If you’ve overlooked the opportunity for an up close and personal exploration of the Infiniti brand, take note from a serious car enthusiast: the entire line may in fact be THE best overall value in the luxury segment…Case in point, the 2011 M37. Now in its third generation the $47,750. M37 sits at the top of the list of fun to drive, driver interactive and passenger friendly mid-size luxury sedans under $50K. 

Aesthetically speaking, M37’s exterior endowments are long, lean and muscular, from front to back, top to bottom. Its husky stance exudes the appearance of a mean road handling machine and gives it the ability to remain planted firmly on all four, while commanding the attention of onlookers with an appreciation for the finer things in life. Personally, I’d be willing to go as far to say that the “M” in M37, could very well stand for motion, which is what I felt with every stare. Zero-lift aerodynamics amplifies handling and driver control for lovers of the 330 horsepower, 3.7 liter V6 engine. FM platform is credited with reducing body roll and increased stability to help the driver move fluently through curves, whether the driver chooses to shift manually, or grant card blanche to the seven speed automatic that definitely plays a part in the 18 city / 26 highway fuel economy estimates. 

Based on actual experience, I can tell you that the new M is a blast to drive. The standard V6 with 270 lb-ft of torque responded immediate to my every command, thanks in great part to what Infiniti’s exclusive WEL technology. The ride is actively smooth as is typically the case with Japanese luxury cars and the handling and maneuverability was totally sublime. What convinced me for sure was the ability to swing down and around my driveway in a car this size and “get it in” on the first try. Imagine the happy ending that must have brought to my garage!

The M’s Intelligent All-Wheel Drive constantly monitors conditions through vehicle speed, wheel spin and throttle in order to know when to shift 50% of the power to the front wheels, or 100% to the rear wheels when all wheel drive is unnecessary. Advanced 4-Wheel Active Steer adjusts the ratio of the front wheels and angle of the rear wheels for ideal control for the turn speed and turns all four wheels in the same direction to help drivers corner with greater agility in higher speeds, or at lower speeds, with improved turning response and less steering wheel motion. 

For all you fast and furious fans the M56 at $59,100 boasts a more powerful 5.6 liter V8 with 420 horses under the hood to yield 16 mpg city / 25 mpg highway or 16/23 for the all wheel drive M56x AWD, starting at $61,600. Add to that the arrival of the 360 horsepower V6 M Hybrid for 2012, priced at $53,700. Said to go on sale sometime this spring, the M Hybrid is expected to achieve a government fuel economy rating of 32 mpg, which is most likely for combined (city and highway) fuel economy.

With your best interest at heart and in mind, M offers mind blowing technology functions in the available $3,000 Technology Package. Intelligent Cruise Control automatically adjusts speed to adapt to the flow of traffic. Blind Spot Warning lets you know when not to change lanes, while Blind Spot Intervention (“a world first”) helps steer the car back to the center of the lane if and when it should drift while another object is sensed in any blind spot areas. It’s sort of the same with Lane Departure Warning and Lane Departure Prevention, in that one is a very clear warning, while the other helps to steer you back to the center of your lane when it senses the car may be drifting. Distance Control Assist aids the driver in releasing the throttle and applying brakes as demanded by traffic. Intelligent Brake Assist warns the driver and engages the brakes when the risk of a collision is a reality while Forward Collision Warning makes sure you are fully aware and prepares the Front Pre-crash seat belts. 

All of my favorites features are included; Bluetooth, rain sensing wipers, heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, hard drive navigation with traffic alerts and updates—yeah, yeah, yeah, this car has got‘em all. The design of the cockpit is quite cozy and comfortable as well. Everything was right at my fingertips. Rich wood accents here and there provided further assurance of the presence of luxury. The 9.3 GB box for music storage is part of the Bose 10-speaker premium sound system. 

My fondest memory, however, comes from a day when a truck towing a hot tar tank pulled in front of me, the smoke and smell of which is gross! It was the very first day I had ever driven the car, which left me a little discombobulated in the efforts to close the windows (thankfully they’re all automatic on the down and up) and shut the air vents. It seemed 100% certain that I was about to inhale that God-awful smell. But thanks to M’s Forest Air system that not only intends to create the sensation of a natural breeze in the car, but incorporates Advanced Auto Recirculation to neutralize unpleasant odors and close all outside vents as soon as they are detected—I never smelled a thing! Yeah, that was nice.