All About Japan Autos

Other luxury brands do it, and now Infiniti says it will be rolling out the first vehicle from its newest division, Infiniti Performance Line. The performance-oriented Infiniti will be based on a G37 that has been modified from the ground up.

According to an Infiniti press release, the IPL G Coupe will benefit from an increase of 18 horsepower and six pound-feet of torque. Although it does not sound like much, there’s more: the upgraded G Coupe will get a new body kit, 19-inch wheels, more aggressive seating, an upgraded brake kit, enhanced steering and a limited slip differential – a must have for the track.

Although you would expect the automotive community to embrace the IPL G Coupe, it seems that is not the case. Autoblog says “Considering the performance components and litany of standard features, we’re hoping the price premium isn’t excessively high for what’s essentially a glorified sport package.”

Judging from similar packaging from Infiniti’s parent company, Nissan – with its 370Z NISMO sports car – it is likely that the IPL G Coupe should not cost more than $7,000 over the standard G37 Coupe Sport.

Kicking Tires believes that this move from Infiniti makes sense because unlike Lexus, which “may continue to struggle with its performance image, the IPL line looks to be a natural extension of what was already drawing Infiniti owners to the brand to begin with.”

With an updated product line available this November, it may be a good time to check out Infiniti’s lineup if you want a good deal. See our Best Infiniti Deals page to see the current offers on a new Infiniti.

If you’re in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.