Infiniti, Nissan’s premium offshoot, hasn’t pitched itself as an overtly sporting brand, preferring instead to market its interesting and intriguing line-up of saloons, crossovers and SUVs as refined, graceful, luxurious and high-tech.
The G Series comprises of the G Coupe, G Convertible and G Saloon, each of which rivals the BMW 3 Series, according to Infiniti.
The G37 Coupe is the closest thing the firm currently has to a performance car, but the saloon isn’t far behind. Infiniti claims the G37S coupé is a natural competitor for the BMW 330i coupé, which has a similar price.
In any bodystyle, the G is a low and reasonably lean front-engined, rear-drive car, powered by the impressively versatile 3.7-litre V6 that is also used in the EX37 crossover.
In top S spec, as driven here, the G37 gets stiffer suspension rates than the lesser GT models, allied to bigger brakes, a clever active rear-steer system that sharpens both low-speed response and high-speed stability, plus a viscous coupling limited slip differential. S spec also brings comfortable and supportive sports seats with adjustable side bolsters.
The squat coupé proportions mean that front seat occupants sit considerably lower than they do in the saloon, which encroaches on rear-seat space, giving the feel of a classic 2+2 rather than a true four-seater. The saloon has less rear space than most of its rivals, too, which is more of a problem given the higher propensity for people to travel in the back. The convertible has a tiny boot when the roof is stowed, and the lack of a system to prevent folding the roof when luggage is in the way means there's a real risk of damaging the roof - and your shopping.
The interior is extremely well executed and the standard kit generous, with Premium trim models coming fitted with Infiniti’s Connectiviti navigation and multimedia pack.
On the road, the G37 comes across as a very good driving machine, almost in the BMW mould and arguably even better put together. The brakes are strong, but the pedal isn’t especially heavy. The ride is firm, but it is very sweetly damped, so it stays flat over the most disturbing ruts.
The strong, zesty 3696cc V6 engine produces 315bhp at 7000rpm and 265lb ft of torque at 5200. It’s a smooth, responsive and satisfying engine to make use of and, allied to a seven-speed automatic ’box, is as happy trundling at 1500rpm as it is attacking the 7600rpm redline.
