I drove our long-term Infiniti G35 for the first time after spending a few days with the new G37 coupe. The engine and dynamic differences will be highlighted in a coming road test, so I thought I'd talk about an aspect I wasn't expecting to be so different between coupe and sedan. The two G's interiors may look identical in person and pictures, but I was surprised how different they feel. Most notably, I felt like I was sitting lower in the G37, leading to a greater feeling of being enveloped by its interior, rather than just sitting in it like the sedan. As a second opinion, the similarly heighted Dan Edmunds (who drove the G37 more than 1,200 miles) confirmed I wasn't crazy...
The 3 Series coupe and sedan on the other hand feel almost identical. If you were suddenly beamed into a 3 Series driver seat, you'd have to look over your shoulder to confirm whether you're in a coupe or sedan. What are some other examples of interiors that look identical between body types but "feel" very different? I can think of a few others, but I'd like to hear from our dedicated readers.
James Riswick, Associate Editor @ 5,390 miles
desmolicious says:
02:03 PM, 06/ 6/07
Yah, but that shows that BMW is giving the same sporty experience to the 4 door model , instead of making it less involving to drive. Which clearly defines why BMW is the leader in the sport sedan field and has been since it's inception.
jriz says:
02:45 PM, 06/ 6/07
I wasn't talking about driving feel, and said nothing about the dynamic differences between G coupe and sedan.
carlisimo says:
04:27 PM, 06/ 6/07
The previous generation G35 coupe and sedan were on totally different platforms right? The coupe was based on the 350Z I think... is that still the case? I figured they were only alike in cosmetics and drivetrain.
For maybe the first time, Honda cut the Civic's wheelbase when making the coupe. I would guess they feel different. The Corolla coupes were pretty different from the sedans, including the JDM ones in the 'nineties, but they're dead now. Can't think of any more.
lightning73 says:
08:04 PM, 06/ 6/07
i've had an '06 civic si coupe and i now have an '07 si sedan (unfortunate falling-ice-off-a-roof accident - don't ask), and i can tell you that the interiors feel identical, except for the little window on the a-pillar in the sedan. the sedan feels a shade more stable, but not a marked difference. but you'd have to really look around to see the differences between the coupe and sedan.
jriz says:
09:38 AM, 06/ 7/07
carllisimo -- The previous generation G35 coupe and sedan were both on the Z car "front midship" platform, as is the FX 35 and FX45. Generally speaking, the new G35 and G37 are on a revised version of the same platform.
-James Riswick
stingray454 says:
10:46 AM, 06/ 7/07
The same was with the previous generation G35 sedan/coupe (I used to own a 2003 G35 Coupe). They are on slightly different platforms (although both part of the general FM platform), with the sedan sharing more platform dimensions with the Maxima and Altima, and the Coupe sharing more platform dimensions with the 350Z.
I think the items that really change the feeling of the Coupe despite having the same dashboards are:
- Coupe seats are lower (floorpan is lower relative to the door sill and dash)
- Windshield is more steeply raked and larger
- Door frames are taller, with top of door ending much higher than the sedan
- Roof is lower with less headroom
jriz says:
11:04 AM, 06/ 7/07
That's absolutely right.
bimmerjay says:
12:39 PM, 06/ 7/07
The Ford Tempo coupe definitely felt much sportier than the stately Tempo sedan, despite sharing an interior.
comatose says:
02:14 PM, 06/ 7/07
James, couldn't help to notice you're testing the new 6MT. Would like to hear feedback on how improved it really is over the previous generation 6MT's!
jriz says:
03:02 PM, 06/ 7/07
The G37's 6MT is in fact improved over the G35 coupe, and the current G35 sedan (which wouldn't be hard to do!) Stay tuned for our upcoming full road test for more info.
frooky says:
05:01 AM, 06/11/07
I currently drive a 2005 Honda Accord Coupe and I can say that even though the interior looks identical to its sedan sibling, they feel completely different when you're behind the wheel. You definitely feel lower in the coupe and the seats seem to hug you more. I believe the shape of the door panels give you more shoulder room in the coupe as well.
senneca01 says:
06:21 PM, 06/12/07
I am guessing it was Infiniti's intention to make the coupe feel more enveloped and sporty. Along with a better engine, they wanted to differentiate it more from the sedan.
highvelocity says:
08:19 PM, 06/12/07
Of course it feels lower -- it's designed as a true sports car. The lower you sit the better the car handles due to a lower centre of mass. On my G35 6mt coupe, I put my seat to its lowest position and get less roll in corners compared to when my seat is higher.
tayl0rd says:
11:10 AM, 07/19/07
There was a Ford Tempo coupe??