2008 Infiniti G37 Sport

2008 Infiniti G37 Sport - What gives? Infiniti says the coupe’s larger doors require more reinforcement to achieve a high side-impact crash rating. Extra crash structure adds weight, but don’t expect a “Safety Kills the Sports Coupe” headline any time soon. Larger brakes and a slightly heavier engine contribute some pounds as well. Gaining 100 pounds is an unfortunate but not inexcusable way to shed the family-car image and increase your sex appeal.

The G37 copes with the extra heft over its sedan stablemate—and satisfies the sportier criterion—with a new 3.7-liter version of Nissan’s venerable VQ V-6 engine. The boost in displacement comes from a longer stroke; both the 3.5- and 3.7-liter engines in the G-car feature a taller block than the previous generation’s powerplant.

The extra power doesn’t make much of a difference at the test track. The 0-to-60 sprint of 5.3 seconds is 0.2 second quicker than that of the G35 we compared with a BMW 328i [“Winds of Change?” April 2007], but 0.1 second slower than the first ’07 G35 we tested in October 2006. By the quarter-mile mark, the G37 is dead even with that October G35: 13.9 seconds at 103 mph. A far more important improvement in the G37, power increases aside, is the fact that it no longer sounds like it’s making grits inside the engine.

The G37 suspension is the same control-arm-front and multilink-rear configuration as the G35 sedan’s. Our test car came with the Sport package, which is standard with the six-speed manual and optional with the automatic transmission. It adds a red “S” to the rear badging and includes a stiffer suspension, limited-slip differential, and 19-inch wheels with high-performance Bridgestone rubber. The setup is good for 0.89 g on the skidpad, and the G37 is impressive on the road.

When it comes to optional sport packages, we’re suckers for the promise of better grip and handling, but the resulting harsh ride usually leaves us cussing the low-profile tires and stiff springs. Not so with this G37. The chassis soaks up road bumps without the slightest chatter, and the steering remains precise and communicative. The ride is stiffer than that of a BMW 3-series, but the G37 is a huge improvement over the old coupe with the sport suspension, which was jarring on any surface rougher than freshly waxed linoleum. Dive into a turn, and the G37 transfers its weight gradually and without any surprises.

So what’s to fault? The problems are mostly the result of the styling. Make no mistake, the G37 is more stylish than the sedan and thus satisfies most of the criteria for sedan-to-coupe conversion, but the resulting compromises are, well, a pain in the ass. The G37 is about four inches shorter in length, two inches wider, and 2.5 inches lower than the G35 sedan. Compared with the old G35 coupe, the G37 is about an inch longer, and slightly wider and lower. All three cars ride on the same 112.2-inch wheelbase. Inside—and here’s the problem—the G37 has 1.4 fewer inches of headroom than the G35 sedan when both are equipped with sunroofs. Clearance is low enough that sub-six-footers might find their hair brushing the headliner, depending on posture and the amount of mousse in their ’dos.