All for car recovery

The weather made me want to spend my week in the new G37 Convertible that I was about to drive at my annual Western Auto Journalist’s (WAJ) media days event, rather than the Coupe that Infiniti provided. Then again, well into the 30s I’d probably drive around with the retractable hardtop up and the automatic climate control set to chill anyway, so I might as well be happy with my lot and enjoy my two-door fastback as much as possible.

Infiniti had kindly arranged that I’d be able to pick up my G37 S loaner near the San Francisco airport, and I did just that, prior to driving south to one of my favourite groupings of California towns on the Monterey peninsula. It’s an attractive car, classier if not quite as sporty as the first-generation G35 Coupe, a theme that follows through to one of the nicest interiors in the business. Infiniti really has taken leaps and bounds when it comes to quality of materials and overall refinement in recent years, started with the M and more recently followed up by the second-gen G, in its various guises, as well as the new EX and FX models. It’s a brand that really speaks to those who either own or want to own an A. Lange & Söhne wristwatch, a Mitsuhiro Matsuda jacket or Dunhill briefcase. The detail is fabulous, especially on the dash and centre stack, besting any direct rival in the compact-to-midsize coupe class from Europe, Japan or domestic.

It’s a bit difficult to classify Infiniti’s G, as it’s large enough to fit into the midsize class for the most part, yet in sedan form the M clearly defines this role for Nissan’s luxury division. Put this G37 Coupe beside a BMW 3-Series Coupe and it becomes apparent that it’s larger, with a more accommodating cabin. The trunk is pretty small, however, at 209 litres (7.4 cu ft), so pack light.

Yes, Infiniti’s two-door coupe is roomy for bodies at least, but like most people I’m more a fan of its performance. The brand upped engine displacement by 200cc to 3.7L resulting in increased output to 330hp and 270 lb-ft of torque with the model’s introduction last year, and it’s been beating up on the competition ever since. My tester came with the new paddle-shift enhanced seven-speed automatic transmission that shifts so quickly, blipping the throttle to match revs on downshifts, that it almost feels like a high-priced dual-clutch sequential manual, but more in keeping with this car’s sport-luxury target market it’s ultra-smooth too, an ideal accomplice for the award-winning engine. A six-speed manual transmission is available for purists. As a very brief overview of trim lines, the G37 Coupe can be had as a G37, G37 with Sport Package, Sport 6MT (with the manual transmission), and G37x.

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