New Infiniti G drop top and G37X to be revealed at Pebble Beach Concours

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Infiniti has issued a press release that is a bit of a teaser on its "G" lineup, but the real meat will be revealed in 10 days at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It is there that the world will get its first official glimpse of the 2009 Infiniti G37 convertible, which is slated to go on sale in the first quarter of next year.

The venue will also be the coming-out party for the 2009 Infiniti G37x all-wheel-drive coupe. Infiniti spokesman Josh Clifton told Inside Line on Wednesday that consumers should look for the G37x in showrooms at the end of September or early October, although the on-sale date has not been finalized at this point. Infiniti may not release pricing on the "G" lineup until early September, but Clifton said a good ballpark number for the G37x would be "around $35,000."

The 2009 G37 sport sedan gets a "significant upgrade" for the new model year with the addition of a new 3.7-liter V6 rated at 328 horsepower. It is mated to a new seven-speed automatic transmission or a close-ratio six-speed manual transmission. Other changes include new optional sport brakes, a new sport 18-inch wheel design and standard Scratch Shield paint, a so-called "self healing" clearcoat finish. The 2009 G37 sedan goes on sale in September.

In addition to the G37x model, all of the 2009 Infiniti G37 sport coupes get the Scratch Shield paint and a choice of the new seven-speed automatic transmission with Drive Sport mode.

The 2009 Infiniti G37 convertible, with a three-piece automatic retractable hardtop, makes its world debut at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

What this means to you: August 16 will be a critical date for you if you're a fan of the Infiniti G.