2008 Infinity G37-S Coupe

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Jastreb
Senior Standardshifter
Posts: 434
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 6:57 pm
Cars: 2009 Mazda RX-8 R3, Blue
Location: LA Metro area, California

2008 Infinity G37-S Coupe

Post by Jastreb »

Only a recent visit to see family, I drove a relative's 2008 Infinity G37-S Coupe for roughly a day and a half.
I didn't take any pictures, but here's a stock photo of a red one just like it:
Image

Specifications:
Year: 2008
Make: Infinity
Model: G37 Sport Coupe
Transmission: 6-speed MT
Engine: 3.7L V6; 330 HP @ 7000 RPM, 270 ft. lbs. of torque @ 5200 RPM
Suspension: Double wishbone front, multi-link rear
Curb weight: 3668 Lbs
Gas tank capacity: 20 US gallons

Engine/Drivetrain Performance: 8
Handling/Braking: 7
Comfort/Interior: 9
Practicality: 5
Reliability: 8
Cost to own: 4
Feasibility of Sexual Encounters: 5
Fun Factor: 7

Much of my review is from the perspective of an RX-8 owner, which is not entirely inappropriate given they they are both rear wheel drive coupe, with sporting intentions. However, they are 2 very different cars.

Engine/Drivetrain Performance: This is a big V-6 and it has got lots of low end grunt. This is an easy car to get up to speed - the torque and horsepower numbers speak for themselves. I was surprised however, that is seemed to start running out of breath around 5,000 rpm, and even though the specs say otherwise, didn't feel like it had much more to give. Maybe this is simply because I'm so used to a rotary which is only waking up at 5000 rpm... The exhaust is tuned to give a deep and throaty sound once there's some flow through it, but there's not mistaking it's a V6 if you rev it at idle.

Shifting this car is easy. The engagement is smooth, but still has some feel to it. The clutch seems to absorb minor RPM mismatch, making for a smooth ride. At times it felt like the car has a CDV (not sure about that though) The flip side is that you really don't get that tactile reward for nailing a shift just right, the way some cars are. In my car you get rewarded for getting it right, and you get punished with jerkiness for botching it, but the Infinity doesn't really care. Overall, a capable and easy car to drive, but not really that engaging, which is why it gets an 8.

Handling/Braking: Don't have much to go on here - it wasn't my car, so I didn't push it much. It is a heavy car, but seemed to carry that weight well enough. Maybe a little bit of body roll but not too much. Overall what you would expect from a luxury touring coupe.

Comfort: As you might expect, this is a comfy luxury car, with heated leather seats and a well made interior. Has a clock face on the dash, which is a nice touch. The ride on the highway is smooth and the wind noise is subdued. Not Lexus-like quiet but close.

Practicality: Has two rear seats, but they are a bit of a pain to get to, and once you're there, your head is up against the rear glass if you're over 5' 10''. No center pass through in the rear, but maybe the rear seats fold down for larger items. The trunk is fairly shallow, but you can still fit a couple of duffel bags/groceries in there. Well, at least people with legs can sit in the back if they really want to, unlike a Mustang.

Reliability: Haven't heard of anything major going wrong on this particular car in five years. As an aside, the wheels are ridiculously easy to curb - seems like the tire is not wide enough to shield the rim from anything, or the design of the wheel is funky. The wheels were curbed to shit when I got it, and it seemed like even a 2-inch curb would do it.

Cost to own: Don't know about maintenance costs, but it is not a cheap car to buy (cost in the mid-upper $30,000s when new, probably about $20,000 used).

FOSE: Well this is a good looking car and good sounding car, but it also screams mid-life crisis. Most of the attention it got was from middle aged dudes. I suppose this might be a good vehicle for picking up bored/divorced housewives. The interior isn't too accommodating to that sort of thing though, so you may need to find another location.

Fun Factor: This is a pleasant car to drive, and you can have some fun in a straight line. Ideal car for a lengthy road trip. But this is not a sports car, and doesn't really connect with the driver.
2009 Mazda RX-8 R3
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