Ininity G37 Skyline 370GT : Nissan Skyline 370GT Coupe, The One We All Waited For

Back in the 90s, Nissan's line-up featured a good bunch of sportscars such the Silvia, Fairlady, the almighty GTR, and even the Sunny/Pulsar GTi-R to a certain extent...all these cars had excellent dynamic qualities but often failed in other areas including interior design and overall image. Ever since their merger with the French car manufacturer Renault and the arrival of Carlos Ghosn at the top of the organization, things began to change for the good. The new 2008 Skyline 370GT Coupe is a clear example of Nissan's new state of mind.


Nissan Skyline 370GT (Infinity G37) , HDTV
(WMV9HD 720p Direct Download "Right click, Save as…")

Headlines
3.7L V6, rear wheel drive
4.6m5 long, 1620 kg: 3570lbs
Sequential gearbox with flappy paddles (on our test car)

Design : Exterior / Interior
The proportions of the Skyline 370GT Coupe (Infiniti G37 in the USA) remain pretty much similar to those of the previous model, a couple tweaks were made, especially on the front end where the grille and "L type" headlights give the new version its own personality. From a global standpoint, few things have really changed though and Nissan decided to bet on continuity rather than a totally renewed auto...this being said, the 370GT is a much more different car that it seems at first look.
The interior features good materials in both look and touch, the sport seats are comfortable and offer a good stability whenever your right foot tends to get heavy on the pedal.

On the road
As explained before, the V35 (Skyline 350GT Coupe) version that we had left us pretty disappointed and wondering if Nissan was heading in the right direction, giving a heavy and soft car the Skyline name...later on, the Sedan version, based on the new generation (V36) , proved us that there was clearly room for some major enhancements...with this in mind, we didn't really know what to expect from this 370GT Coupe but we shouldn't have worried...The new Skyline Coupe is finally the car that we wanted it to be! The unpleasant feel to drive an heavy car, from the steering to the engine response, is now gone.

The 370GT is now a true sportscar which performances are up to the level of some german contenders, thanks to an increased displacement of 3.7 liter on the V6 engine (+25hp and more torque), the accelerations are strong even though they keep a linear aspect. The handling also gave us a good surprise as the suspensions have been tightened, allowing the steering to be more responsive, the chassis offers an excellent mix of dynamism and safety...after stepping into Porsche territory with the GT-R, Nissan is now doing the same versus Mercedes and BMW at a lower level but with an excellent car.

Conclusion:
A fully grown new-gen Skyline, that's what the 2008 370GT Coupe is, and a serious threat to some of the most established sportscars on the market, especially from Europe. Sold at a very attractive price (in Japan and at a lower level, worldwide), the 370GT is a car to put on your list if you look for a nice looking and fast Coupe...of course there is the image, not yet as bright as its international rivals...but with the GT-R as their flagship model, Nissan sure is on the right way.

Posted on 24/02/08 By G-A.G