Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, Cadillac, Lincoln. Any automaker with dreams of glory in the upscale midsize sports sedan market has tried to beat the BMW 3-Series and lost. Too big, too small, too crude, too expensive, too front-wheel drive, too ugly, no stick. Of all the contenders, only Infiniti has mounted a credible challenge. Some say the last G35 [more or less] usurped the 3-Series throne. And then BMW dropped the turbo bomb: the sublime 330-horse 335i. Infiniti has countered, sending us the normally aspirated, equally-horsed G37 coupe. Does the new car hit the G-spot?
Youd be forgiven for not seeing anything new about the new G37. The styling changes are only slightly more evolutionary than whats happening with your baby toe. The biggest difference: in their Infiniti wisdom, stylists have traded the you got me by surprise! vertical headlights for more organic amoeba-shaped lamps. Otherwise, were looking at the same sleek, low-slung two-door sports car whose side profile is ruined by the inevitable 25-year-old son of stock broker with gelled-back hair sitting far too low behind the wheel.
The big news is inside. Out goes the first gen's old blocky JDM interior. In comes the sweeping cabin from the second generation G Sedan. Ignore the feng-shui dashboard and youll start to spot subtle signs that the G37 means business. The seats are now heavily bolstered and exceptionally comfortable, complete with an extending bottom cushion (just like the 3-Series Sport). The two curved razors behind the steering wheel are perfectly shaped for changing gears. And while the aluminum pedals are a bit tacky, well, point taken.
The G35 groaned and complained when you pressed the go-pedal. Spritz some gas into the G37s eponymous 3.7-liter V6 and she delivers the best aural sex you can get without dialing a number starting with 1-900. While theres nothing wrong with the way BMWs smooth-spinning six signals its intentions to pervert the course of justice, wind up the Infinitis mill to the 7500 rpm redline and you will have to fight the urge to do it again. And again.
The engine note perfectly mirrors the G37s intensely aggressive dynamic demeanor. Those who like their internal organs shoved rearwards will be heartened to hear that the new G eliminates the gap between zero to sixty in just 5.5 seconds. Yes, the 335i is faster. But the blown Bimmer swooshes you towards triple digits with less drama than an hour of C-Span. A whip-handed G37s whirrs, moans, screams and then jettisons you from any speed to any speed at speed.
And just as the G37s engine's sound and fury signifies a major hydromorphone bloodstream dump, the steering sets your left brain alight. Critics have rightly condemned BMW for the mental disengagement of its active steering system. The old G35 was far worse; it was surgically numb. But the new G37s tiller tactility trumps them all. Its as direct as a TTAC editorial, with great gobs of fingertip feedback and consistent and linear response. Its point and shoot perfection.
When it comes to handling, theres not much in it. Both the Infiniti and the BMW are fully capable of annihilating corners without a hint of oversteer or Nanny intrusion. Again, the 3-Series is the more civilized of the pair; it's the luxury sports sedan that can slalom through sharp curves with one-hand behind its back. The G37 is the sportier sports sedan; it makes you work that little bit harder for the same result.
Huge wheels, low profile tires, road imperfections (potholes, speed bumps, loose coins in the street) this is the usal recipe for getting jostled to the point where taping your hands to the steering wheel seems a safety-related option. And yet even a G37 equipped with the Sport Package (19 rims and performance tires) rides comfortably over broken surfaces. Its not cushy like a Caddy/Lexus, but theres no reason not to make a G37 a daily driver.
In short, the G37 is less mature than Old Man Bimmer, but a bit more fun for the really determined, hands on driver. And then theres the real bottom line. Dollar for dollar, the G37 coupe defenestrates the BMW 335i coupe and all its other natural born competitors. A G37 coupe buyer saves some seven grand over a comparably equipped 3-Series. Lease and a cold breeze blows through the showroom. Youre looking at a gap of less than $100/month. Three bucks a day. A cup of Starbucks. And come trade-in time
Never mind such prosaic concerns. Is the Infiniti G37 a better car than a 3-Series? That depends on which model you compare it to and your driving style. But one things for sure: the biggest difference between these two sports sedans is image. BMW can rely on the 3-Series iconic status to protect its sales, but that new kid in towns back, and hes badder than ever.
