German titans like BMW and Mercedes-Benz have been lapping European racetracks under their M and AMG banners for decades, honing performance hardware that customers would merrily plop down fat stacks of cash for later. While Japanese luxury automakers have been somewhat slow to embrace performance sub-brands, recent years have seen an explosion of consonant-laced badging stuck to sharper machinery. Among Japanese automakers, Lexus first dipped a toe in those waters with the company's F-Sport goods, and Infiniti has risen to the challenge with its new Infiniti Performance Line. By gracing the G37 Coupe with more horsepower, a sharper suspension, larger brakes and unique interior appointments, Infiniti has taken a first step into a world dominated by some of the world's most storied badges.
But is the IPL G37 a serious performance contender or simply a bolt-on queen with delusions of grandeur?
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| 2012 infiniti g37 |
In fact, there's very little about this machine that's understated. From its purposeful wheels to the coffee-can exhaust outlets, the IPL G37 is as much about being seen as it is about being quicker around a track. That fact extends to the available paint options. Buyers may choose between just two hues: Graphite Shadow and Malbec Black. Our tester came swaddled in the latter, and under direct sunlight, the color shifts into a very deep metallic purple that manages to land somewhere on the spectrum between royalty and a cheap velour suit. Ostentatious, thy name is 2012 Infiniti IPL G37 Coupe.
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| 2012 Infiniti G37 IPL front fascia |
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| 2012 Infiniti G37 IPL wheel |
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| 2012 Infiniti G37 IPL side mirror |
Technically, the IPL G37 Coupe can play host to two rear passengers, though the sloping roof line means anyone over five-foot, five-inches will find their scalps introduced to the headliner. Keep the back seats for coats, small bags and young children and there's no worry.
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| 2012 Infiniti G37 IPL interior |
Buyers may opt for either a six-speed manual transmission or the slick seven-speed automatic found in our tester. We typically wince any time we spot two pedals in a sports car, but Nissan has worked to make the automatic in the IPL G37 Coupe as engaging as possible. The transmission boasts rev-matching downshifts from column-mounted paddle shifters as well as adaptive shift control. Drive like an all-out hooligan and the gearbox will actually match its shift points to your habits. While that tech is anything but new, Nissan has done a good job of applying the system in the G37. Whereas other adaptive shift systems can feel muddled and confused as often than not, the IPL quickly switches between relaxed around town shifts and more aggressive hard-throttle swaps. Consider us impressed.
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| 2012 Infiniti G37 IPL engine |
Of course, the firmer coils also translate directly into a less compliant ride. Expansion joints, pavement variations and potholes are all telegraphed straight to the driver's spine despite the comfy seats. Though the suspension offers very precise turn-in and good poise through transitions, it lacks that balance of comfort and performance we pine for in a luxury sports car. Likewise, while the exhaust sounds fantastic with the engine prancing around in its loony upper octaves, the pipes fall into a straight drone in just about every other circumstance. Idling in traffic or loping down the highway left us wishing for a little more quiet from the vehicle's underbelly, and we're typically big proponents of more powertrain noise, not less.
We would be happy to forgive the stiff suspension and agitated exhaust if the IPL G37 Coupe came with the horsepower to match. We love the Chevrolet Corvette in spite of its aged interior, jarring suspension and barking pipes because it has the horsepower to back it all up. With a nearly imperceptible 18-horsepower increase in performance, the Infiniti simply feels under-muscled for its performance mission, especially when paired with an automatic transmission. The result is a model that seems caught somewhere between the S-Line aesthetic enhancements of Audi and the actual performance hardware of the Lexus F-Sport line.
Undoubtedly, the Corvette allusion above garnered a few raised eyebrows. Before the Commentariat erupts into a ball of flame over the fact that no one in their right mind would ever possibly cross shop the two vehicles, allow us to say a word on the IPL G37 Coupe's price tag. This car starts at $49,800, which is $12,000 more than the base G37 and $5,600 more than the G37 S, all excluding destination. It's also $200 more than the aforementioned base Corvette.
Vital Stats
Engine: 3.7L V6
Power: 348 HP / 276 LB-FT
Transmission: 7-Speed Automatic
0-60 Time: 5.5. Seconds (*Est.)
Drivetrain: Rear-Wheel Drive
Curb Weight: 3,769 LBS
Seating: 2+2
Cargo: 7.4 CU-FT
MPG: 19 City / 27 HWY
MSRP: $51,700 Base (*Automatic)
While that kind of money certainly won't buy you a BMW M3, it will put a set of BMW 1 Series M Coupe keys in your pocket. With comparable horsepower, less weight and a genuine high performance bent, there's certainly nothing in the IPL DNA that should keep a buyer from dropping the sales materials and scurrying across the street to the BMW dealer before they hit the ground.
Indeed, the biggest problem facing the IPL G37 Coupe is the plethora of excellent alternatives on the market. One needs only look elsewhere in the Infiniti stable to see what we mean. The G37 S is a solid sports coupe in and of itself, so at 98 percent of the IPL's performance, Infiniti can keep its sparkly paint and we'll happily keep our fat stack of $100 bills.
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