DALLAS, April 23, 2012 — Taking the 2012 Infiniti G Convertible out for a week of driving proved to be a week of my wanting to drive anywhere I could find the excuse to go. In a word, the Infiniti convertible I took for a spin was hot.
It had a close ratio, six-speed manual transmission with a short throw shifter, 19 X 8.5 inch in the front and 19 X 9-inches in the rear split V-spoke aluminum alloy wheels with summer performance tires.
Under the hood, it had a rear-wheel-drive, 3.7-liter, 24-valve engine with aluminum alloy blocks and heads and resin coated pistons. The 325 horsepower with 267 pound feet of torque is harnessed with a transmission is an electronically controlled, seven-speed automatic with Adaptive Shift Control (ASC) and Drive Sport (DS) mode. Driver-adaptive learning algorithm senses and adapts to the driver’s driving style and adjusts automatic shifting accordingly.
Can you say, it can drive itself?
One particularly cool feature worth a mention is the Intelligent Cruise Control. This little addition manages your speed so you don’t have to and keeps a safe distance for you and the car ahead. When traffic slows, the cruise control automatically slows your vehicle down too.
Competition comes from the BMW 3-series hardtop or the Audi A4, and all can easily go neck to neck with each other.
With the 2012 Infiniti G, you get to choose from two trims, the G37 convertible or the G37 convertible Sport 6MT. The base comes with xenon headlights, front fog lights, automatic headlights, power windows, intermittent windshield wipers, rear window defroster, push button ignition, power doors, illuminated entry system, leather appointed seating, heated front seats, and leather-wrapped steering wheel, and add to the 6MT a 12-way power driver’s sport seat with two-way power lumbar support and eight-way power front-passenger’s sport seat.
For safety features, there is the four-wheel antilock braking system, a traction control system, rollover protection with dual pop-up roll bars, impact protection with an advanced Air Bag System including dual-state front, seat mounted side impact and roof-mounted curtain side impact air bags, and front-seat active head restraints.
The power retractable hardtop is another plus on the 2012 Infiniti G Convertible. It’s a three piece retractable hardtop, which opens and closes like a clamshell to minimize the bulk when folded, offering a smoother exterior look.
Exterior roominess comes in with 39.4 inches of headroom with the top up and legroom in the front is 43.9 inches but in the rear a meager 27.2 inches.
When designing the Infiniti G Convertible, engineers were committed to keeping that feel and handling that one would normally only find in a coupe. With a keen body structure and independent front and multi-link rear suspension, this 2012 convertible is all about increased responsiveness during driving and taking the corners. Overall, this has to be one of my favorite drives this year. The 2012 Infiniti G is a must for effortless driving.
Should You Need to Know: Big kudos on the sport brakes, the large 14-inch front rotors and sculpted four-piston front calipers offer more control all around.As you press the brake pedal, you can literally feel the feedback and an increased sense of power and control.
Miles Per Gallon: The 6MT came in at 16 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway.
Cost: For the 2012 G Convertible 6MT, expect to pay upwards of $55,000.
Rita Cook is a writer/editor with has over 1000 articles to her credit in the past 13-plus years. She is a frequent auto and travel contributor on a radio show in Los Angeles called Insider Mag Radio at KPRO 1570 am on from midnight to 12:30 a.m. Monday mornings.
She also contributes travel and auto to the Anthony Duva show, which can be heard live from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST every Sunday atwww.unregularradio.com.
Cook is a member of the Texas Auto Writer’s Association, writes for the Dallas Morning News Green Living Section as well as artist profiles andwww.greensourceDFW and spends much of her time on the road traveling or working on books.
Her latest book releases are both “Haunted Dallas” and “Haunted Fort Worth” from www.historypress.net. You can also follow Cook at Twitter at @ritacook13.
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