Faster than many sports cars and just as involving, with its super-stiff chassis and optional paddle-shift automatic, the revised Infiniti G for 2010 is the complete luxury saloon for drivers seeking a more individual alternative to the ubiquitous stars of the compact executive class. With dynamic new front-end styling and enhanced interior, the charismatic V6 range starts at £31,200 and includes new Premium versions with all of Infiniti’s most in-demand safety and convenience features as standard.

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At a glance

• Most recommended car in its class in the USA (Source: AutoPacific)
• Tuneful 3.7-litre V6 engine producing 320 PS (316 bhp) in all versions
• Long wheelbase for spacious five-seater cabin
• Sporty rear-drive or intelligent all-wheel drive versions
• 6-speed manual or adaptive 7-speed automatic with paddle shift
• 155 mph, 0-62mph in 5.8 sec, 26.7 mpg (combined cycle), 248 g/km of CO2
• 4-Wheel Active Steer standard on driver-focused S and S Premium
• All versions with unique self-repairing Scratch-shield paint
• High level of passive safety including pedestrian-friendly pop-up bonnet
• VIP service for all includes free car pickup/delivery
• Now with new look and enhanced interior
• Premium versions with standard Connectiviti+ satnav/multimedia and Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC)

OVERVIEW: EXCLUSIVITY AS STANDARD

The G Line range competes in the highly competitive compact executive sector where German badges dominate – but where there’s an increasing thirst for something new, different and fresh. Infiniti’s distinctive and dynamic V6-powered sports four-door arrives in this market not looking to convert the masses, but instead to offer free-thinking individuals the alternative they crave.

The G might be Infiniti’s lead-in model for the UK range, but there is nothing entry-level about the 155 mph saloon’s spacious cabin, long list of standard equipment and sports car-beating performance.

With 320 PS (316 bhp) in all versions, the G offers effortlessly rapid progress, its speed across the ground (0-62 mph in just 5.8 secs) backed up by a strong sports focus in its driver-orientated cockpit and responsive handling, specially tuned for European roads.

The power is not at the expense of efficiency thanks to Infiniti’s patented VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) technology that ensures the optimum fuel/air mix at any point in the wide rpm range. Extensive weight saving measures also feature, along with an optional 7-speed adaptive automatic transmission, complete with gearshift paddles behind the steering wheel. A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard.

As with other Infinitis, the G is based on the immensely rigid FM platform whose long-wheelbase architecture provides not just the stance and balance of a sporting saloon, but also a cabin with class-leading room for up to five adults. Wheelbase, a key indicator of legroom, is almost 100mm (4ins) longer than that of the BMW 3-series.

As befits the individual nature of both the car and the service behind it, there are versions to please all drivers. The GT puts the emphasis on luxury; the x comes with standard intelligent all-wheel drive as well as standard automatic transmission; and the S takes the already highly resolved handling to a new level of driver involvement. Not just big wheels and badges here, then: the S benefits from the unique addition of 4-Wheel Active Steer (4WAS) along with a Viscous Limited Slip Differential (VLSD), sports suspension and upgraded brakes. It is a driver’s car through and through.

New in 2010 are Premium versions of the GT and S models, developed in response to customer demand for cars with the highest standard specification possible. All Premium models come with Infiniti’s 30 GB hard disk drive (HDD) information and entertainment platform, Connectiviti+, with its innovative satellite navigation system’s access to tourist information and points of interest (POI) from the Michelin Red and Green Guides. Also standard  is a Bose® 10-speaker sound system, reversing camera and Infiniti’s innovative safety technology, Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) combined with Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA).

The Premium models, expected to be the top sellers, are like every model in the G Line in offering as standard features that buyers in the class expect – but often have to pay more for elsewhere. All Gs also come with features others don’t offer at any price, such as Scratch-shield “self healing” paint. This unique Infiniti technology can show up to five times fewer scratches than a car with a conventional clearcoat.

G Line owners also benefit from Infiniti’s Total Ownership Experience, a new level of customer service that’s been honed to perfection over the past 20 years in other markets around the world. Such as the USA, where in a “would you recommend your car?” survey of 25,000 drivers, 95% of G owners said they would. It was the highest percentage of recommendations won by any single model (Source: AutoPacific).

G LINE IN DETAIL

Exterior design

The G achieves its understated sophistication through a blend of good proportions, flowing lines and elegant detailing. It clearly looks to be what it is: a high quality, compact sports saloon, albeit one with a different, warmer take on the sports saloon norm.

The proportions are classic Infiniti. The bonnet is long and low, the front overhang short, the cabin visually pushed back towards the high and short tail and the muscular haunches. This could only be a front engine/rear-wheel drive car.

Subtle styling enhancements for the 2010 Model Year introduce a more sculptural front end which ties the design more closely to that of the G Coupé. New front light clusters and a fresh-looking iteration of the familiar double-arch Infiniti grille are the main component changes, while a redesigned under-bumper section with recessed, wide-set foglights (previously the fogs were set into the main light clusters) gives the G a more purposeful edge to its already striking visual impact.

A low centre of gravity and balanced front-to-rear weight distribution are the trademark characteristics of the FM “front midship” platform on which every G Line model is based. But the 2850mm wheelbase – long by the standards of the premium compact class – also lends the G a strikingly elegant silhouette. This is heightened by the subtly rising beltline, a near coupé-like arc to the roofline and chrome-edged glasshouse cut short at the back by the dynamic C-pillar.

Design details are handled with Infiniti’s usual appreciation of both aesthetics and Japanese culture, as well as technical precision. The grille’s “twisted” horizontal blades are inspired by traditional Japanese swords. The distinctive wraparound LED taillights are another Infiniti design signature. A neat, upswept spoiler integrated into the boot lid contributes to zero-lift aerodynamics over the rear axle.

Interior design

Fulfilling the sometimes conflicting demands of both driver and passengers, the G’s cabin is an exemplar of the design DNA that distinguishes the interiors of all Infiniti’s models, up to and including the FX50S flagship.

The key characteristics of this DNA are a “scooped out” feel on the driver’s side of the car; a welcoming, open feeling for passengers; the “double wave” dashboard upper section linked to a central vertical spine for a feeling of solidity; an abundance of natural materials; and, as with the exterior, a nod at Japanese culture.

Enhancements for 2010 models include the introduction of textured aluminium trim reminiscent of Japanese calligraphy along with a new high gloss finish for the Rosewood inserts and a redesigned centre console based on that of the EX and FX crossovers.

All of this, plus the generous level of standard equipment including even reclining rear seats, makes the G’s spacious cabin a warm and welcoming environment with comfort and quality uppermost – exactly what buyers expect of a premium car.

What they may not expect – but which is central to the Infiniti way of doing things – is a very driver-centric approach for the person sitting behind the steering wheel. The driver’s seat (with eight-way power adjustment standard) offers comfort with support while the leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel is fully adjustable to enable most sizes to find the ideal driving position. Infiniti priorities of a logical control layout and absolute instrument clarity, day or night, make the driver’s job easier still, while the I-Key smart access system and push button starter further add to the convenience.

ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION

All versions of the G are powered by Infiniti’s latest 3.7-litre V6 engine. It’s a potent, high revving 24-valve twin-cam unit whose VVEL variable valve technology ensures maximum efficiency in all driving conditions. Power peaks at 320 PS (316 bhp) at 7000 rpm while there is an impressive 360 Nm (266 lb ft) of torque at 5200 rpm.

Constructed from lightweight aluminium, the engine features a two-part bed-plate construction which is more rigid than a single-piece casting. This reduces vibration levels and permits sustained use at higher revs.

The VQ37 unit features Variable Valve Event and Lift technology to optimise efficiency and, in turn, the balance between power, response, fuel efficiency and emissions. By continually altering valve lift and therefore the quantity of air in the combustion chamber, the VVEL system provides a more powerful combustion phase to increase torque and power. Best of all, as the valves control the intake rather than a conventional butterfly, response to throttle inputs is immediate.

Apart from using less fuel and lowering emissions compared to an engine with a standard valve lift system, the VVEL engine couples a satisfyingly sporty high-rpm roar – the result of specially tuned equal-length exhaust manifolds – with a driving ease born of torque that builds progressively, with nothing “peaky” about the power delivery.

And of course it does deliver very high performance. Equipped with the standard 6-speed manual gearbox, the entry G is a 155 mph car that can accelerate from standstill to 62 mph in just 5.8 seconds. With the optional automatic, the sprint takes just one-tenth of a second more while top speed is the same (restricted) 155 mph. Even the four-wheel drive x model despatches 0-62 in only 6.0 sec.

On fuel economy, the auto – a state of the art 7-speed unit with Adaptive Shift Control and gearshift paddles – just pips the manual. On the combined cycle the auto returns 26.9 mpg with 246 g/km of CO2 against the manual’s 26.7 mpg and 248 g/km.

The ASC auto’s standard shift paddles, crafted from solid magnesium and located behind the steering wheel, offer the precise control of a manual gearbox with the convenience of two-pedal motoring. When not in manual mode, the ASC ‘box operates as a full, torque-converter automatic with the further facility to select the “DS” mode which allows the engine to rev to the red line, and changes down more readily under braking.

ON THE ROAD

It may be a saloon with plenty of room for five and a comfortable ride, but the G is perfectly able to tackle a demanding road like a sports car when required.

The key is its second-generation version of Infiniti’s FM platform which sites the bulk of the engine behind the front axle line; this is as close as you can get to a “mid-engined” saloon. Ensuring a substantial part of the engine’s weight is within the wheelbase means crisper turn-in to corners, without the nose-heavy feel of some saloons. The FM platform also aids cornering by positioning the engine low down in the chassis, resulting in a lower centre of gravity.

With the Saloon’s fully independent suspension, much of it made from lightweight aluminium, the G offers agility and stability in equal measure. The rear-wheel drive ensures that steering feel remains uncorrupted, while sophisticated electronic traction and stability control systems provide a safety net for the unexpected.

All G Line models come with vented disc brakes with ABS, Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA). The power steering system is a vehicle-speed-sensing type that provides optimum steering effort at all vehicle speeds. The G also offers a comfortable and quiet ride, thanks in part to the multilink rear suspension being mounted on its own subframe, helping reduce road noise.

x and S versions of the G build on these common foundations to offer their own distinct extra abilities.

An x badge identifies all-wheel drive versions with Infiniti’s ATTESA E-TS (Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All Electronic Torque Split) system, as found on EX37 and FX crossovers. The system uses an active centre clutch as the means to distribute torque, up to 50 per cent to the front wheels or 100 per cent to the rear. By constantly adjusting the power the system generates greater grip and better manoeuvrability on slippery surfaces without compromising the rear-wheel drive performance characteristics on dry roads.

The S model is the sportiest G Line and features a number of chassis changes in keeping with its sharper profile. The principal enhancement is the addition of 4-Wheel Active Steer (4WAS). This helps improve handling still further by varying the front steering ratio and adjusting the geometry of the rear suspension according to steering input and vehicle speed. The S also comes with a Viscous Limited Slip Differential (VLSD), recalibrated suspension settings and an enhanced braking system with four-piston front brakes and two-piston rears.