It’s the big Infiniti’s heart you feel through every switch, seam, and shutline. As well you should; in North America this iteration of the VQ-series engine is the latest in a line stretching back to 1995 with the Infiniti I30. The mill has been carefully cultivated since and — opposed to popular opinion that the Japanese only make automotive appliances — is thus more akin to a bonsai tree.

Admittedly there’s no evidence that a single, core team of engineers massaged each evolution of the motor, from the original VQ20DE to this VQ37VHR. But there is a sense the motor is the soul of Infiniti.

As a direct competitor to the BMW 335i Coupe — a car equipped with a motor so clearly powerful, turbocharged, ruthlessly efficient; and thus, German — the G37 needed a soul to even stand a chance. Its predecessor, as pretty as the G35 was, still felt mechanically leagues behind the BMW 330i Coupe.

The VQ37VHR engine features a Variable Valve Event and Lift system — VVEL — that is similar to BMW’s Valvetronic system. How does it work? A rocker arm and two kinds of links close the intake valves by transferring the rotation of a control shaft with an eccentric cam to the output cam. The movement of the output cam is then varied by rotating the shaft within a computer-controlled DC motor, down to elbows in the valve links.

Anyway, the system is simultaneously more elegant and complex than I can describe here. The result is reduced emissions by about 50 per cent, reduced fuel consumption of up to 13 per cent, up to a nine per cent improvement in torque, and about 40 per cent better throttle response.

Output is a stout 330 horsepower at 7,000 rpm, more than double the first VQ’s output of 150 horsepower, with only 1.7L more displacement. The Infiniti website touts that the G is “designed for instant gratification,” so a bucket of horsepower is a great start.

For prolonged gratification, however, the interior is essential. Inside, it’s a nice blend of technology, design and high-quality materials. Infiniti says the slash of aluminum on the dash is reminiscent of a katana blade… well, not so much. I’m more concerned with the high quality stitching and fit-and-finish, which is on par with BMW and Mercedes-Benz, but lacking the overall polish of an Audi cockpit.

The standout feature is the Infiniti touchscreen infotainment system that combines control for navigation, audio, 9.3GB hard drive for storing music, voice recognition, rearview camera, XM NavTraffic, and a compact flash card slot for playing MP3s. In addition, it offers — finally, folks — proper iPod connectivity.

There’s a real sense that Infiniti ‘gets’ technology and how people interact with their car. By using an interface that can be navigated with the touchscreen or with buttons below the screen, it frees the driver and passenger to access information and music in a manner they so choose. But the High Technology Package costs a stout $3,900 on all G Coupes — even so, I’ve never come so close to accepting a do it all infotainment system.

All Gs are assembled in Japan, and it shows: it’s as drum-tight and well finished as the marquee Japanese cars that captured North American customers in the ‘80s and early ‘90s.

Driving the G on a good mix of roads and highway stretches didn’t exactly convince me on the need to have a four-wheel active steering system. Infiniti says the system uses a variety of sensors connected to front and rear actuators that can change steering gear ratios and rear-wheel geometry by up to one degree.

Braking performance is improved, too: unlike the G35’s Brembo calipers, the new G relies on Infiniti calipers that are actually even better than the old car’s Italian pinchers.

Infiniti’s parent company Nissan has featured active steer for a number of years, and the system is completely seamless, but in my opinion it’s like having a watch that’s water-resistant to 1,000 feet — and the deepest it’ll ever go is Level 4 in a condo parking garage.

But what I do appreciate is its drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.30 — the same as an Acura NSX and Saab 92. Infiniti paid special attention to the coupe’s aerodynamics, and equipped it with a set of rear underbody diffusers.

The G37 is the very first car to seamlessly meld driver, car and technology together. Major controls and the driving experience are so user-friendly and well executed that the G37 should eclipse the G35 in popularity in Canada’s large urban centres.

But get it out in the country, forget about active-steering-this and infotainment-that, put the window down, and listen to the soul of Infiniti bark.