

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What if you could buy a sports car that could smoke the pants off the majority of the best automotive artillery on the street? What if it was eye pleasing on the road including an invitingly stylish interior loaded with enough advanced technology to make you feel like a techno geek? But wait, here’s the kicker - this dream sports car you are envisioning is also moderately priced! Dream no more, for your wishes of affluent and affordable automotive grandeur have been fulfilled in the form of the all-new 2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe.

The G37 Coupe is a totally revamped version of the G35 Coupe that bolstered Infiniti’s sales, making Infiniti a serious contender in the luxury sports coupe segment. From increasing the G’s power, to receiving a new front suspension and updated styling package, the 2008 Infiniti G37 is ready for war. Infiniti has even thrown a 4-Wheel Active Steer (4WAS) version into the mix, giving the G37 added value to those traveling under more severe seasonal road conditions like rain and snow. 4WAS steers the rear wheels up to 1 degree based on input from an array of sensors (available on Sport models only).

The G37’s new engine has Infiniti’s Variable Valve Event and Lift, which changes valve timing and lift on the intake valves. Combine this mechanical upgrade with increased engine compression and you have a beastly 330-horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. What does that mean? Well simply put, a faster more powerful engine giving the 2008 Infiniti G37 thirty more horses than its sedan sibling. Believe me, the G37 dishes out every one of its 330 horses on demand. Several times throughout my drive I found myself getting just a bit too happy with the gas pedal.

The foundation of the G37 is Infiniti’s FM (Front Midship) platform, providing an increase in rigidity from the previous benchmark G35 Coupe. Handling the G37 through the open roadways of Tacoma, Washington, and sweeping back into the surprisingly jammed roadways of downtown Seattle provided a great course for testing the G37’s driving capabilities. The stop and go of traffic in Seattle gave the all-new braking system a respectful workout. Fourteen-inch rotors are clamped by four piston front calipers. The larger front brakes dramatically reduce fade, equating to fewer trips to the mechanic for new pads. The rear brakes feature 13.8-inch rotors and aluminum two-piston calipers.

No doubt about it, the G37’s brake system certainly provides a great sense of added protection. The G37 Journey (sports package) rolls out on 19-inch wheels wrapped in Bridgestone 245/40ZR19 rear rubber. Infiniti staggers the wheels so the front gets slightly smaller 225/40ZR19 tires. The base model G37 is equipped with 18-inch standard wheels. The G37’s transmission options include a five-speed automatic available with magnesium paddle shifters and a six-speed manual transmission that is slightly modified from the sedan to reduce vibration. The clutch has also been tweaked allowing a much smoother feel than from the G35 Coupe. My riding experience granted me the luxury of driving both transmission types and I can say that they are both very righteous indeed.

The coupe's styling remains the same for the most part, but there are some changes that differentiate the newer, more muscular G coupe. The grille now badges Infiniti's signature logo, both the headlights and taillights are L-shaped giving a more sleek effect and the rear deck has a chrome integrated spoiler. The interior looks and feels the same as its G35 sedan counterpart. The G37 also has Infiniti’s signature ”Studio on Wheels” 11-speaker Bose system, Bluetooth and fully integrated iPod connectivity (no worries if you own other MP3 player units, there is a separate connection for you as well.) Additional G37 goodies include touch screen navigation, XM Satellite Radio with real time traffic information, a 9.3 Gigabyte music hard drive and compact flash slot.

Expect to see the G37 at Infiniti dealers by late August. If you have the need for a stylish and intelligent sports coupe then you better get yours quickly. With its base model averaging around $35K and the premium package models topping out around $40K, they won’t stay on the lot too long!

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