:t-cheers:

The seductive sports coupe pops its top and embraces the open air.

Slicing the roof off a slinky coupe such as the 10Best-winning Infiniti G37 is fraught with danger. A graceful corner eater can be wrecked by the added weight of structural reinforcements and pulled like taffy to package the folding roof. But as long ago as last August, when Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura showed the first alluring pictures of the Infiniti G37 convertible, we suspected Infiniti had preserved its best looker.

Nakamura’s accomplishment has been to throw out the roof while keeping the rest of the hot bod. In the G37, the muscular shoulders, the short overhangs, and the flat, athletic beltline are all still there. Infiniti proudly proclaims that the convertible is just 0.2 inch longer than the coupe, even though all the sheetmetal behind the seats is unique to the convertible. So far, we’re cheering.

Ready, Set, Compromise

Then the roof goes down with a button push, and we see why coupes tend to balloon in the top-cutting process. In a seamless, 30-second ballet of pirouetting panels and tumbling glass, the G37’s steel roof, engineered and supplied by Germany’s Karmann Group, efficiently fractures into three sections and stacks in the trunk. And then the trunk is full, stuffed like a steel egg roll. There’s barely enough room for a Subway foot-long once the G37’s top is stowed. The BMW 328i convertible, its base price right where the G37 convertible’s should land at about $45,000, leaves behind more usable space.

Full Story: Car and Driver – 2009 Infiniti G37 Convertible – First Drive Review

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They’ve all dropped out of the Detroit Auto Show!!!! Nissan and Infiniti have also decided to pass on the Chicago Auto Show also! That means no G37 Convertible, California, or 370Z for me until they show up at local dealerships. This sucks. I’m starting to wonder if I should bother going to Detroit next year. Maybe some of the local dealers will display some of these cars? NOT. They don’t have any money. The only bright spot is that I plan to go to the New York show this year in April. Oh and I forgot, Porsche is also skipping Detroit!

Source: Nissan Pulls Out of Detroit and Chicago Shows – worldcarfans

What an ugly car. It’s so ugly it even makes the BMW X6 look handsome. 

Oh yes, and for the sake of the comparison…

 

Full article: Jeremy Clarkson Infiniti FX50S review | Driving – Times Online

 

Press Release

ALL-NEW 2009 INFINITI G CONVERTIBLE MAKES ITS WORLD DEBUT AT THE LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW
First-ever Infiniti G Convertible Set For Spring 2009 Launch in North America
Infiniti today unveiled the latest expression of its “Inspired Performance,” the all-new 2009 Infiniti G Convertible, at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. The first-ever Infiniti G Convertible builds upon the performance legacy of the Infiniti G line, with the liberation only a convertible with the top down can provide. It is scheduled to go on sale at Infiniti dealers in North America in the spring of 2009, followed later in other Infiniti markets around the world.
“Designed to rejuvenate the spirit, the G Convertible adds an open-air soundtrack to the G’s legendary driving exhilaration,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, speaking before automotive media at the vehicle’s world debut. “This new G has dual beauty – it looks as good with the top up or down – along with a beautiful, leather-appointed interior that is meant to be experienced wide-open.”
The new G Convertible offers a three-piece folding steel top and a special convertible-focused interior, which features a unique Bose® Open Air Sound System that dynamically changes equalization based on outside noise, vehicle speed, and top position, and an adaptive climate control system that adjusts fan speed in accordance to top position and vehicle speed.
Every 2009 G Convertible comes equipped with an advanced 3.7-liter V6 rated at 325 horsepower. The engine is backed by a choice of an electronically controlled 7-speed automatic transmission with available magnesium paddle shifters or a responsive close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission.
Technology features include standard RearView Monitor and an available touch-screen Infiniti Navigation system with XM NavTraffic® Real-Time Traffic information with 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive, Pre-Crash Seat Belts, Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) with Preview Braking and Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS).
The G Convertible is offered in two models: the G37 Convertible and the G37S Convertible Sport 6MT, which adds sport-tuned steering and larger sport brakes, along with 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and W-rated performance tires.
Also available is a special, limited production G Convertible Premier Edition, offered exclusively through the Bloomingdale’s Holiday Catalog. With only 200 being built, the Premier Edition features a custom Monaco Red Leather leather-appointed interior, handcrafted red-tone Maple Wood trim, Midnight Black front grille and 9-spoke 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and tires. Pre-orders for the Premier Edition are being taken now for delivery in 2009.
The Infiniti display at the Los Angeles Auto Show also showcases the complete line of 2009 Infiniti vehicles, including the all-new Infiniti G37x Coupe with intelligent all-wheel drive, the new G37 Sedan with a 328-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 and a new, more powerful M35 rear-wheel drive sedan.

Source: worldcarfans.