2009 Infiniti G37x S Sedan

As a general rule, adding weight to a car is to be avoided if at all possible, as it's a detriment to performance and fuel economy. Adjust your goals, though, and it becomes a reasonable tradeoff. Take for example the 2009 Infiniti G37x S, an all wheel-drive version of Infiniti's star entry-luxury car.

If you skip straight ahead to the numbers, you'll find the G37x S is heavier and slower and doesn't handle quite as well as the G37 S sedan, but the numbers don't tell the whole story. Infiniti clearly designed its G37x cars to outperform their rear-drive G37 counterparts in less-than-ideal weather conditions, such as those in cold weather states during the winter.

While the all-wheel-drive G37x S would likely fair considerably better on snow-covered roads than the standard G37 S, on hot, dry asphalt, it falls slightly behind. The only major difference between the 2009 G37 S sedan we tested late last year and the G37x S sedan we just tested is the inclusion of Infiniti's "Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All Electronic Torque Split" all-wheel-drive system lifted from Infiniti's crossovers, along with the seven-speed automatic transmission. Both cars featured the same 328-hp, 3.7L V-6 producing 269 lb-ft of torque and both were equipped with the optional Sport package.

The ATTESA-TS all-wheel-drive unit adds just over 150 lb of curb weight over the rear-drive model, tipping the scales at 3859 lb. The added weight and drivetrain loss make themselves apparent at the track. The G37x S was nearly half a second slower to 60 mph and through the quarter mile than the G37 S, hitting 60 in 5.4 sec and tripping the lights at 13.9 sec at 100.5 mph. Braking was similarly affected, with the G37x S stopping 10 ft farther than the G37 S, needing 120 ft to come to a halt from 60 mph. This can also be explained by the G37x S' smaller brakes, as it doesn't get the same upgrade that the G37 S does with its Sport package.