Infiniti G37 |

2010 Infiniti G37 Coupe Sport, an AW Drivers Log

July 8, 2010 by Brian · Leave a Comment

2010 Infiniti G37 Coupe Sport

Jake Lingeman

MANAGING EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: This has to be the next best thing to a BMW 3-series or an Audi A4 on the market today. Assuming you consider either of the German makes the gold standard in this segment, you might want to give some thought to saving a satchel of cash to get nearly the same level of performance in this Infiniti.

The car is true to the Sport moniker, with a tight powertrain and taut suspension that makes it into a road rocket for the regular guy. It feels and drives a lot like a Nissan 370Z, with a back seat and trunk 2010 Infiniti G37 Coupe Sport thrown in. The shifter action and clutch take-up are near perfect, while the steering offers good road feel and is dialed in for instant response. The brakes are spectacular, and the suspension supremely manages to keep the car flat on hard corners and balanced even when you have to dump the throttle under hard acceleration.

If there’s a negative, it’s that the engine is far raspier than the precision sewing-machine smoothness of either German competitor (but especially the inline-six BMW), but the Infiniti powertrain gives up nothing in power and responsiveness.

Oh, and the cupholders are right out of some old German product playbook–that is to say, nearly unusable. Leave the coffee at home and just drive.

ART DIRECTOR KEN ROSS: I like the way Infiniti has carried the look of the G35 into the G37 and pushed it a little further. The interior is an upgrade from the G35, being comfortable but with too many controls on the center console. If you owned the car you would get used to it quickly, but half of the knobs and buttons could go away with a better design. One other small annoyance is that the lane-departure warning system should be an option to turn on when you want it; it should not be on by default.

Acceleration is very good; even loaded to the hilt it powers up well. Handling and ride feel is subpar on either the Sport or the Comfort setting. And I disagree with Bob on the steering. I found it unresponsive and slow and noticed lots of body roll when driving with either of those suspension settings on.

2010 Infiniti G37 Coupe Sport

Base Price: $41,265

As-Tested Price: $43,485

Drivetrain: 3.7-liter V6; RWD, six-speed manual

Output: 330 hp @ 7,000 rpm, 270 lb-ft @ 5,200 rpm

Curb Weight: 3,636 lb

Fuel Economy (EPA/AW): 20/20.2 mpg

Options: Navigation package with Infiniti hard-drive navigation system with touch screen, DVD video playback, 3D building graphics, birdview, lane guidance, speed-limit advisory, streaming audio via Bluetooth, satellite traffic and weather, restaurant reviews, Infiniti voice recognition, 9.3GB hard drive ($1,850); R-Spec high-friction brake pads ($370)

Filed Under: G Coupe, Infiniti News, Main, Reviews · Tagged: Infiniti G35, Infiniti G37

Falling in Love Again – 2010 Infiniti G37 Convertible

June 17, 2010 by Brian · Leave a Comment

Sometimes after a car has been out for a few months we forget about all of the great things that got us interested in the first place. Now is a good time to take a look at some of the models that have been out for a few months but you might have forgotten about how nice these cars really are. Here is a reminder of why most auto reviewers have written spectacular reviews of the 2010 Infiniti G37 Convertible.

2010 Infiniti G37 Convertible offers luxury, performance and fun

June 3, 2010| Lary Coppola

I confess, I fell in love with the Infiniti G37 convertible the first time I drove it. Of course, I was cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway just north of Malibu, with the top down, the long version of the Stones, “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking” blasting crystal clear from the premium, 13-speaker Bose Open Air audio system — after descending from an exhilarating ride through the legendary hills and canyons to the northeast, that began in Beverly Hills.

I recently had the opportunity to put it through its paces again during a week-long test drive during a rare sunny week in the Pacific Northwest. That simply reaffirmed my love affair with this car.

Offered in two models, the G37 Convertible and Sport 6MT, several option packages can totally personalize your G37. There have just been minimal refinements between the 2010 and the original 2009 model, since Infiniti got it pretty much right the first time.

Walkaround: Unlike other cars in this segment, this G37 was designed specifically as a convertible — not as a G coupe with a 3-piece, clamshell-design mechanical top. Everything from the windshield back, including a revised rear suspension system, and special body reinforcements that deliver a tight, vibration-free ride at any speed, were designed specifically for this car.

Infiniti’s design priority was to retain the coupe profile with the top up. While the roofline is different from the fastback look of the coupe, it’s still attractive and done better than most rivals. Infiniti designers also kept the coupe’s proportions, not lengthening the rear deck to accommodate the folded-down top. The rear fascia and wraparound taillights are also exclusive to the convertible.

The flowing front fender curves, double-arch grille, wave-style aluminum hood, and L-shaped High-Intensity Discharge (HID) bi-functional xenon headlights mirror the coupe.

Also offered is Infiniti’s “self-healing” Scratch Shield paint in eight colors. In short — top up or down — the G37 is pretty hot looking.

Interior: The driver-oriented cockpit is a combination of craftsmanship and sophistication, featuring a one-piece steering wheel and gauge setup that moves as a unit so the electroluminescent white-and-violet instrumentation is always situated for maximum visibility no matter what the wheel position.

The double hand-stitched leather-covered steering wheel features standard audio and cruise controls, with magnesium paddle shifters available on the 7-speed automatic transmission (G37 Convertible with Sport Package only).

Special Japanese-inspired Silk Obi aluminum trim is featured, with genuine African Rosewood also a choice. Leather-appointed, heated 8-way power driver/passenger seats are standard, with Climate-Controlled Seats (heating and cooling functions) available with the Premium Package. Also standard is Infiniti’s Intelligent Key with Push Button Ignition, and an Adaptive Dual Zone Climate Control System. The advanced A/C system automatically adjusts to provide maximum comfort with the top up or down.

There’s two audio systems available. Standard is a 6-speaker AM/FM/6CD with MP3 playback capability, Radio Data System (RDS) and optional Sirius/XM® Satellite Radio.

The other is the killer 13-speaker Bose® Open Air Sound system, featuring microphones that automatically optimize EQ settings for open/closed top positions. The system’s special Bose® front seat personal speakers, mounted in the head restraints, deliver superior front audio quality regardless of the top position. An iPod interface is also included.

A Bluetooth hands-free Phone System is also available along with and a 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive with CompactFlash® slot.

A standard 7-inch multi-function color computer display, controls the available backup camera, voice-recognition navigation, XM NavTraffic® with Real-Time Traffic information (XM® subscription required, sold separately) as well as the climate controls and all other functions and settings. It tops the center stack above Infiniti’s signature analog clock.

Under The Hood: The G Convertible features Infiniti’s outstanding 3.7-liter, 325-horse, V6 powerplant with VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift), rated at 267 lb-ft of torque.

The VVEL system combines hydraulic-controlled variable valve timing and electronically controlled variable valve lift to improve not only performance, but also fuel efficiency, with cleaner emissions.

The V6 is married to either an electronically controlled 7-speed automatic transmission with manual mode, downshift rev matching, Drive Sport (DS) mode and Adaptive Shift Control (ASC), with available magnesium paddle shifters; or a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission on the Sport 6MT. I drove both, and unusual for me, preferred the automatic.

Behind The Wheel: The Infiniti G37 convertible is a blast to drive — top up or down. Built on Infiniti’s FM (Front Mid-ship) platform, the exceptional front/rear weight balance creates a rigid, stable foundation for the 4-wheel independent suspension. Ride and handling are exceptional — especially for a convertible, since the usual body twist and vibration are missing. Steering is responsive courtesy of the power speed-sensing system. Sport-tuned steering is offered on the Sport 6MT and G37 Convertible with Sport Package. Standard on all G Convertibles is Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with cancel switch and Traction Control System (TCS).

Acceleration is exceptional under all conditions, with braking provided by standard 4-wheel vented discs with 4-channel, 4-sensor ABS, Electronic Brake force Distribution, and Brake Assist.

Also available is Infiniti’s Intelligent Cruise Control with Preview Braking, which assists in maintaining a consistent following distance from the vehicle ahead. It also identifies sudden braking situations with laser sensors that determine distance and relative speed of the vehicle ahead and “pre-pressurizes” the Brake Assist system before the driver steps on the brake pedal. I’m not a fan of these systems in general, but this one works better than most.

Whines: None worth mentioning.

Bottom Line: This is an exceptional, well-though out, high-quality automobile in absolutely every respect. It’s beautiful, fast, luxurious and comfortable. At some point, I’ll own this car. If you love convertibles like I do, drive it, and you’ll want one too.

About Grubbs Infiniti
Grubbs Infiniti is a DFW area Infiniti dealership that specializes in new and pre-owned Infinitis. Our pre-owned lot features not just Infinitis but a wide range of luxury vehicles. Let us know how we can help you. Located at 1661 West Airport Freeway, Euless, TX 76040. 817-318-1200

Contact:
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www.grubbsinfiniti.com

Filed Under: G Convertible, Infiniti News, Main, Reviews · Tagged: Infiniti G37, Infiniti G37 Convertible

2010 Infiniti G37 sports a sweet V-6

April 27, 2010 by Brian · Leave a Comment

If the day ever comes when the sackcloth-and-ashes ethic has us scooting about in enclosed golf carts with lawn mower engines or electric motors, Nissan’s V-6 will be among the most-mourned casualties of the aggressive downsizing underway in the industry.

Widely used by Nissan and its Infiniti luxury line, the engine is sheer driving delight. You could put the V-6, its displacement now boosted to 3.7 liters from 3.5, into a dilapidated Yugo (redundant?) and wind up with a car more delightful than disappointing.

With joy, we report that a junkyard Yugo is not this week’s target. It is the revised, freshened, updated, tweaked — pick your industry jargon adjective — 2010 Infiniti G37 sedan.

While it doesn’t represent Infiniti’s latest thinking — the bigger M sedan, redesigned for 2011, does (and the 2011 will be featured in a future Test Drive) — the G hardly seems aged.

The spiffed-up G sedan and the sleeker two-door coupe went on sale in December. A convertible — sort of Infiniti’s take on the Nissan 370Z sports car — hit the market in February. Limited-production anniversary editions, marking the brand’s 40th year, are just arriving at dealers.

Changes for 2010 common to all the Gs: updated navigation system, instrument cluster, console, wood trim (now polished instead of matte). Specific to the G sedan: new schnoz and rump. The 3.7-liter V-6 went into the car in the 2009 model year. It’s a sweet engine. Aurally: grumble morphing into growl, becoming a roar as your right foot gets heavier. Dynamically: ummm, nice, transforming into yippee and thence to holy mother of all that’s good and pure, as your right sole hits the floor. Appealing at all speeds in all conditions. No need, as parents of yore said disparagingly, to “ram around” to enjoy. The boost to 3.7 liters brings horsepower up to 328 from 306 and adds an undetectable 1 pound-foot of torque, now 269. The change also boosts how fast you have to rev the engine to get those numbers. The seven-speed automatic mated to the 3.7 has more acceleration-oriented ratios in the lower gears, so responsiveness improves. And it has a more relaxed top gear for better highway mileage. Unfortunately, the seven-speed from time to time seemed a bit busy. Not hunting for the right gear. Rather, little motions and sensations giving the impression that lots of activity was occurring just to keep you at the desired speed in the desired gear. The vague busyness of the seven-speed was barely a bother, but the driving enthusiast drawn to the G in the first place would be the type to notice. Upshifts, especially under hard throttle, were swift, crisp and otherwise commendable. Downshifts, too. And the automatic will blip the throttle for you to make downshifts smooth, not jerky, just as you’d blip the gas driving a manual. Let’s just decide right here, right now: Seven speeds is too many, and eight is silly. Six, well executed, is the Goldilocks/Baby Bear number: just right.

The test car, a G37x (“x” meaning all-wheel drive) with more option packages than you might want, showed that Infiniti hasn’t compromised the snappy braking and crisp cornering that keep it among top-tier sports sedans. Steering was responsive but lacked perfect road feel. The AWD system was sure-footed in heavy rain and didn’t seem to detract from the car’s precise cornering, which AWD’s extra weight and power split sometimes can do.

And that back seat is unsuitable for long-legged or robust riders. Put somebody back there to see, don’t just eyeball it and guess. Subtle appeal: relative simplicity. No car really is simple nowadays, but G manages to avoid the type of needless complexity of BMW’s iDrive and copy-cat multilayered control systems. You can operate most G features without a guide and interpreter.

Honorable mention for the automatic transmission’s manual-shift mode. You want to stay in manual mode, yank the gearshift sideways, then tap forward or back to shift.You want to use manual only briefly — say in a tight corner when a downshift helps control the car — just finger-pull the steering-column shift paddle. Instant response. No need to move the gearshift lever first. After a few moments without using the paddles, the transmission reverts to conventional automatic operation. Will you prefer the G to, say, a BMW 3 Series or equivalent? Depends on your prejudices. But the G test car was immensely satisfying, a seeming no-brainer for buyers looking at that size and price range.

About the 2010 Infiniti G37

•What? Midcycle update of the brand’s best seller. Available with rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). Available in four-door sedan, two-door coupe or convertible body style.

•When? Since December.

•Where? Made in Japan.

•Why? Frequent tweaks needed to stay competitive.

•How much? Sedan starts at $34,145 including $895 shipping. Coupe, convertible and 40th anniversary versions priced higher.

•How potent? 3.7-liter V-6 rated 328 horsepower at 7,000 rpm, 269 pounds-feet of torque at 5,200; six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission.

•How big? Not very, especially inside, though you’ll hear it called a midsize. G37 sedan is 187 inches long, 69.8 in. wide 57.2 in. tall (except AWD is 57.8 in.).

Weighs 3,605 to 3,807 lbs. Passenger space, 99 cubic feet (96.5 cu. ft. with sunroof). Trunk, 13.5 cu. ft. Turns in 35.4 ft. (RWD) or 36.1 ft. (AWD).

•How thirsty? Versions rated 17, 18 or 19 miles per gallon in town, 25 or 27 mpg on the highway, 20 or 22 mpg in combined city/highway driving.

Trip computer in AWD test car registered 17.4 mpg (5.75 gallons per 100 miles) in frisky suburban driving.

•Overall: Sweeter than ever for those OK with a tight fit.

Contact:
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www.grubbsinfiniti.com

Filed Under: G Sedan, Infiniti News, Reviews · Tagged: Auto Reviews, DFW Infiniti Dealer, Infiniti G37, Reviews, USA Today

Topless: 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible

April 20, 2010 by wdarrinb · Leave a Comment

InsideLine Video produced a nice piece about the 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible that we wanted to share.

Here is a link to the video.

Drop the Top

And the top is the story of this car. Less than 30 seconds is all it takes to transform what is basically a G37 hardtop (no B-pillar or fixed side glass) into a wide-mouth convertible. Just push the button on the center console and hold. All the work is done by a team of electric motors that hum while they work, peeling back the car’s roof from the windshield header, splitting it into three evenly sized pieces and stacking it clamshell-style in the car’s trunk.

It’s a true marvel of engineering, with countless hinges, double-hinges and pulleys, but unlike Lexus, which does its retractable hardtop for the SC 430 in house, Nissan has had its system engineered in Germany by Karmann. It uses steel roof panels and is installed on a sub-assembly line at Nissan’s plant in Tochigi, Japan, the same facility that produces the G37 coupe and sedan.

But there’s more to the G’s transformation from coupe to convertible than just the roof and its complex mechanism. Infiniti reinforced the car’s A-pillar, door sills and overall body structure. Oh, and dual pop-up anti-rollover bars deploy if the machine’s big brain thinks it’s heading for the upside-down. According to Larry Dominique, Nissan North America’s vice president of product planning, the active roll bars were an aesthetic choice: “They kept us from having to put in an ugly hoop brace.”

2009 Infiniti G37 S Convertible Full Test and Video

Head for the Coast, Not the Hills

By Scott Oldham, Editor in Chief | Published Apr 6, 2009

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Filed Under: G Convertible, Reviews, Video · Tagged: Auto Reviews, Automotive, Convertible, DFW Infiniti Dealer, Euless, G37 Convertible, Grubbs, Infiniti, Infiniti Dealership, Infiniti G37, Reviews, Video

The Nuts and Bolts: 2010 Infiniti G37x Sedan

April 20, 2010 by wdarrinb · Leave a Comment

Living in Texas, we may not have a high need for an all-wheel drive vehicle but we do get some bad weather every now and then and having a vehicle that has all wheel drive makes driving a lot easier. I came across this article from the Washington Post that gave some good information regarding the 2010 Infiniti G37x Sedan.

Ride, acceleration, handling: It gets excellent marks in all three.

Head-turning quotient: It’s graceful, elegant and seductive.

Body style/layout: The Infiniti G37 is a front-engine, mid-size, entry-level luxury car available as a sedan, coupe or convertible. The sedan and coupe are available with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.

Engine/transmission: The G37x comes standard with a 3.7-liter, 24-valve V-6 that delivers 328 horsepower at 7,000 revolutions per minute and 269 foot-pounds of torque at 5,200 rpm. The engine is attached to a seven-speed transmission that can be shifted automatically or manually.

Capacities: There are seats for five people, four of whom can sit comfortably. Maximum luggage capacity is 14 cubic feet. Fuel capacity is 20 gallons of recommended premium “for best performance.”

Mileage: I actually got 26 miles per gallon (1 mpg better than the government-rated 25 mpg) in steady highway driving. But stop-and-go city driving was 16 mpg (2 mpg lower than the government’s rating).

Safety: Standard equipment includes front and rear ventilated disc brakes, four-wheel antilock brake protection, emergency braking assistance to better modulate braking pressure wheel-to-wheel in emergency stops, electronic stability and traction control, side and head air bags, rear child safety seat anchors.

Price: The base price on the 2010 Infiniti G37x sport sedan is $36,050. Dealer’s invoice price on that model is $33,305. Price as tested is $43,715, including $6,800 in options (power sliding glass roof; premium Bose sound system with all of the requisite iPod, iPad and related hookups; navigation with rear backup camera; parking collision proximity warning system, intelligent cruise control and much more) and an $865 destination charge. Dealer’s price as tested is $40,060.

About Grubbs Infiniti

Grubbs Infiniti is a DFW area Infiniti dealership that specializes in new and pre-owned Infinitis. Our pre-owned lot features not just Infinitis but a wide range of luxury vehicles. Let us know how we can help you. Located at 1661 West Airport Freeway, Euless, TX 76040. 817-318-1200. Grubbs Infiniti – Tarrant County’s Only Infiniti Dealer.

Contact:

Facebook | Twittter

www.grubbsinfiniti.com