Under The Big Top

Infiniti keeps the dynamics while loosing the roof – and trunk space – on its new G37 Convertible

Montreal, Quebec - We like to think Infiniti chose Cirque Du Soleil H.Q. in Montreal as the venue to unveil its new G37 Convertible, because it would get our creative juices flowing. Think of the metaphors: the car jumps through hoops to impress; walks a tight rope, balancing performance and comfort; wears a roof capable of impressive acrobatics.
But we digress… What we have here is a new model from Nissan’s luxury division that again throws it into a segment heretofore ruled largely by German players. Infiniti has been expanding as such for 20 years (this is its seventh model), a maneuver that has seen admirable results, with the brand now in 32 markets globally.
The four-seat G is one of two new Japanese luxury drop tops entering the mix this year, the other being Lexus’ $52,100 IS C (see pg. 32). G pricing starts at $57,400, rising to $60,700 for the Premier Edition. The latter comes only in Diamond Graphite grey with heated and cooled red leather seating, handmade maple wood trim and unique suspension tuning.
“We did not just cut the top off a Coupe,” said Ian Forsyth, the automaker’s director of corporate and product planning, though the Japanese-built G37 cabrio does share its basic platform and hardware with its sedan and coupe siblings. “We wanted to combine top down motoring with established G performance… [and] we wanted the car to look good top up or down”
As such, all the sheetmetal from the windscreen aft is new. The G’s rear suspension has been revised and the track widened 4 cm (1.5 in.) to make room for the three-piece folding roof. Infiniti said its use of a  “clamshell” top, instead of a stacking roof like BMW, keeps the rear deck low and prevents the car from becoming “ungainly.’
The tumbling hard roof – designed with Karmann of Germany – is a clever bit of engineering, folding in 30 seconds, but it leads to our biggest beef with the G37 Convertible: with the top down, the car has essentially zero cargo room. There is only a thin slot under the folded roof to jostle in a Meat Lover’s pizza. With some other hard top cabrios, the folded roof can be moved out of the way temporarily, to access a minimum of stowage space. Not so in the Infiniti. There’s more cargo room is a Pontiac Solstice, the poster child for poor cargo capacity.
We asked Infiniti why it chose the hardtop route, knowing the cargo consequences. Basically, it was required for “a luxury experience,” i.e.: it’s what the customers want and it’s what the competition is doing.
Check that: not everyone. Audi offers its A4 Cabriolet with a cloth roof and a proper trunk. Considering the expertise with material Infiniti shows in the interior of the EX35 crossover, we’d much rather have seen a soft top G.
We do respect that the hard roof gives the car a dual coupe/cabrio personality, but showing up at the country club with your golf bag hanging out of the rear seat? That’s not cool.
Roof quibbles aside, the G Convertible lives up to its family name in the dynamics and luxury equipment department.
The latest generation of the automaker’s VQ V6 is found under the hood, putting a stout 325 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. (The 3.7-litre is actually slightly down in power versus the Coupe because of exhaust rerouting in the cabrio).
The engine’s paired with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic transmission, both of which are excellent cog swappers. Note that the G clan has one of the best tailpipe soundtracks in the industry and the drop top only enhances the audible experience.
We spent a day burning about in the G cabrio north of Montreal. Steering, braking, suspension and acceleration all get the same high marks as the Infiniti’s fixed-roof relatives. There is a bit of shake, rattle and roll from the body over larger bumps, but that’s a common side effect for cars that have had their lids lopped off.
The G37 Convertible’s interior carries over essentially unchanged from the G Coupe, save for the new “Silk Obi” alloy trim. Infiniti’s interiors equal Deutschland’s offerings these days in terms of fit and materials.
Unique to the drop top is a climate control system that heats and cools differently, depending on if the roof is fixed or folded and a new Bose Open Air Sound System with 13 speakers.
Convertible buyers essentially get the G37 Coupe’s Sport Package as standard, including 19-inch alloys, sport seats, aluminum pedals and magnesium flappy paddles for the automatic gearbox. Other standard gear includes an Intelligent key with push button start (it can also fold the roof via a switch on the door handle), a backup camera, iPod connectivity, heated eight-way power front seats, power tilt/telescope steering, six airbags, stability control and rear pop-up bars to protect occupants in a role over.
The only option on the car is a $3,900 Hi-Tech Package, adding features like navigation, intelligent cruise control and adaptive front lighting.
So, with this freshman convertible challenging the industry’s best, we’re only left wondering what untapped segments Infiniti’s going to tackle next?