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As I sit here writing this on the balcony of my hotel room in a small town in Morocco, looking out at the city’s labyrinthine streets and ancient mosques, it occurs to me: I am so not in America anymore.
In the three weeks I have been on vacation here, I have experienced a number of things that have made me truly appreciate my comfortable life in America. Here are a few things I miss: Shower doors/curtains; musicians other than Kenny Rogers, Celine Dion, and Barry White (apparently Moroccans love Kenny Rogers – who knew?); and, most importantly, seatbelts, traffic laws, air bags, and cars made by anyone other than the French. Take one ride in a Moroccan taxi and you will never again complain about your car not coming with standard power lumbar support or Bluetooth connectivity. Here, a "luxury car" is one whose rear windows roll down and whose passenger seat is actually bolted to the floor. However, back in the good ol’ US of A, we do have the privilege of driving around in sheer luxury. And the new 2009 Infiniti G37 sedan is just that.The G37, which starts at $33,250, is a sporty four-door luxury sedan that offers a number of premium amenities at a surprisingly reasonable price. Although competing in a class of cars that includes such heavy-hitters as the BMW 3-series, the Lexus ES350, and the Audi A4, the G37 certainly holds its own. The car is powered by a 3.7-liter, 328-horsepower V-6 engine, paired nicely with a new seven-speed automatic transmission. The transmission comes with a sport driving mode, as well as a manual shift mode with downshift rev matching (read: this thing is fun to drive). A six-speed manual transmission is also available and offers even more-spirited driving. I found the engine to be quite lively, with plenty of get-up-and-go, and the standard rear wheel drive, speed-sensitive power steering, and tight independent front and rear suspension provide great handling. A sport package, which the vehicle I tested was equipped with, is also available, and adds solid magnesium paddle shifters, a viscous limited-slip differential, sport-tuned suspension, sport brakes, aluminum pedals, and 18-inch sport aluminum-alloy wheels with summer performance tires.The G37 is definitely a looker, too. The exterior features zero-lift front aerodynamics, high-intensity discharge bi-xenon headlights with integrated fog lights, LED taillights, 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, a tinted chrome front grille, dual chrome exhaust finishers, and standard scratch-shield paint (new for 2009). Adaptive front lighting is optional, a system that turns the headlights slightly in the direction the car is turning. The interior is very well appointed. Plush leather covers the seats, steering wheel, and shifter knob, and the new Washi-finish aluminum trim gives the interior a fresh, stylish look. Creature comforts abound, including eight-way power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats, air conditioning with dual-zone automatic temperature control and rear vents (which I would give just about anything to have here in the 100-plus degree Moroccan heat right about now), an intelligent key with pushbutton start, cruise control, power windows with one-touch up/down feature for the front windows, power door locks and mirrors, automatic headlights, and a multi-function steering wheel.
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