2010 Infiniti G37 x Specifications:
* Base Price: $36,050 (base 2010 Infiniti G37 starts at $33,250).
* Price as Tested: $43,670.
* Engine: 3.7-Liter VQ37VHR-or-whatever V6 – 332-hp / 269 lb-ft.
* Transmission: 7-speed automatic.
* Curb Weight: 3,859 lbs.
* 0 to 60 mph: 5.4 seconds.
* Top Speed: 155 mph.
* Fuel-Economy (city/highway): 18/25 mpg.
Back in the day, whenever you’d consider an Infiniti, you always had the sense they were always the rejected second thought alternatives to Lexus, Mercedes, BMW and the like. Eventually you’d stumble upon one of those few motorists who owned one, and they’d tell you that they’re brilliant to drive. In a sense, they were like the few girls from your university dormitories that were never really quite lookers, but strangely you heard it through the grapevine that they were quite good in bed. Infinitis were nearly facing extinction–just like the latter girls nearly ended up being coke addicts—but then a chap by the name of Carlos Ghosn came around in 1999 to save the distressed soul of Infiniti, and sent it through rehab.
It was the introduction of the Infiniti G35 in 2003 that saved Infiniti and it was so competitively good, that knocked the BMW E46 3er off its first place steeple in several comparisons and even won Motor Trend’s Car of the Year in 2003. But that was seven years ago and when the G35 was coming to the end of its production run, BMW slowly regained its winning place. After seven years of evolution, two generations and a facelift, what we have in front of us, is one of many trim levels added to the 3-Series runner-up: the 2010 Infiniti G37xS.
Now, it would be nice if I was on some pokey motoring show like Top Gear to present this car to you in the form of powerslides on an abandoned airfield, but unfortunately I’m not so I’m going to have to explain everything in print…mmm how scholarly.
Performance:
Fire up Infiniti’s famous 3.7-Liter VQ37VHR-or-whatever V6 and it rumbles to life as it settles down to a smooth, low idle. Pushing out 332 HP at 7000 RPM and 269 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 RPM through a quick shifting 7-speed automatic with flappy paddles, it’ll thrust you into the horizon by doing naught to 60 in a whopping 5.4 seconds, will pull a quarter mile in 13.9 seconds at 100.5 MPH, and will hit a top speed of 155 MPH. It’s almost a half second slower to 60 than its RWD sibling, but nonetheless, is a very quick car. The power curve is wide and flat and the gearbox is set to take full advantage of that curve in nearly every gear.
And things get better when you come to a corner. The G37xS is equipped with Nissan’s ATTESA ET-S AWD system—imagine having a meal conversation with the man who invented that acronym…probably as exciting as a bowl of pea soup—which adds 150 lbs to the G37’s RWD sibling to a grand total of curb weight of 3,859 lbs. Weight distribution is nearly bang-on. And the chassis? Well, instead of getting too technical, we’ll just say this. Based off of Infiniti’s widely used and popular FM platform, it is nothing less than spectacular. Ride quality is a bit firm, but never overwhelmingly jarring and body motions are well controlled. The steering, which lost some of its feel because of the added AWD system, is still nonetheless outstanding, providing enough feel and feedback to make the steering in BMW’s E90 3er AWD variant seem lethargic. And that’s quite a statement.
Now there are a few drawbacks. Throttle tip-in is still way too sensitive, making it a challenge to accelerate smoothly in normal traffic without upsetting the stomachs of your passengers. It’s been an ongoing issue for the Infiniti G. And what happened to that inspiring exhaust note? It’s like taking the steel drum band away from a Caribbean holiday.
