2008 Infiniti G37 Coupe Review

Genial Sport Coupe

The Infiniti G37 deftly blends luxury and comfort with a sleek profile and an athletic demeanor.

Infiniti's sporty G series — which comes in both sedan and coupe form — has been getting constant accolades for its entertaining performance and fresh, elegant styling since being introduced in 2002. A major redesign for 2008 imbued it with added capabilities and refinement. The second generation of this sleek two-door has been rechristened the G37 Coupe by virtue of its larger and more-powerful 3.7-liter V6 engine and is a bit lower and wider than the first-generation G35 Coupe.

The structure of the Infiniti G37 Coupe shares more in common with parent company Nissan’s 350Z sports car than it does the G37 Sedan. It has more graceful styling than does the Nissan, with flowing curves and L-shaped headlamps. It also features a more posh interior with unique aluminum-alloy trim that looks like handmade Japanese paper. It’s a nice contrast to the same-old high-lacquer wood trim found on most luxury cars. However, for traditionalists, rosewood trim is also offered.

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Unlike the two-seat Nissan 350Z, the G37 Coupe has a small back seat, though it’s inhospitable for all but the smallest occupants. The G37 Coupe does feel notably more spacious than the G35 Coupe it replaced, which is a boon for taller/larger occupants. That said, competing German sport coupes have much more accommodating interiors, including considerably more spacious back seats.

A brief test drive on winding back roads in the Pennsylvania Poconos followed by a few hard-running laps around the Pocono Raceway’s road course proved that the Infiniti G37 Coupe is a worthy competitor to the BMW 3 Series. It feels light and nimble, with an eagerness to be flung through bends.

The car is very well balanced and offers excellent tactile feedback through the steering wheel and seat of the pants. This made it easy, for instance, to gauge how fast to take a hairpin turn on the track — tires squealing just on the edge of adhesion — and transition from one high-speed sweeper to the next.

Acceleration was strong and smooth and the engine makes great music as it happily revs to the red line.

The Infiniti G37 Coupe’s V6 utilizes the automaker’s Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) technology to generate well in excess of 300 horsepower. It drives the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic gearbox that can be shifted manually via available steering wheel-mounted magnesium paddles. Both gearboxes work precisely and are well matched to the potent engine.

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Key to the Infiniti G37 Coupe’s superior handling is its nearly ideal weight distribution and light aluminum four-wheel independent suspension, which when combined with the precise steering, make the car easy and gratifying to control.

Enthusiasts favor the car’s rear-drive configuration for its superior balance, which typically aids maneuverability, improves steering feel and allows better power delivery from the engine to the wheels. While it delivers an incrementally smoother ride than does the Nissan 350Z, the coupe's stiffer suspension and shorter wheelbase are harsher over potholes and bumps than the smoother-riding G37 Sedan.

Infiniti G37 Coupe Summary

A four-wheel Active Steer system is optional. It’s designed to improve the Infiniti G37 Coupe’s cornering prowess by automatically optimizing the front steering ratios and the rear-wheel suspension geometry during hard cornering maneuvers. It works as advertised, though most buyers would be just as satisfied with the basic setup.

In addition, a Sport Package is available and includes a sport-tuned suspension, limited-slip differential (which improves traction particularly when accelerating out of a corner), upgraded brakes and assorted trim items.

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The Infiniti G37 Coupe comes standard with the automaker’s version of stability control, called Vehicle Dynamic Control, for added safety and handling prowess over a wide range of conditions; four-wheel disc antilock brakes include electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist for secure stopping. A Preview Braking function is included with the optional laser-guided Intelligent Cruise Control that automatically pre-pressurizes the brake lines in anticipation of a panic stop.

Standard features are plentiful on the Infiniti G37 Coupe; noteworthy options include a rear-view camera, an 11-speaker Bose “Studio on Wheels” premium audio system with iPod connectivity, a Music Box 9.3-gigabyte digital music storage unit, and an Adaptive Front Lighting System that uses lenses to cast light in the direction of turns in conjunction with steering input.

Matthew de Paula contributed driving impressions to this article.