Performance and Sophistication
2011 Infiniti M37 makes inroads in luxury sedan market

Although the Germans arguably hold the high ground in the luxury sedan market segment, the competition continues to nip at their heels. Infiniti’s entry, the M-Series, returns as a 2011 model wearing a new suit of clothes and packing a dazzling array of advanced hardware.

Its forebear was a worthy contestant but many felt its styling was a bit conservative compared to the hotshot haberdashery sported by, say, a Jaguar XF or 5-Series BMW.

The new look is more organic and less derivative of its Nissan cousins. A short front overhang, muscular fenders and a wider track serve to punctuate the twin character lines of the flowing beltline and lower rocker panels. The handsome 20-inch, five-twin-spoke alloy wheels on our test car helped to add a further touch of class.

A redesigned interior beckons with sumptuous leather and liberal use of high-quality materials. Door panels, the console and dash are notable for their lack of hard surfaces, with a subtle use of brushed aluminum and Japanese Ash as accents.

Front seats are heated and cooled, part of the $3,350 Premium Package that includes a larger, 8-inch VGA color touch-screen display, hard drive-based satnav system with voice recognition, a 10-speaker Bose sound system and a convenient USB port for iPods and similar gadgets. Standard gear includes a 7-inch display, Bluetooth hands-free cellphone system and a backup camera. There are also steering wheel controls for most of this equipment.

A keyless ignition system allows engine starting with a push button and two drivers’ preferences can be stored in memory, allowing a new driver to press a button and have the seat, steering wheel, mirrors, climate control and audio system return to their previous settings.

The all-new M37 and its V-8-powered sibling, the M56, ride on a rear-drive platform with the wheelbase unchanged from the last-generation car’s at 114.2 inches. Overall length is up marginally to 194.7 inches, but width has increased 1.5 inches. Rear-seat passengers enjoy expansive legroom and there’s enough space for three on short jaunts.

Power is furnished by a 3.7-liter, 330 hp V-6 backed by a seven-speed automatic, the sole transmission choice. Although it’s a variant of the same six-cylinder found in a wide range of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles, in this application it’s commendably free of the of aural and visceral thrashing sometimes generated at high engine speeds by its corporate cousins.

The automatic transmission can be controlled with paddle shifters on the wheel and its behavior can be altered by twirling a knob on the console. Sport mode sharpens throttle response, hangs onto gears farther up into the rev band and downshifts automatically when it senses a corner coming up, blipping the throttle during the process for seamless deceleration.

Three other modes — standard, eco and snow — similarly change the shift program. Eco stoutly resists downshifts, making for lethargic acceleration but better economy. Snow starts you off in second gear and standard is, well, standard.

The test car was equipped with the Sport Package ($3,650) that adds larger wheels shod with high-performance summer tires, plus beefier brakes, a stouter suspension and 4-Wheel Active Steer. The latter steers the rear wheels slightly in the opposite direction to the fronts, noticeably tightening the turn and improving handling in the process.

The Sport appellation is an unusually accurate reflection of this option’s effect on the M37’s character. There’s hardly any body roll during brisk driving, cornering grip is substantial and the brakes are race-car powerful. This Infiniti thrives on being tossed into curves at hair-raising velocities — but the athletic moves aren’t entirely compromise-free.

The big tires are sticky enough to trap wandering scorpions but are liberal in telegraphing their presence into the cabin, both audibly and via noticeable tingles through the steering column and brake pedal. Even those who dismiss the Magic Fingers massage as inconsequential won’t fail to note the considerable tire roar. On textured pavement we measured a noise level more reminiscent of a Corvette convertible than a luxury sedan. But shod with the standard 18-inch wheels and all-season tires it’s a vastly more civil companion and we’d advise anyone tempted by the Sport Package to drive one before ordering.

There’s less ambiguity about the performance. For a 3,895-pound, V-6-powered sedan, the M37 is surprisingly quick. Our test car saw 60 mph from rest in 6.15 seconds and it cleared the quarter mile in 14.52 seconds at 95.9 mph. It’s frugal as well, returning 21.8 mpg in mixed driving and easily topping 26 mpg in high-speed cruising.

Base-priced at $46,250, with two major options our test car carried a $55,030 sticker. Less the Sport Package, call it $51,380, including freight. That’s uncomfortably close to BMW, Audi and Jaguar territory, but the Infiniti M37 is their equal in performance and tantalizingly close in overall sophistication.