Remember the Infiniti G37 coupe? Well it’s now the Infiniti Q60 Coupe because Infiniti decided to change every name in their lineup. We’re not sure why Infiniti decided to confuse everyone, but this week we’re test driving the 2014 Infiniti Q60 Coupe AWD model (formerly the G37 Coupe.) Now that you know what it is, we can tell you the 2014 Q60 Coupe isn’t really any different, but maybe Infiniti wanted to create new excitement around the old G37.
What’s new for 2014?
The only real change to the Q60 Coupe is the name change. Other than that, the Infiniti coupe is virtually unchanged for the 2014 model year. Maybe it’s a brilliant marketing move by Infiniti. Create a whole new car out of nothing, and it doesn’t cost a thing besides designing new sales brochures. And Q60 seems to have a better ring to the name than G37. Ok, maybe we do understand Infiniti’s reasons for changing the name.
The Infiniti Q60 Coupe has the all the features expected in this category. This tester came with leather upholstery, 8-way heated front seats, rear view monitor, superb audio, and auto on/off HID headlamps. The optional navigation system ($1,850) monitors traffic conditions, provides restaurant advice from Zagat and includes a 9.3-gigabyte hard drive with a memory-card slot.
The two-door Infiniti Q60 coupe looks racier than the sedan. This tester came with the optional Sport Package ($1,950) that gave it an even sportier appearance with the 19-inch aluminum wheels and sport front facia. Inside the Q60 with sport package gets steering wheel paddle shifters, sport seats and aluminum pedals and foot rest.
The Sport Package is worth the money
The leather seats are comfortable, and the standard eight-way driver’s seat has adjustable lumbar support. The Sport Package seats have more adjustment and bigger bolsters on the back and bottom cushions and are were capable of containing this driver while we exploited the Q60’s road capabilities in the corners.
The optional magnesium paddle shifters for the automatic are attached to the column and not the wheel so their position never changes. This made manual shifting easy while we made quick maneuvers on the canyon roads in the mountains west of Denver. Paddle shifts are made by pulling back on the right paddle for upshifts, and on the left for downshifts.
The Q60 coupe is a true sports coupe and is designed for sport and not hauling more than one passenger. Rear-seat room is restricted and adults will not be happy for anything more than short trips. The coupe doesn’t have a lot of truck space, but a folding rear seatback improves things by allowing larger items to flow from the trunk into the passenger space.
On the road
The Q60 coupe’s 3.7-liter V6 engine delivers a respectable 330 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. The optional Sport Package features a sport-tuned suspension, a limited slip differential and larger sport brakes for more stopping power. Out on the road, this Q60 tester had sporty handling and the V6 powerplant made the Infiniti Q60 Coupe an exhilarating ride. It is a true driver’s car and begs the driver to see what it can do.
This Q60 with the Sport package has a performance edge, a rawness, that sets it apart. The 330 horsepower delivered strong acceleration and when we stood on the gas, the 3.7-liter V6 willingly revved to levels normally associated with smaller higher-revving engines. It has a sporty performance character and made this a fun car to drive in all situations.
Infiniti uses the 7-speed automatic transmission that enables hard acceleration, but with two overdrives for more relaxed highway cruising. It can handle casual driving on the highway and will respond quickly when you’re in a hurry. Move the leather-wrapped shift lever to the left, and Drive Sport mode is engaged. The upshifts come at higher rpm, upshifts and downshifts are quicker, it rev-matches downshifts, and it downshifts automatically under moderate-to-heavy braking. It’s a nice setup for those who enjoy more spirited driving.
This Infiniti Q60 Coupe came with all-wheel drive that greatly improved traction in an April snowstorm here in Denver. Where the standard rear-drive configuration would come up short in getting me home, the AWD system worked well on the snow-covered roads leading to my house in the mountains. The system is not just for those who live in cold climates. It also improved traction on dry roads before the snowfall.
Conclusion:
The 2014 Infiniti Q60 Coupe with AWD was a pleasure to drive all week. To some degree, think of it as a four-seat version of Nissan’s 370Z sports car. This Sport Package equipped Q60 excelled at its driving dynamics. And the Q60 Coupe is priced lower ($42,050) than most comparably equipped European competitors. The Q60 Coupe is an excellent choice for performance-oriented drivers who don’t need much backseat room.
