Infiniti – 2008 G37 (Custom) – Can You Really Make This Car Any Nicer?

Before stepping foot into a vehicle, the history of the vehicle itself is always a good thing to know and keep in mind. So let’s do a mini dive into the origin of the Infiniti G37 coupe. Infiniti first hit the American market in 1990, but obviously the cars they began releasing then were nowhere close to the G37, but everyone has to start somewhere right? 

Infiniti released their 4th generation of cars in 2007, but took another year before releasing the G37 coupe. The G37 coupe that was released in 2009, was a replacement to the G35 sedan – and although there was some inspiration and credit that’s due in part to the exterior look of the G37, the two cars are very different. 

Infiniti was looking for a more powerful sedan than the G35 – the most reliable sedan at the time, but they didn’t want the race car feel. So needless to say, the driving experience in both cars are very different. Let’s start with the most obvious difference between the two cars – the engine. The G35 was packing a 3.5L V6 engine under the hood, with 293 horsepower. The G37 on the other hand packs a 330 horsepower 3.7L VQ-series V6 engine under the hood with 270 lb-ft of torque. 

The 2008 Infiniti G37 coupe is definitely an upgrade to its predecessor, the G35 sedan, not only in terms of design but also in terms of performance. The G coupe has become popular over the years since its model arrival in 2003, reaching a sales volume annually of nearly 26,000 (which is 40% of all G sales). 

With the base price of this car starting at an estimated $35,000 and the fact that it keeps safety at top of mind when it comes to the design, this car is the obvious choice. Added weight to a car (generally speaking) is not usually a good thing but when it comes to safety, the added weight will be appreciated by the driver. With that being said, the coupe’s larger doors require more reinforcement, which adds to the increase in weight between the two cars in order to achieve a high side-impact crash rating. More crash structure equals more weight and so larger brakes (which this car has) and a slightly heavier engine are contributing factors as well. 

In terms of exterior design, the G37 blends the fresh design cues of a sedan – including a wave hood, a double-arch grille, L-shaped headlamps, and an integrated rear spoiler, while upgrading the look to more grown up or mature in other words. Dimensionally speaking, the G37 still follows a similar path to the G35, growing only 0.9 inch in length and 0.2 inch in width, while shrinking 0.1 inch in height. The wheelbase remains the same at 112.2 inches, with the front and rear tracks widening 0.5 and 0.9 inch respectively. 

This car is available in 3 different 6MT trim levels, Base, Journey, and Sport. It comes in two options – 5-speed automatic or 6-speed manual with capabilities of 16/23 mpg city/hwy. Standard safety features for this car include: ABS, traction control, stability control, tire pressure monitoring, and front, side, and curtain airbags. When put to the 0-60 test, this car achieved it in 5.2 seconds, which isn’t too bad, but justified because of the added weight from the safety features. 

Final Thoughts

In my opinion, this is a great car – definitely because of all the upgraded features and safety features that it comes with in comparison to the G35 sedan. Design wise, Infiniti did a good job of keeping the exterior look professional but playful and achieved their goal of not wanting it to look like a race car. This car is definitely worth the cost and although this specific version is 13 years old, it still fits in nicely with the design of the new cars – definitely a classic car.