The Basics:

In a rather unconventional move -- especially for a luxury brand -- Infiniti has opted to hold onto the old, by keeping the outgoing version of its mid-size sport sedan, formerly called the G37 Sedan, around for an extra year or two, as an entry model that will likely be popular for lease deals. And instead of calling it what it's known as, it's giving it a new badge for 2015 that fits in with the brand's new set of model names: Q40.

There's definitely a good argument for keeping the 2015 Infiniti Q40 née G37 Sedan around. While the new Q50 is a technological tour de force, and a world ahead in terms of refinement and cabin details, it's the Q40 that keeps its primary selling point: as a focused traditional sport sedan. Without much regard for interior refinement, the Q40 offers up extraordinarily well-balanced handling, nicely weighted steering, and perhaps most importantly, communicative steering -- all things that you'll find to some degree in the BMW 3-Series and Cadillac ATS, but not in such a full and proper place setting.

While those other models (and the Q50, if you count its Q50 Hybrid version) now offer fuel-efficient new powertrains, the Q40 moves forward with what it has -- that's a 328-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6, with, a seven-speed automatic transmission. The engine sounds raspy and simply isn't as smooth as most luxury-car powertrains, and the transmission feels at its best snapping off quick shifts, ordered through the paddle-shifters. Add that up with the excellent steering, dynamics, and poise, and the Q40 provides seat-of-the-pants thrills and a certain kind of driver satisfaction that's otherwise possessed only by sports cars and performance coupes.

Styling-wise, the Q40 still looks handsome and nicely proportioned; but with this version as it stands dating back to the 2007 model year, it's become a little dated in the details. Luckily, the sheetmetal was sculpted beautifully in the first place, and it's one of best, timeless designs in this class. We'd point to real sports cars as the G37 Sedan's main influence inside. With a low seating position and low center console between contoured bucket seats, with a strong beltline that wraps around to the doors, plus big, round dials in a hooded gauge cluster, the G37 sets a sporty tone that you won't forget. Top and center, a screen (and supplemental controls beneath) -- about the only interruption to the very purposeful design -- accesses audio and climate functions.

As much as you might expect the G37 sedan to feel like a luxury model--or even see it as one -- it's hard to overlook all the noise, vibration, and coarseness, from the road and from the engine, that you hear and feel in the cabin. The upgraded front seats you get in the Sport model are excellent, but back-seat space is a little tight in headroom -- due to that coupe-like roofline.

Infiniti hasn't yet fully outlined the Q40's standard-feature set, but it notes that the feature set will include leather upholstery, eight-way power heated front seats, Shodo aluminum trim, electroluminescent gauges, the Intelligent Key system, a Bluetooth hands-free interface, and 17-inch alloy wheels. Major options include a Bose Studio on Wheels system, a hard-drive-based navigation system with voice recognition, and a rear-view monitor.

The 2015 Infiniti Q40 will only be offered in four colors: Liquid Platinum, Graphite Shadow, Black Obsidian and Moonlight White.

Likes:

Great, communicative steering
Excellent handling
Strong brakes
Firm, supportive sport seats

Dislikes:

Too much road and engine noise
Unimpressive gas mileage
Lack of rear headroom
Lumpy shifts (automatic)

New Cuban Law Allows Car Purchases, But Prices Are Sky High ...

Posted: 01 Jul 2014 06:10 AM PDT

Cuba's 11 national car dealerships sold just 50 cars and four motorcycles in the first half of the year under a new law that removed limits on auto purchases for the first time in half a century. Cubans had welcomed the new law which removed limits on auto purchases, but many are in sticker shock at the 400-percent markup. Cuba has said it would invest 75 percent of the sales' proceeds for its public transportation system, but total sales at the country's dealerships reached just $1.28 million. A Peugeot dealership in Havana was pricing its 2013 model 206 at $91,000 when the new rules came into effect, and it wanted $262,000 for the sportier 508. Most state workers make around $20 a month. In 2011, Cuba started allowing people to buy and sell used cars from each other. Before then, only cars that were in Cuba before the 1959 revolution could be freely bought and sold, which is why there are so many U.S.-made, vintage 1950s cars on the streets.

--Reuters

IN-DEPTH:

U.S. Cubans Soften Stance on U.S.-Cuba Relations

Cuba Proposes New Law to Attract Foreign Investment

The Cuban Evolution

First published July 1 2014, 6:58 AM

Kentucky Mayor Attacks High Gas Prices by Opening City-Run ...

Posted: 23 Jul 2014 01:52 PM PDT

Right as we've lost all faith in our leaders, the folks running Somerset, Kentucky, have proved that government can actually do something good for the people it represents. In two words, here's what they have accomplished: Cheap gas!

Somerset, located about 130 miles southeast of Louisville, refurbished a shuttered municipal gas station and opened it to the public last Saturday. After complaints from some of the city's 11,000 residents about unfairly high gas prices during the summer, Mayor Ed Girdler decided to run his own station. City officials told the Associated Press that gas stations in surrounding areas have typically been charging 20 to 30 cents less per gallon and that a city-run gas station would bring more people to Somerset, which draws vacationers heading to Lake Cumberland. Almost immediately after the Somerset Fuel Center opened with a $3.36-per-gallon price, the major private gas stations a half-mile away cut prices by about 10 cents to try to match it.

The 10 pumps—all regular grade, plus one for compressed natural gas—are owned and operated by Somerset and the prices set by the mayor's office. To keep costs low, the fuel comes from a local refinery, there's no candy for sale and no bathrooms, and the 10 attendants (to handle cash) are city employees on rotation from other departments. The city spent $75,000 to upgrade the pumps and install credit-card machines, and that's it.

"We're not putting anyone out of business, we're just trying to lower prices," station manager Melody Price told us. "Everyone out here is happy."

But while drivers love it to the tune of 300 fill-ups per day, local gas station owners and petroleum groups are grumbling over the city's power play, even crying "socialism." Girdler says he doesn't care to make a profit and is charging only enough to cover costs. But there's no telling how cheap it'll stay. Unlike nearly every other state, Kentucky's gasoline excise tax varies with the average wholesale cost of fuel. Just this month, the tax shot up from 28.7 cents per gallon to 31.1 cents and likely will change again during the fall.

Although one little station in Kentucky isn't exactly fodder for a Venezuelan-style government gas monopoly, it does raise questions about how—or if—municipalities can compete in private spaces. Expect the next Somerset city-hall meeting to be packed.

Car Prices Blog

Friday, 25 July 2014

2015 Infiniti Q40 Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos - The ...

2015 Infiniti Q40 Review, Ratings, Specs, <b>Prices</b>, and Photos - The <b>...</b>

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