Lieberman: To be totally frank, I wasn’t all that excited when I heard we were getting the G37 4-door. We just had the G35x (with AWD) and while it is a very nice car, there’s nothing special or memorable about it. The G35x was kinda fast and handled decent enough, but… it didn’t tickle my fancy. I imagine if you lived in the snow belt and wanted a reliable, luxurious way to get around, the G35x is the best choice. But what a difference a new engine makes. Well, not just a new engine (though I love the 330 ponies), but greatly improved steering, transmission and massive stoppers. The term “muscle car” gets tossed around all the time, but this here Inifinti is the real, muscular deal. Right?

Levy: Well I thought we were getting a coupe so imagine my surprise when a four door showed up. Never the less when you get behind the wheel you really don’t notice that you’ve got real room for three and a trunk that would be useful for a mafia hit man behind you. Plus if you are that guy, and if there are no helicopters involved this is the ultimate get away car. In a low key color other than the red mica metallic ours came in (1,036th variation of red car in AF garage this year — are you listening, Joe?), you’d blend into traffic on the New Jersey Parkway like a Camry with chrome accents. Yes this sucker is fast — deceptively so. But the weight and power numbers (3600lbs/330hp) are similar to those of a BMW E46 M3 so what would you expect? That’s a lot to like right there.

Lieberman: Big time. In fact, stealth is part of the appeal. Let’s face reality, there are tons of Infiniti Gs everywhere. Especially in the City of Angels. From entry level lux customers leasing a stripper to Armenian bad boys with slammed G Coupes on 20″ icy rims, the car’s basically ubiquitous. And they are all pretty good. Thing is, this new Sport 6MT is excellent. I was surprised it had four-doors, too — but only after I drove it. Like you said, you just don’t notice the extra doors or rear room. We’ve all heard the term “four-door sports” car from Nissan’s marketing department. If I was in charge of things (ha!) I would strip this puppy of leather and nav and all that bunting, then slap a Maxima badge on the back. One gripe: While the steering is very informative and quite precise, the front feels a tad floaty — especially at around 80-90 mph. Just high-riding and soft. Cut the springs, firm up the dampers and (maybe) screw on a tower brace — you’d have a double winner. But for the most part, Infiniti has done real good.

Levy: For once the S does actually mean Sport. I drove a G35 last year to SEMA and set my personal LA to Vegas record in it. The new G37S has more grunt and more grip. Around town it is perfectly civilized, firm yet not harsh. Steering is just a touch slower than I’d prefer. The 2009 Audi A4 with its Dynamic setup is to my mind now the benchmark in this class with this G just behind it and decidedly ahead of BMW 3-Series. But grip and manners when you turn the G up are exceptional. Even with the VDC traction nanny on the tail will slip and the 3.7 VQ loves to rev and pull all the way into the mid 7000 RPM range unlike the 335 which is way out of breathe at that point. Yes the twin turbo 335 has more mid-range punch but the VQ screams harder and has more character — whodathunk? The 3.2 A4 is outgunned by both on the power front. There’s a new seven-speed auto with paddles that, though we didn’t try it, I think will actually suit this car’s mission a little better. That said, the six speed’s stick feel and throw is just fine. The nice thing about the more torqued up 3.7 is that you can just throw this puppy in third and crawl through traffic. How do you like the interior?

Lieberman: The interior is just like other the other Gs. To put it quickly, very nice. The Nav button layout is still top shelf and the adjustable bolstering on the driver’s seat is wonderful. I wish the pedals were laid out in a more friendly heel & toe manner (the brake pedal is too far in front of the throttle), but the clutch is sweet — meaty without being a workout. Actually, a word on the stick itself. We’ve been calling the G37 Sport 6MT a muscle car — and the shift action seals it. Talk about effort! Definitely not a snick-snick affair. It’s more shove and heave. But you know what? I really dig it. It’s nice to have to work for dinner, you know? So yeah, the interior’s just fine, but a stripped version minus the bells and leather-clad whistles would suit the Sport 6MT’s personality better. To me at any rate.

Levy: I like the inside too. Leather and surfaces are all top notch. Not quite as sybaritic as Audi but I’ll take over BMW—at least their 2008 offering since we’ve yet to see the supposedly spruced up ‘09. Disagree on the Nav/ICE setup though. Even if it does look nice it is completely infuriating to use, and I’ve been trying to figure out Nissan/Infiniti’s system for some time now in various cars. I’m sure its all explained in the manual, but it shouldn’t be that hard! Sound quality is very good though. Overall I’m a fan of the G. My only gripe is that despite how voluptuous she looks in the print ads and on the show stands, in traffic the car just doesn’t stand out in any big way. But the VQ37 V6 is a gem (looking forward to feeling it in the 370Z), handling and grip while not in the EVO X rally rep’s league definitely will cater to the canyon carver while staying civil in day to day traffic, and inside is an exceptionally nice place to spend a lot of time. Plus there’s a huge amount of value here when compared to the Germans in the sector. Similarly specced, the G37 undercuts both the Audi and BMW significantly both on MSRP (by about $6k!) and on monthly payments with lease terms you’ll be seeing. There’s a reason there’s a ton of these cars running around. Worth a drive for sure.

Lieberman: Just a single drive? I’d love to own one. I’m very pro muscle.