You've have seen the first two Cars You Wish You Could Drive, the 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, and the 2009 Mini Cooper Electric, and you have made those blogs #1 on this, an off-road truck, website. So for that reason we bring you Part Three: The 2009 Infinity G37-S.

Now we know what you are thinking, and no you can't hide behind the tough guy persona anymore. The numbers don't lie and you guys did in fact make the previous car blogs #1 in blog traffic. So there is no more saying you don't want to see it. So with that out of the way let's get to the fun stuff!

When we were presented with the opportunity to test out this new model from Infinity our first thoughts were something along the lines of "Who would really be interested in this?". But those thoughts soon changed as we looked over the spec sheet and realized this isn't your grandma's four door luxury car, this thing has an attitude.
Pop the hood of this seemingly quaint car and what you will find is sure to impress. The G37S is motivated by a 3.7liter DOHC V6 engine that produces an astonishing 328 horsepower and 269lb/ft of torque. This four door animal will do Zero to 60 in 5.0 seconds flat and will knock down the 1/4 mile in just 13.5 seconds. That's down right impressive!

What does the S stand for you ask? Adding the Sport package to most vehicles gets you a tacky spoiler and some stickers, not so with the G37. The Sport package adds on an array of goodies including a pair of solid magnesium paddle shifters, a limited-slip differential, 18" alloy wheels with performance tires, a stiffer sport tuned suspension, an Akebono brake system with larger rotors four piston fixed front calipers and two piston fixed rear calipers, sport seats with larger side bolsters, a quicker 14.7:1 steering ratio, and a set of aluminum pedals to finish it off.

New for 2009 the G37S gets a brand new, 7 Speed automatic transmission. This new transmission comes with Drive Sport (DS) Mode and Manual Shift Mode with Downshift Rev Matching. Manual Shift Mode can be utilized by either tapping the shifter or hitting the Magnesium Paddle Shifters on the steering wheel. Driving the car in normal mode the transmission shifted so smooth that once it got past second or third gear it was hard to tell when exactly the shifts happened. Switch the transmission into DS mode and a whole new beast emerges. The shifts get crisp and fast and the transmission holds the gears for a longer period to bring the engine into the peak horsepower RPM range. Downshifting in DS mode utilizes the Rev Match feature and creates a very firm, much defined downshift. Our only real gripe with this transmission, and in fact the car, is Manual Shift Mode. A car as sporty as this deserves a DSG transmission, which this car does not have. When making shifts in Manual Mode the delay between hitting the shifter and the shift taking place seems like an eternity, if the car feels that it doesn't want to be in the gear you want it in, it simply won't go. Downshifting is better as it happens relatively quickly thanks to the Rev Match feature. We found the best driving style was to allow the car to handle the up shifts in DS Mode and then use the paddles to downshift, though this required constantly changing transmission modes.

For you frugal folks out there looking for a fuel efficient car never fear, the G37-S delivers in this category too! The G37S comes with an EPA estimated 18mpg City and 26mpg Highway. During our testing we recorded a high of 28.1mpg, cruise set between 65-75 on the open highway, and 12.1mpg, driving spiritedly on twisty mountain roads. Overall our average fuel economy was 20.3mpg, not to shabby for a sports car with over 300hp, and we used all of those ponies every chance we could.

Overall our experience with the G37S was a very pleasant one. The continually surprised us at every turn. The handling is phenomenal, the power is outrageous, and the interior comfort is exactly what you would expect from an Infinity. This car would make an excellent daily driver for the 4x4 enthusiast with the means to purchase one, at a touch over $42,000 this ride doesn't come cheap. But it's worth every penny. 

Stay tuned for Part 2.