yeah its kinda unfortunate i think... they could have at least integrated the cooled seats and heated steering wheel in or SOMETHING...

LOL. I can't wait for the day when Helldorado loses some of his boyish machismo and comes to realize things like heated steering wheels and cooled seats are NICE, and not some kind of weenie crap for old women.

We're all young once, but you'll find you get over it ... no matter how tough you think you are. It's cute to be a tough guy and throw rocks at the comforts of life, but your hands get just as cold on a steering wheel in the winter - and your butt just as hot in the summer - as ours do. The difference is that our hands get warmed and our butts get cooled ... and yours don't. 

LOL, cooled seats I can at least understand and that's why I didn't mention them.  Leather and similar materials get scorching hot in direct sunlight during the summer and they can also trap body heat making you even warmer on long trips.  It's a natural complement to a heated seat.

Warmed steering wheel though?  I have never in my life ever wished that I had warmers in my steering wheel.  If it's that cold where the steering wheel is below freezing, I can put on gloves, and odds are I already have them on because it's that cold outside.

Still, you will not hear me pining for luxuries when there's tactile driving performance being left on the table in place of it.  Considering Brandon and I are the same age though, he sounds more like an old man than a lot of the old men I know!

But look on the bright side, when I've come to terms being old, soft and a little squishy, I'll be first on line for a Lexus.

But odds are that won't happen.  Men on both sides of my family are an ornery and cantankerous bunch up until they day they die.  There's a bit of a R. Lee Emery streak going there.  But on the plus side, most of us die young!

Yeah, there's no reason to saddle yourself with another middle of the road sedan if you're willing to drop some more coin for something more involving to the driver, especially if you have the people mover already as a second vehicle.  How often do you carry more than 2 people in the G as it is?

Motor Trend test.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/112_0810_2008_infiniti_g37_sedan_test/index.html

Cliffs:

• 328 hp @ 7000 rpm / 269 lb-ft @ 5200 rpm
• 6 speed manual unchanged, new 7 speed AT
• 0-60 5.0 seconds / 13.5 second 1/4 mile @ 105 mph
• Extra 98 lbs of weight, so it's up to 3700 lbs.
• 18/26 EPA ratings fuel ratings
• Gets faster steering ratio, larger brakes and other upgrades used on G37S coupe

Overall, straight line performance is up, handling and braking performance stay the same, so no real downsides other than the extra weight, but that seems to have been largely mitigated to be relatively transparent to most drivers.

Funny email I got today:

Living with 2009 Infiniti G37 Obsession
G37 enthusiasts on pins and needles over new 2009 models.

For 2009, Infiniti feeds the G37 enthusiasts’ obsession with the G37x AWD Coupe, G37 Sport Sedan, G37 Convertible. For many G37 fans, it’s all too much—too many decisions, an overload of excitement and the onset of new car fever. So what’s an obsessed G37 buyer to do?

 

If instant gratification is the only remedy, the 2009 Infiniti G37 Sport Sedan is here for your inspection and test drive. The Infiniti G premium high-performance sport sedan receives a significant upgrade under the skin in 2009 with the addition of a new VQ37VHR “VVEL” 3.7-liter V6 rated at 328 hp. It is mated to a new seven-speed automatic transmission or close-ratio six-speed manual transmission. Other major changes include new available sport brakes with four-piston front/two-piston rear calipers and large 14-inch front and 13.8-inch rear rotors, a new sport 18-inch wheel design and standard Scratch Shield paint (self-healing clearcoat finish).

 

The 2009 G37 Sedan is available in four models – G37, G37 Journey, G37S Sport 6MT and G37x AWD.

 

The 2009 G37 Journey model will include such new niceties as auto-on/off headlights, eight-way power passenger’s seat, Dual Zone Automatic Temperature Control (ATC), rear air conditioning vents and a new in-dash, six-disc CD auto-changer with MP3 playback capability.

 

The G37 Sport 6MT model comes with a sport-tuned suspension and close-ratio six-speed stick with short-throw shifter. You get quicker steering gear for better response, the VLSD rear end—Viscous Limited-Slip rear Differential, new 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels with summer performance tires and larger disc brakes. In addition to unique front fascia and side sills, the G37 Sport includes front sport seats with manual thigh extension. The driver’s seat has power torso and thigh support adjustment. Unique sport stitching on the steering wheel and front seats along with aluminum pedals complete the G37 Sport model.

 

If extra grip is your thing, there’s the G37x AWD Sport Package that picks up solid-magnesium paddle shifters on the steering column. If you need more luxury, there’s a package that includes power sliding tinted glass moonroof with one-touch open/close/tilt feature and sliding sunshade. It also offers the Infiniti Studio on Wheels® by Bose Premium Audio system with 24-bit Burr-Brown DAC, six-disc CD auto-changer with MP3 playback capability, Radio Data System (RDS) and eleven speakers including 3-way component front door speakers with 10-inch subwoofers and a parcel shelf-mounted subwoofer.

Another instant gratification option is the 2009 G37 Coupe. Its performance envelope expands with the addition of a new G37x AWD model with advanced ATESSA E-TSO all-wheel drive system. Also new for 2009 is a seven-speed automatic transmission with Drive Sport (DS) Mode and Downshift Rev Matching (the G37 Coupe is also available with a six-speed manual transmission).

 

If fresh air is your thing, you’ll have to sit tight on your new G37, but it’s coming! The all-new Infiniti G37 Convertible is set to make its world debut at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show this month.


The G37 Convertible, the first-ever open-air G, is set for a mid-2009 model year introduction. Based on the current G37 Coupe, the G Convertible promises stunningly seductive styling and G-worthy dynamic performance. The new G37 Convertible will feature a three-piece automatic retracting hardtop to keep a coupe-like roofline and available unique interior treatment. Audio and HVAC systems have been enhanced to provide an inviting experience with the top up or down.
 
When you have the Infiniti G, a car that has chalked up award after award, topped comparison test after comparison test and endeared itself to a growing legion of passionate owners, what do you do for an encore? If you happen to be a world-class performance luxury brand – think Infiniti – the answer is simple: You bring it all on!

 

Let’s sum up the 2009 G37 agenda: The G37 Sedan gets a new 328-hp, 3.7-liter V6 engine. All Infiniti G models get a new seven-speed automatic transmission as an option to the much-loved six-speed stick gearbox. The G37x Coupe gets all-wheel drive. It transforms the Coupe into an entirely new sport machine. In addition, an all-new Infiniti G37 Convertible is slated to launch in the first quarter of 2009.

 

These are exciting times for G37 enthusiasts. If you are feeling a bit obsessed, we understand so please accept our invitation to visit the showroom and obsess over the G37 sport driving machines on display. Who knows? Perhaps instant gratification is the only cure for G37 obsession.