Loaner car: G37x
 

I was given a G37x as a loaner for a full day yesterday while our M35x was being fitted with new tires, a wheel alignment and scheduled service (I'll write up the tire issue in another thread).

I jokingly asked for the G37 convertible as my loaner and was promptly offered it, but I instead chose a four door sedan as the weather yesterday wasn't worth the bother - besides, I wanted to compare Infiniti's 3 series fighter to, well a typical 3 series - apples to apples.

I was handed the smart key to a silver over black sedan with 16k on the clock. A heavily smoked-in car, it looked positively plebeian inside compared to the M35, with hard plastics, a hollow ring when seat adjustments and the manual steering column is moved (along with the instruments), it also had an automatic tranny. It seemed quite "base", but the the base G37 includes the "journey" package with quite a few extras, so I'm guessing this is Infiniti's take on a sort of sport-look interior. In black it felt cheap and oppressive - not helped by the heavy stench of cigarette smoke.

First impressions of the interior melt away once I'm underway however and the car feels aggressive and hunkered down - the steering is just right through a just-right sized wheel, the view over the hood of the bulging fenders and the snug seats contribute to a more sports car feel than sports sedan.

Contributing to that feel is quite a bit of noise and vibration. I've read about the mechanically unrefined nature of this car (as compared to a 3 series) and yes, it's apparent, everything assaults your senses, but in a good way, I think - save for one; during idle, there's an annoying buzz through the seat of your pants, and it feels very four cylinder like - Infiniti needs to fix that one.

The car is as solid as a block of granite, as it is in our M - this makes sense as both cars share Nissan's FM platform. The ride is just right on 17 inch wheels, if I ever buy another sporty car, it shall have some combination of 17 inch wheels - I really dislike ultra-low profile tires. Tracking was straight and true.

I enjoyed my day with this car, I took it through the winding roads of the Saugatuck reservoir system here in CT, over 7500 acres worth of open space with the best roads in Fairfield County and zero traffic - it was fun, quite a bit of fun actually and I wondered if the car's overall nature was better suited to the kind of fun drivers of this class of car really want - I'd have to drive another E90 to know for certain, but at the right price, I could see this car as an excellent DD.

Btw, Infiniti now has a smaller-engined version, the G25 at 210 HP (the G37 is over 300hp).

Ed

I test drove the G35 a couple of years ago when I started the sedan shopping that ended in the M5 purchase. There was something about the ride control that made me really, really car sick. Like I had to pull over to stop the world from spinning car sick. My wife was with me and had to drive it back to the dealership. It was a strange experience, I've only felt that way in a few American SUVs and the G. I was hoping to like it, but by the end I was just happy to not puke on the carpet

I liked the g35 (back in 2004, pre-mudgeons, around the time I got my 330Ci zhp). I also liked the 350z, back in 2006, when the s2000 and the mid-engined porsches came out as front-runners past the nissan and the z4.

My thought on infiniti/nissan is that they don't get some of the seemingly small, later-on important refinement right (to the point that the germans do). The used 350Z's that I saw had not "held together" that well. Also generally bmw/honda seem to be smoother.

So for me 330Ci zhp > g35c (then, even with 235 vs much higher 265 or 280 I forget reported hp) and 987.1 > 350Z. YMMV. No ideas on the M.. The FM infinitis do have nice v6's, torque, steering feel etc.

i am a big fan of the FM chassis.

if i didn't have what i have, i would have gone the FM-related route.

I really like the G37 ... I pulled up to one today in bright red of all colors for a 4 door with tinted windows and it was a hot looking sedan ... also I was not gonna race it since I know that is one fast engine and BTW I was in the 650 and got caught at 2 lights with this car ... temptation was there but I know that is one fast car ...