When I returned the G35x to my colleagues, they were surprised. I actually showed up, and even on time. Just arrived, handed over the keys, and left. That's it, goodbye! Although... against the backdrop of others' enthusiasm, I was left with a feeling of unfinished business. So, when Infiniti offered us the G37 coupe for a test, I decided to start our relationship from scratch. And this time, not just spend an evening with it (sorry, guys), but live with it for a few days.
So, here it is. Hello! Ye-e-es... In a two-door body and in scarlet color, the car looks much more attractive than the plump sedan. And very Japanese (in a good way). Fancy, yes. But just enough to be likable. But we're not here for a face check, and there's no accounting for taste, so I get inside and...
Fancy front and rear, but the sides are empty. There's something to that, right?
I'm nitpicking, of course! It's clear the cheap buttons haven't gone anywhere. But at least the passenger power window now has an automatic mode (the G35x didn't have it). Thanks! The car still sees the driver off and greets them with an annoying buzzer sound. There are many of them, they beep for any reason and quite loudly. You just want to leave the headlights on or forget the key inside the car. Out of spite. So they get tired of their own beeping.
But if you turn a blind eye to these unpleasant little things, I admit—the interior isn't bad. Solid materials (aluminum inserts and black plastic are clearly better than the semi-wooden inlays and beige plastic of the test G35x). The equipment again: rearview camera, dual-zone climate control, electric steering wheel and seat adjustments with memory (even the side bolsters adjust), sunroof.
The interior has pretensions. But details ruin it. If it weren't for the sunroof, which makes it uncomfortable for a tall driver, the ergonomics would be very good. The instrument panel adjusts with the steering column, and the gas pedal is a floor-mounted one. True, you occasionally catch the "handbrake" with your left leg.
A bit of positivity, and we come to a new problem. Sitting is uncomfortable! The adjustment ranges seem wide, and the controls are quite convenient. But there's no room for the head crowning my 190-centimeter body. You have to recline the seatback more and sit far from the wheel. Can you order a car without a sunroof? No. Maximum trim...
The front seats aren't buckets, but they have adjustable side bolsters, and the cushion length can be changed. In the back, there's room in principle, but again, no place for your head. Getting in is also terribly inconvenient. The trunk is very low—not every suitcase will fit.
Pulling out of a tight parking spot is unusual—you have to get used to a hood as long as a tennis table. But reversing is much more fun thanks to the direct video feed from the trunk lid, and with trajectory lines drawn (unlike, by the way, the QX56, which needs it a hundred times more). But cruising calmly in traffic in this coupe isn't a thrill. It's okay, but not a thrill. You release the brake pedal—and the aggressive five-speed automatic immediately takes off, and sometimes jerks during shifts. There are extra vibrations on the steering wheel (and elsewhere). The suspension is a bit stiff for some, but I like it. Dense, energy-intensive, resilient. However, I forget everything as soon as I do what you're supposed to do with this car. I press the gas pedal harder.
The upgraded V6 from the VQ37VHR family with variable valve timing is good. Nissan folks continue to refine its naturally aspirated philosophy and, I suspect, are already tired of going to the International Engine of The Year competition for awards.
333 "horses" is power. After five thousand rpm. For maximum output, you have to keep revving the engine. The gearbox willingly keeps the pace. And if it does lag, you can always give it a wake-up call by flicking the paddle shifter and taking matters into your own hands. The G37 doesn't launch like a bullet from a standstill. Nor does it gain speed with the smoothness and thrust of an airplane. Somewhere in between.
Infiniti doesn't quite reach true premium yet, but there's plenty of sport in its character.
I catch myself thinking the acceleration isn't impressive. Powerful—yes. But for me to get into this car, it's not enough. And, calmly driving around the city, I started nitpicking the climate control too, which blows cold air in your face with the impudence of a penguin. And then, on one of the little details in the cabin, I notice the inscription Nissan...
It's no secret—on the Japanese market, the G37 is called the Nissan Skyline. And let fans scream that it's as far from the GT-R as the Moscow Ring Road is from the Nürburgring. They're right. Especially since, starting from the previous generation, these cars were largely developed with an eye on America. But still, it's a Skyline and it's a Nissan, no matter what badge you put on it. Look, even the G37 is under-kitted. And your view of the car immediately changes.
Maybe it's time to drop the snobbery? Stop comparing the interior and ergonomics with the Big German Three (and it wouldn't stand any comparison with Lexus either)? Maybe just look at the car as a well-equipped sports coupe and a more practical alternative to the Nissan 350Z? This isn't premium pretending to be sport. It's sport pretending to be premium.
The G37 has everything a very cool Nissan needs. The FM (Front Mid-ship) layout with the engine shifted within the wheelbase (the same as the previous generation). Almost perfect weight distribution. A rear VLSD limited-slip differential and a 4WAS all-wheel steering system. The wheels here aren't 17-inch shod with miserable Turanzas like the G35x, but proper 19-inch ones with Potenza RE050A tires, 225/45 in front and 245/40 in the rear.
The chassis clings to the asphalt fervently, and no lateral forces can tear it away. It traces the trajectory set by the steering wheel even when the laws of physics seem to have been violated. The steering effort is well-calibrated. The onset of a slide (when it does occur) is felt perfectly and promptly quelled by the stability control. How responsive the car is! Of course, the rear-wheel steering system deserves credit for that. But I can't say how much it contributes to the overall effort. I'd need to drive the same road in a car without it to understand the difference. I'll say one thing: the handling is magnificent. And that's enough for me.
And the previous generation had a more interesting rear end.
After a short sprint, I get out of the car and light up a cigarette to the quiet hum of the engine. What eclipse came over me back then, during my acquaintance with the G35x? Why didn't I appreciate that car? It probably wasn't much worse. Because now I realize I won't be going home in the G37 until I burn through a full tank of gas. Am I in love? No. I'm infatuated.
Here, the G37 comes only in the Sport trim with slightly odd bumpers, 19-inch wheels, and a spoiler on the trunk lid.
By the way, isn't it expensive for a Skyline? It's fine. Paying extra for the badge again. Yes, I can find a million flaws in the G37. But overall, it's quite good. Something similar in dynamics, handling, equipment, and with some semblance of premium would cost ten to twenty thousand dollars more. Are all my nitpicks worth that much? I know what most people would say.
Specifications| Characteristics | Infiniti G37 Sport |
|---|---|
| Body | |
| Number of doors/seats | 2/4 |
| Length, mm | 4655 |
| Width, mm | 1820 |
| Height, mm | 1395 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1790 |
| Gross weight, kg | 2115 |
| Trunk volume, l | 242 |
| Engine | |
| Type | Petrol, with distributed injection |
| Location | Front, longitudinal |
| Number and arrangement of cylinders | 6, V-shaped |
| Number of valves | 24 |
| Displacement, cm3 | 3696 |
| Max. power, hp/rpm | 333/7000 |
| Max. torque, Nm/rpm | 363/5200 |
| Transmission | |
| Gearbox | Automatic, five-speed |
| Drive | Rear |
| Chassis | |
| Front suspension | Double wishbone with anti-roll bar |
| Rear suspension | Independent, multi-link, with anti-roll bar |
| Front brakes | Disc, ventilated |
| Rear brakes | Disc, ventilated |
| Ground clearance, mm | 134 |
| Performance characteristics | |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 250 |
| Acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h, s | 6 |
| Fuel consumption, l/100 km | |
| urban cycle | 16.4 |
| extra-urban cycle | 9.5 |
| combined cycle | 12 |
| Toxicity standard | Euro-4 |
| Fuel tank capacity, l | 74 |
| Fuel | AI-95 |
- Electronic brake-force distribution (EBD)
- Emergency brake assist (BA)
- 4-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS)
- Vehicle dynamic control (VDC)
- Traction control system (TCS)
- Central locking with remote control
- Infiniti Advanced Air Bag System (AABS)
- Additional side airbags
- Additional curtain airbags installed in the upper part of door openings
- Seat belts with pre-crash pretensioning during emergency braking
- Front active head restraints
- Bi-xenon headlights with automatic leveling
- Front fog lights
- Glass with UV filter (windshield with greenish tint)
- 19-inch alloy wheels, summer tires 225/45 R19 front and 245/40 R19 rear
- Dual folding exterior mirrors with heating and electric adjustment
- Light sensor
- Aluminum decorative trim on center console and instrument panel
- Leather interior
- Rearview camera
- 5-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode, sport mode DS and Downshift Rev Matching function
- Intelligent key chip key, ignition button
- Dual-zone climate control with microfiltration and charcoal cabin filter to reduce ingress of foreign odors and smoke
- Power windows for driver's door with one-touch up/down and auto-reverse
- Buzzer warning about keys left in the car
- Buzzer warning about headlights left on
- Light indicator warning about open trunk door
- Auto-dimming interior rearview mirror
- Power sunroof with tilt and slide, anti-pinch function
- Driver's seat adjustment with 8 degrees of freedom, power and manual lumbar adjustment, electric adjustment of driver's seat cushions in shoulder and hip area + manual adjustment of extendable thigh support
- Passenger seat adjustment with 8 degrees of freedom, power and manual adjustment of extendable thigh support.
- Memory for two driver's seat positions, steering column and exterior mirrors, with individual Intelligent key fobs
- Front seats with heating
- Cruise control with steering wheel controls
- On-board computer
- Premium Bose two-channel audio system with AM/FM and RDS, 6-disc CD changer in center console and ability to play MP3 and WMA files, 11 speakers and steering wheel controls + Driver audio stage function
- Optitron instruments with white-violet backlight
- Active rear-wheel steering system (4WAS)
Tested vehicle price — 1,739,680 rubles ($72,500) ## Technology
