Specifications prices Modifications and Image 2012 Infiniti G37
what is currently known as the Infiniti G37 Sedan began life as the second-generation G35 Sedan back in 2007. Then, back in 2009, the car's 3.5-liter V6 was replaced by a more powerful 3.7-liter unit, resulting in a new name for the car.
Now, Infiniti has given the G37 Sedan a mid-cycle refresh, including changes to the front and rear fascias, as well as to the luxurious interior.
For the latest model the headlights have become more angular and less bulbous than the previous model -- a look that's almost reminiscent of the original G35 coupe lamps. The grille has also been adjusted, and new fog lamp clusters look decidedly well integrated.
The rear bumper was also reworked, though it will take a trained eye to notice the differences. More obvious is the new 17-inch wheel design, which is standard.
Stepping inside the latest model year will reveal new gauges with a white back theme, which can be complimented by your choice or a new aluminum finish, or a maple trim. The center console and dash also received some stylization changes, and the seven-inch touch-screen now gives users access to real-time traffic and weather via XM satellite.
What our G37's gray cabin lacked in finishes, it made up for in materials quality. Padded surfaces run all the way down to foot level, with soft-touch areas in all the places your knees, elbows or hands will touch. There's even a cushioned cover over the cupholders. Optional maple wood trim replaces last year's African rosewood; it picks up fingerprints easily but, absent those, looks darker and richer than before. New this year are chrome runners along the gearshift — an upscale touch. Luxury aside, it's nice to see Infiniti kept some essential conveniences: The overhead console includes a sunglasses holder, and the sun visors have full extensions that meet the B-pillars. Despite their inclusion on cars half the price, those two features go missing on too many luxury competitors.
Most controls are high-quality, but one of our standing complaints remains: Buttons for the central dashboard screen, where the optional navigation system resides, are perched high up on the dash, out of easy reach. It's a shame, seeing as Infiniti has one of the better navigation setups on the market, with both touch-screen and physical controls for zooming in and out, scrolling the map and jumping to different menus. Updated for 2010, the display sports improved graphics and additional capabilities: weather reports, restaurant ratings and Bluetooth streaming audio. It had a few routing issues, however, which we detail in a navigation evaluation on KickingTires.
Leather seats are standard. The Sport Package adds sport seats with larger, power-adjustable side and cushion bolsters. Even with the bolsters relaxed all the way, many drivers will find the seats narrow and constrictive, particularly at their bottom cushions. What's more, I'm 5-foot-11 and could have used another inch or so of rearward seat travel so my legs could extend fully.
The backseat has enough knee room for adults, but the seat is too close to the floor, resulting in raised knees, and taller passengers will find headroom limited. That's par for the class; backseats are usually cramped in this segment. The trunk, on the other hand, is fairly large. At 13.5 cubic feet, it beats the 3 Series, Lexus IS and C-Class by half a cubic foot or more. Alas, Infiniti doesn't offer a folding rear seat to accommodate larger cargo, as BMW and Mercedes do. A small pass-through for skis is standard. (The G37 coupe has a single-piece folding rear seatback but only 7.4 cubic feet of trunk volume; the convertible has no folding seatback but, with the top up, 10.3 cubic feet.)
New elements introduced in 2010 for 2011 models include revised LCD instruments with a white color scheme for gauges. The optional Hi-Tech Package includes Infiniti Hard Drive Navigation with a 7.0-inch touch screen monitor and 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive, plus XM NavTraffic and NavWeather, streaming audio via Bluetooth and Zagat restaurant guide.
Standard features on G37 range from automatic climate controls to leather upholstery, driver's seat with eight-way power, keyless entry and starter, an audio kit with six speakers and AM/FM/CD, HID headlights and 17x7.5-inch aluminum wheels with 225/55 all-season tires.
The G’s platform features front wheels mounted way forward with the engine positioned so that its center of gravity falls behind the front axles. This placement results in a weight distribution biased slightly in favor of front wheels.
Add acceleration out of the curve and the near-perfect weight-balance become obvious, enabling the aggressive driver to carve one corner after another with keen confidence; which is the way we work it on serpentine Engineers Road, testing the limits of tire adhesion.
Steering, through a quick-to-respond rack and pinion mechanism, feels firm despite the assist from a vehicle-speed-sensitive power boost, while competent factory brakes on most models are upgraded on our six-speed test-car, with powerful 4-piston calipers up front delivering impressive stopping power.
All G37 models carry Infiniti's vehicle dynamic control (VDC) device, which automatically checks lateral skidding on slippery pavement.
The G37 Sport M6 Sedan employs a sport-tuned suspension, quicker steering gear, viscous limited-slip differential, larger 14-inch vented disc brakes with four-piston opposed front calipers and 18x7.5-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with summer performance tires (225/50 front and 245/45 rear). These items can also be has as a $2,100 option on automatic models.
Motivation for the 2011 G37 stems from an upgraded edition of Nissan's VQ-series dual-cam V6, keyed to an electronically controlled drive-by-wire throttle. It employs a high-tech valve controller, VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift), and revs all the way to 7600 rpm. At 7000 revolutions, peak power of 328-hp is made, with torque rising to 269 ft-lbs at 5200 rpm.
The G37 supports two transmissions, an incredibly quick shifting seven-speed electronically controlled automatic featuring downshift rev matching (DRM) and manual shift mode (via paddle shifters on the steering wheel), or a six-speed close-ratio manual stick planted on the center console.
Three of the four trim versions of G37 stock the automatic shifter. The three are labeled as a leather-lined base edition G37 sedan, the G37 Journey and the G37x AWD Sedan Sport. A version packing the manual transmission is the G37 Sport M6 Sedan.
Fuel economy for the powerful V6 is reasonably good, with a rating of 19/27-mpg (city/highway) for automatic RWD models and 18/25-mpg for AWD versions. Our manual transmission tester, while plenty of fun, delivers the worst fuel economy of the bunch at 17/25-mpg.
In crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the G37 sedan earned the top score, Good, in frontal and side-impact crashes. It also earned a Marginal rating in rear-impacts, despite having standard active head restraints. IIHS has yet to conduct its latest roof-crush tests on the G37. It also has yet to test the G37 coupe and convertible; because of the unique layout for each body style, the sedan's crash-test results don't apply to the other versions. Standard safety features on all G37s include an electronic stability system, antilock brakes and six airbags. Click here for a full list.
Reliability for the current generation has been good; it's downright excellent for the G37 coupe. The sedan starts in the low-$30,000s, which is competitive with the gaggle of Audi, BMW, Lexus and Mercedes competition — albeit that's with their base six-cylinder engines, which the G37's V-6 handily stomps. It's nicely equipped for that price, with a standard automatic transmission, xenon headlights, leather upholstery, eight-way power front seats, single-zone automatic climate control, a CD stereo with an MP3 jack and keyless access with push-button start. Options include heated front seats, a moonroof, a navigation system, a backup camera, USB/iPod connectivity and an upgraded Bose stereo. Getting a six-speed manual requires moving up to the G37 Sport — which includes a sport-tuned suspension, bigger wheels and the aforementioned styling revisions — but a Sport Package with similar content is also available on the midlevel, automatic-equipped Journey trim. All-wheel drive is available on all but the base G37; the Anniversary trim essentially comes fully equipped.
The G37 coupe and convertible start around $36,000 and $44,000, respectively. Load up the G, and the sedan tops out north of $43,000. The coupe can exceed $50,000, and the convertible — the only variant to offer cooled seats — can top $55,000.
reference:www.cars.com,www.leftlanenews.com,www.autoguide.com
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