Infiniti G37S Part 2: Interior & User Experience

It should be obvious to anyone who lays eyes on the Infiniti G37S, that this is one striking car. It's hard to take your eyes off one as it goes by on the street. But what's it like when you open the door and sit inside the cabin? Is the promise presented by its perfectly proportioned exterior delivered once you've climbed in?

The answer is yes. With its combination of elegant style and functional ergonomics, the interior of the G37S lives up to the expectations set by its exterior.

The cabin features the usual mix of leather, high-grade soft-touch plastics and great looking aluminum accents with a texture that simulates hand-made Japanese paper (Washi paper). This is a particularly nice touch that shows a heritage unique to this class, as the G37's competition for the moment amounts to a few coupes from Germany.

Comfort and space are plentiful for front seat passengers, but anyone subjected to the back seat won't be happy - which, let's face it, goes for most coupes. Build quality is solid, as you'd expect from Infiniti. The only complaint is with the seat belt support arm, which doesn't seem as well thought out as the rest of the details in the cabin. While it's simpler than the motorized arm in the BMW 3 series coupe, it just doesn't work as well as it should, minor point as that may be.

The well-bolstered seats offer a ton of adjustment, so getting comfortable isn't an issue. And once you've found your ideal driving position, there's a memory feature that allows you to save it along with the position of the mirrors and the steering wheel and instruments cluster - which move as one.

Our test car didn't have the excellent navigation system we've experienced in other Infiniti products, but even without it, you still get a large screen at the top of the center console for various functions such as the audio and climate control systems.

Luckily, we did have the 6-speed manual transmission on our test car. Rowing through the gears was mostly a positive experience, with the shifter's short and precise throws feeling more sporting than any other element in the car. However, the clutch had a long travel and an abrupt take up right at the top of its travel. It might have been a trait specific to our relatively high-mileage media car, but if not, the automatic might be the gearbox to get in this car - wait, did I just say that?!

It's just that the personality of the G37S, surprisingly, leans more toward the luxury side of the performance/luxury equation. I'd expected the exact opposite, given that this car is aimed squarely at the BMW 335i - a coupe that puts performance before luxury. But the Infiniti coupe reinforced its luxurious slant with its extremely quiet and supple interior. It's actually a bit of a shame that the car is so quiet even when you're hustlin' it, as only lucky bystanders get to hear the great sounds coming from the VQ37 V6 through its twin exhaust outlets.

So the Infiniti G37S provides its occupants with a quieter environment and a more compliant ride than its main rival, but what's wrong with that? It may actually prove to be genius product positioning by Infinti, as the G coupe has most of the dynamics of its well-established German competitor, while offering more luxury content for the dollar. Its looks promise an elegant and sporting experience, and as it turns out, its interior delivers on that promise in perfect proportion.

Watch the video
Read Part 1: Design
Read Part 3: Performance

Infiniti G37S

Performance
- Acceleration: Torque-rich VQ37 pulls well from anywhere on the tach - flat torque curve means it doesn't feel a quick as it is
- Handling: Good compromise between comfort and sport, leaning toward comfort - but limited-slip differential (LSD) means you can get sporty too...
- Braking: No longer supplied by Brembo, the brakes feel great nonetheless

Design
- Exterior: Perfect proportions and subtle surfacing produce one of the best looking cars on the road 
- Interior: A near match for the excellent exterior design - great textured aluminum accents

Utility
- Comfort: Very spacious coupe... for the front passengers
- Space: Using the rear seats as storage space means there's plenty of room

Safety
- Dynamics: Very predictable chassis has no bad habits - perhaps a bit too softly sprung? 
- Technology: Excellent stability control system and all the safety goodies you'd expect

Value
- Price: More content as standard equipment than its competitors and nearly all of the performance
- Mileage: V6 does well when driven with a light throttle foot

Emotional Appeal
- Heart thumpin' factor: The best (and only) Japanese performance luxury coupe moves you with its gorgeous looks
- Fun to spank: Willing partner on track with its LSD, but not really at its best when driven hooligan style

SPECIFICATIONS

Layout: Front engine / Rear wheel drive
Engine: 3.7 liter, V6
Power (SAE): 330 hp @  7000 rpm
Torque: 270 lbs-ft @  5200 rpm
Redline: 7500 rpm
Gearbox: 6 speed manual
Curb Weight: 3670 lbs.
0-60 mph: 5.4 sec.
1/4 mile: 14.1 sec. @ 102 mph
Top Speed: 155 mph (electronically limited)
Mileage: 17 city / 26 highway
Base Price: $36,200
Competitors: BMW 335i, Mercedes Benz CLK350, Audi A5