( WCF ) - A new member of the Infiniti family is going on sale in Europe beginning in October 2008. Downsized to a 3.7-litre V6, the new Infiniti FX37 is an SUV full of sports car soul, a car designed to sit passengers up high while giving the driver a driving experience associated with sporting coupes.
The new 3.7-litre moving the FX37 forth incorporates Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) technology, which continuously changes valve lift and subsequently the amount of air in the combustion chamber. So more power, at the same time lower fuel consumption and fewer bad emissions. Power is a competent 320PS and 360Nm of torque. Its ambitions can therefore not be questioned, at least on paper. From this comes a 7-speed automatic gearbox with paddle shifts to further drive home the "sportiness" line.
Some more good news. Infiniti's intelligent 4WD system allows for a notable amount of oversteer, therefore letting the car behave as a rear-wheel-driven sports sedan. In fact, at acceleration the system is at full 4WD mode, but once the car gets going and sense 4WD is no longer needed, it sends torque to the rear wheels. Often 100% of it too! The double wishbone setup upfront as well as multi-link choice for the back ensure a confident drive in virtually every condition.
Two distinctive packs are offered for FX37, to satisfy a wider range of customers. After all, Infiniti plans on making the FX37 account for up to 80 percent of the FX range in Europe. The two packs are Sport and Multimedia, where the former offers a system that continuously alters the damping settings for optimal ride and handling. Multimedia kicks a BOSE 11-speaker sound system with sat nav and the cool but optional Around View Monitor which allows for a 360-degree view of the immediate surroundings. We really like!