The G37 looks great open and closed, and the only down side of the sleek design is that the roof pretty much fills up the boot space when folded, so you’ll end up putting your shopping on the back seats. Opening and closing the roof is a one-touch operation through a door-mounted button, and takes around 30 seconds to accomplish. Once closed, all is quiet inside, and when open, the rear end is very tidy.

As a driver’s car, the G37 has plenty of pedigree. The engine is a slightly detuned version of the V6 fitted to Nissan’s excellent 370Z, and the fact that the G37′s platform is a stretched and wider version of 370′s underpinnings suggests we can expect lively and responsive handling.

The G37 may aim at the luxury end of the market, but it still delivers thrills to go with the comfort. The steering is direct and communicative, the engine punchy and the seven-speed paddleshift auto gearbox is among the best in the business.

Tautly controlled suspension ensures that the car is agile in bends, changing direction with an alacrity you might not expect. Nor does the stiff suspension spoil the ride, despite the fitment of 19″ wheels, and the ensuing skinny rubber. Performance is strong, despite the additional weight of the folding roof. In this guise, the 3.7 litre V6 produces 328bhp and 37 kg-m of twist. On the move, that translates into a 0-100kph of just under six seconds, but more importantly, plenty of mid-range punch for overtaking manoeuvres.

Inside, the red leather-covered sports seats hold you comfortably in place, and offer a wide range of adjustments – lumbar support and thigh length extension included in addition to the normal height, reach and rake. The seats can also be both heated and cooled, a welcome bonus in this part of the world.

The M37/56 sedans showed enormous gains of 175.88 per cent, becoming the fastest growing luxury model in its segment, said a statement from Infiniti. Sales of the G37 convertible rose 54.55 per cent.

Along with strong performance in established markets, Infiniti’s expansion into Jordan proved a success, widening the brand’s geographical footprint and demonstrating its surging popularity in the region and its commitment to growth through inspired performance.

Leading the region was Azerbaijan, which posted an extremely large 2011 sales growth of 131.67 per cent over 2010, followed by Bahrain at 81.06 per cent, Kuwait at 76.48 per cent, and Oman at 29.43 per cent.

Dubai and the Northern Emirates posted positive growth of 19.35 per cent, while Lebanon showed growth of 15.38 per cent.

Following on the success of the M37/56 and G37 convertible, the EX 35 premium compact-crossover SUV surged with 26.67 per cent better sales, while the G37 sedan’s numbers were also up 19.26 per cent.

The all new, redesigned luxury SUV QX56 also posted a strong gain of 12.30 per cent. FX35/50 remains Infiniti’s best selling model with 1699 units sold across the region in 2011.

“We’re extremely happy that we’ve been able to deliver such good numbers in what was a difficult year, due to the Earthquake in Japan in March 2011,” said Jurgen Schmitz, general manager, Infiniti Business Unit, Middle East.

“We’ve been present in the GCC for eight years now, and everything is falling into place to massively increase our market and build towards Infiniti’s Mid-term Plan target to grow to 10 per cent of the global market share among luxury brand segments by 2016. The launch of the all-new JX crossover SUV in 2012 is a bold next step in this direction,” he concluded.

During a 90-second video called “The Duel,” the M leaves the Panamera in a cloud of dust and beats it to the finish line. Infiniti lists an 11.5-second zero-to-100-mph acceleration time and a quarter-mile time of 13.4 seconds for its hybrid. The automaker says a third-party testing company confirmed the results, which have also been certified by Guinness World Records.

Infiniti didn’t say how much gas was wasted in racing these two hybrids, however.

“It will become our second-best-seller this year, right behind [the] G [lineup],” Infiniti’s North American vice president Ben Poore said to WardsAuto in an interview.

Infiniti isn’t publishing sales targets for the JX, but the fact that combined sales for the G sedan and coupe totaled 58,246 in 2011 paints a pretty good picture of where the brand is aiming. The second-best-selling vehicle for Infiniti in 2011 was the recently-introduced QX SUV at 13,428 units sold. Other models fell pretty short of that number, with the smaller FX and EX CUVs – which Poore calls more “niche” than the “mainstream” JX – each selling fewer than 10,000 units in 2011.

Infiniti is optimistic about the JX’s chances of success, with Poore saying it’s priced “at the heart of the segment, where the growth is.” That market is also where some of the heaviest competition is. But Poore says the JX is “right on top, if not a better value than, the Acura MDX…and it’s right on top of the [Lexus] RX as well.” Poore notes that the MDX and RX are the best sellers for Acura and Lexus, respectively, and that they make up 30 to 40 percent of each brand’s annual sales. “We want volume on this product,” Poore said. The JX will start at $41,400, including destination, when it goes on sale this March as a 2013 model. The 2012 Acura MDX starts at $43,815, while the Lexus RX starts at $39,950.

Poore also commented on Infiniti’s future models, which include an entry-level premium compact and much-anticipated range-extended electric supercar. As we previously reported, Infiniti plans to produce a premium compact hatchback based on the Etherea concept that bowed at Geneva last year. It was rumored that the car would be powered by Mercedes-Benz four-cylinder engines, which will be built at Nissan’s Dechard, Tenn. plant beginning in 2014. When asked by WardsAuto about the use of that engine in the upcoming compact, Poore said, “I’m not quite ready to go there yet, [but] you do the math [and] it’s a lot of engines,” referring to the planned 250,000-unit production capacity for the Mercedes four-cylinder. There’s currently no word on whether a U.S.-built engine means the car itself will be produced in North America, but in the past Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said the model will not be built in Japan due to the strong yen.

Poore also hinted to WardsAuto that Infiniti’s Geneva-bound electric sports car concept, along with the Essence concept of 2009, brings the brand closer to a production supercar, which might compete against Acura’s upcoming NSX and Lexus’ current LFA halo car. What we know of the concept headed for Geneva is that it will feature an electric drivetrain with a 1.2-liter range-extender engine. For all other details, we’ll have to wait until the car is unveiled in March.

The luxury performance car brand from Japan will enter the names of any clients who test-drive an Infiniti over the next few weeks in a prize draw to win a VIP experience at the Spanish Grand Prix taking place in Barcelona from May 11 to 13, 2012. The competition is an extension of the brand’s ongoing sponsorship of the all-conquering Red Bull Racing team.

Infiniti is throwing in return flights to Barcelona, up to three nights’ accommodation in a design hotel befitting the brand, privileged access to the Red Bull Racing hospitality suite, entry to the famous Paddock area with tours of the pit-lane, the best view of the race and even the possibility to see the drivers up close. Along with amazing memories, the winners will also take home Red Bull Racing merchandise.

It will be an unforgettable weekend for just five lucky couples to be drawn across Europe. The first drive of an Infiniti will be equally special.

Five months later, we’re happy to report that progress is being made. Students from Tennessee Technical Center – Nashville and Nashville State Community College have pulled the 5.6-liter V-8 from the donor QX56 and have bench-tested the engine outside the SUV to ensure proper operation.

With that step complete, the engine was shipped to a supplier in Maine to be fitted with a specialized marine transmission. From there, it’s been shipped to a shop in Alabama that specializes in “marinization,” or converting land-based engines to cope with the rigors of marine use.

Thousands of miles away, in Freeport, Maine, the 1962 Chris Craft Holiday boat has been stripped of its former engine, fittings, interior, and even hull planking.  It will take some 600 board feet of high grade, sustainably-harvested mahogany to cover the boat’s frame, hull, transom and deck, and each board must be cut to half-inch planking to create matching pieces.

As if that process wasn’t labor-intensive enough, the assembled boat will then receive 15 coats of marine varnish, a process that takes nearly 30 days to complete. Only then can the restoration work begin, and plans call for a new interior with a modern infotainment center and seats upholstered in QX56 semi-aniline leather.

The 5.6-liter Infiniti V-8 is at least the fourth engine to power the boat, with previous choices including a 431-cubic inch Lincoln marine engine and a pair of 440-cubic inch Chrysler Hemi marine V-8s. Thanks to its light weight and high output, the Infiniti V-8 may prove to be the best choice yet.

The reason once again is the strengthening yen, which has prompted Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn on several occasions to speak out about the disastrous affects it’s having on companies manufacturing in Japan.

Now executive vice president of Infiniti Andy Palmer has revealed to Automotive News (subscription required) that in addition to the recently revealed 2013 JX, which will be built at Nissan’s plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, several other Infinitis will be built outside Japan.

One of these will be the production version of the 2011 Infiniti Etherea Concept, a new entry-level model for Infiniti that may pick up a “DX” designation. Palmer says that this model is likely to be built somewhere in Europe, which isn’t much of a surprise considering that it will likely be based on a Mercedes-Benz platform.

China is another area Infiniti is looking at building cars in. You may recall that the upmarket Nissan division recently established a new global headquarters in Hong Kong.

“Clearly, we’re working on one strategy,” Palmer explained. “As cars come up for renewal, generally they’re being relocated in a function of where the majority of sales are.”

Moving production outside of Japan isn’t the only strategy Infiniti has for combating a strong yen. For future models still built in Japan, Infiniti will increase the use of components sourced from outside the country from the current level of about 15 percent to as much as 65 percent eventually.

Due for a 2014 debut, the Infiniti hatchback will give the Japanese luxury brand an entry-level model to rival the BMW 1 Series, Lexus CT 200h, Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class.

It will have more in common with the A-Class than just its size, too, for the new Infiniti hatchback will be based on the Benz’s front wheel-drive platform and possibly share some of its powertrains.

Technical details of the entry-level Infiniti have yet to surface, but everything from turbocharged petrol fours to hybrid powetrains to a transverse V6 have been rumoured.

The Etherea concept (pictured), which debuted at this year’s Geneva Motor Show and previews the Infiniti hatch, featured a 182kW 2.5 litre supercharged petrol engine and an electric assistance motor, which is expected to power the next-generation Nissan Altima.

Whether such a potent powertrain gets the nod for Infiniti’s small car has yet to be confirmed.

The new hatchback is just one of many new Infiniti models that are expected to arrive in the near future. An all-electric sedan has been confirmed for a 2015 debut, while an electric sportscar with a range-extender is anticipated to follow soon after.

A replacement for the current G sedan will arrive sometime around the middle of the decade, too.

Infiniti will return to Australian shores next year, launching with the FX SUV, the G37 coupe and convertible and the M mid-size sedan.

There’s no word as yet about the addition of an Infiniti-badged hatchback to the local range, but with the current crop of luxury hatchbacks enjoying good success in Australia we’d say there’s a strong business case for such a car Down Under.

A close look at Infiniti’s rich heritage, specifically the Japanese aesthetic form known as ‘Adeyaka’, pointed to a concept containing the notions of grace and powerful automotive design.

Drawing on Japanese calligraphy, where every line has a significant meaning, Infiniti designers were inspired to seek beauty in simplicity. Design creates an awe-inspiring presence, styling transforms to elegant form in motion, and vibrant colours captivate.

Infiniti designs for life, rather than mechanics, following its own course to offer those who share the Infiniti vision an emotionally rewarding driving experience – and one that is always true to itself.

Throughout the Infiniti FX, stunning style balances with versatility to compose a seamless whole. Bold design and visionary engineering mesh, creating a masterwork defined by stylish lines and shimmering materials, while producing something optimally functional, efficient, streamlined and cool.

From 14” front rotors and 4-piston opposed calipers and the aerodynamic wave hood to custom-designed 21” Enkel alloy wheels, the FX is a canvas of impressive artistry.

Functionality has an important role in the design of the Infiniti FX. Traditionally, side air vents are strictly a design element, to make the vehicle look a little faster, a little more stylish. But Infiniti is prone to challenge traction.

That is why the FX designers took a fresh look at how to best utilise air vents, keeping the traditional styling, while enhancing the purpose. The results are amazing!

The re-imagined interior of the Infiniti FX exudes warmth, celebrates the simple texture of materials, while inviting you to revel in its sense of comfort and place.

With enhanced wood trim, hand stained to bring out its natural grain, the centre stick accents that practically beg to be touched, and special quilted leather appointments ensure the interior was built to enthrall.

While exotic sports cars may own the overall horsepower numbers, few other vehicles can match the combination of power and versatility found in the Infiniti FX.

Where bold styling and performance give the FX an aggressive stance and its use of space gives a real edge. Think of it as utility that adds a dimension to the overall performance of FX.