So, you are ready to drop somewhere between $40 and $50K on an entertaining sports car. Your eyes are set on a Nissan 370Z, but you wonder whether the Infiniti G37 IPL will deliver an extra portion of fun worth the extra $7K.
We have had an opportunity to test drive a Nissan 370Z convertible last year and were rather impressed by its capability to deliver a sports car in a package that can be comfortably handled by every day drivers, but delivers enough room to play to please enthusiasts as well. Recently, an Infiniti G37 IPL was given to us and we could not help, despite the two different characters of the cars, to wonder which one we would rather pick, if we had to choose the more entertaining vehicle.
If money does not matter, the superficial choice would easily be the G37. It’s the more prestigious car, it looks much more upscale, we tend to describe it as Infiniti’s M3 and there has to be a benefit to the extra $7K.
Obvious similarities and differences
On a technical basis, both cars share Nissan’s LM platform, as well as the 3.7 liter V6, which delivers 332 hp in the 370Z, but is tuned to provide 348 hp in the G37 IPL (The Nismo 370Z gets 350 hp from this power plant). Both cars also share the key interior design, including the fabulous audio/navigation package, even if the 370Z looks and feels cheaper than the G37, which clearly appeals to the crowd of luxury sports car buyers. However, the G37 could be best described as a compromise between the 370Z as well as the G37 4-door sedan, which delivers most of the remaining parts for the coupe.
Also, the 370Z is a 2-seater, while the G37 IPL has space for four people. The back is roomy enough to accommodate at least kids and, if you need to, you can even squeeze a baby seat back there. Pricewise, last year’s 370Z convertible arrived with a sticker of just above $47,000 while this year’s Touring Coupe with sport package can be purchased for $42,570. The G37 IPL, which is based on the G37 Journey package, will cost at least $49,800.
Driving impressions: Something isn’t there
There is never the impression that the G37 IPL is underpowered, even if the driver will immediately notice that this is no rival for the 414 hp BMW M3, or even the 335is. For our review, we should note that the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 performance run flat winter tires did not allow us to fully explore the capabilities of this car: Our best 0-60 mph run was just 6.1 seconds. The handling and steering of the car was as expected. Like the 370Z, the G37 enables the driver to easily drive faster than you really should and provides great feedback from the road. You would have to be overly irresponsible in your driving manners to spin the G37 IPL off the road.
However, in consideration of the $50,000 that Infiniti asks for the G37 IPL, some drivers may be disappointed in the additional toys Infiniti delivers. In short, there isn’t much the driver can influence besides deactivating the traction control. Sure, it’s a luxury coupe, but the sporty character that is supported by the much stiffer suspension than in the regular G37, the IPL package should have included features such as Nissan’s rev matching that turns the 370Z into a very capable sports car on the track and a twisty highway. In terms of enthusiast features, the G37 falls a bit short. The flashy upgrades on the outside do not reach through to the inside.
The best G37 yet, but …
There is little doubt that this is the G37 to get, if you have the choice. The problem for Infiniti, of course, is that there are more capable luxury coupes out there and if a 2-seater is enough, we find the 370Z to be the much more entertaining choice that reveals the rough character we expect from a sports car. Think of the Infiniti to be the car you would want to pick over the 370Z for your daily drive to the office. On the weekend, however, you would take the 370Z to have fun. In that case, the $7K will either buy you a convertible version of the 370Z or you could get the Nismo 370Z Coupe for about $42,000.
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