2009 Infiniti G37: What's New

Vehicle Overview
The G37 lineup is a compelling alternative to the BMWs and Mercedes of the world. The lineup includes a sport sedan (which is last year’s G35 with an upgraded engine), a coupe and a newly available convertible. Trim levels include the base, Journey, Sport 6MT and G37x, which is sold exclusively with all-wheel drive. Chief competitors are the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Lexus IS.

The 2009 G37 convertible debuted at the Los Angeles auto show in November.

New for 2009
The G lineup gets an available seven-speed automatic transmission and self-healing paint. New to the sedan is the 3.7-liter V-6 — instead of the 3.5-liter in last year’s G35, hence the name change — which is the same engine that’s already available on the coupe. The G37 coupe receives an optional all-wheel-drive system, and a retractable-hardtop convertible is all-new for 2009.

Exterior
The G37 is more angular and less organic than past Infinitis. At 183.1 inches long and 71.8 inches wide, the G37 coupe is marginally bigger than the 335i coupe. It’s even a bit wider than the G37 sedan’s 69.8 inch width, but the sedan is about 4 inches longer.

• Available 17-, 18- or 19-inch wheels
• Standard HID headlamps
• Standard fog lamps
• Optional directionally adaptive headlamps (not on base model)
• Optional deck-lid spoiler (not on base model)

Interior
The G37 seats five in the sedan and four in the coupe. Apart from having a smaller backseat with room for two instead of three, the coupe’s cabin is not much different from that of the sedan. Both sport high-quality materials with real textured-aluminum or wood trim. Infiniti’s intelligent cruise control is optional and can match highway speeds with the car ahead of it.

• Standard leather-appointed seats
• Standard automatic temperature control
• Standard intelligent key with push-button ignition
• Optional Bose audio system (not on base model)
• Optional intelligent cruise control (not on base model)
• Optional voice-activated navigation system with 9.3GB hard drive (not on base model)

Under the Hood
The coupe is now available with an advanced all-wheel-drive system. The G37 coupe has an elaborate air-induction system that’s similar to BMW’s Valvetronic, giving it more power than the sedan.

Infiniti’s 4-Wheel Active Steer system is optional on the Journey and 6MT. It turns the rear wheels as well as the front ones, which purportedly improves high-speed handling and makes it easier to turn at parking-lot speeds.

• 328-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 with 269 pounds-feet of torque (sedan)
• 330-hp, 3.7-liter V-6 with 270 pounds-feet of torque (coupe)
• Available six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission
• Available viscous limited-slip differential (optional on Journey, standard on Sport 6MT)
• Available advanced all-wheel-drive system (G37x)
• Optional four-wheel active steer (Journey, Sport 6MT)

Safety
Some unique safety features include a preview braking function that preloads the brakes for faster response if a car in front of you slams on its brakes. Also optional are pre-crash seat belts that can tighten in response to emergency braking.

• Standard side-impact airbags
• Standard side curtain airbags
• Standard antilock braking system
• Standard electronic stability system and traction control
• Standard first-aid kit
• Optional brake-operated pre-crash seat belts (not on base model)
• Optional rearview camera (not on base model)

G37 convertible
The G37 convertible, Infiniti’s first droptop in many years, features a three-piece, power-retractable hardtop and the same drivetrain as the G37 sedan. It comes in two trim levels: base and Sport 6MT. The latter denotes a six-speed manual transmission, larger wheels and a sport-tuned suspension. An available 13-speaker Bose audio system mounts speakers in the head restraints, and Infiniti says the climate-control system adapts to vehicle speed and whether the top is up or down.