Some of us have been searching for years for that one cell-phone that can do it all: play music and videos, snap photos,

The new Infiniti G37 Convertible: gorgeous with the top down from the front... (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

synchronize with a computer, play games, surf the internet, retrieve emails, record text and do countless other things on top of... you know, actually making phone calls. And we'll be searching for that one do-it-all device for some time to come, because while mobile devices have come a long way over the years, our demands and expectations keep on growing.

The same goes for cars. There is no be-all and end-all in the automotive industry, or else we'd all be driving that same car and every other automaker would either be following suit or closing up shop. That's where the time-honoured art of compromise comes in, because while no one car can be everything to everyone, some can be many things to many people. That's the unspoken promise of the new Infiniti G37 Convertible, and the same promise that brought us out to the rural switchbacks and sweeping autoroutes of Quebec.

Designing

.... and beautiful from the rear... (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

an automobile is no easy feat, but transforming an existing vehicle into a hard-top convertible presents a unique challenge. One that requires a very specific compromise between form and function: Make the rear end big enough to swallow the folding roof and its mechanism, and you'll ruin the car's lines and proportions. Keep the rear deck low and svelte, on the other hand, and you're bound to lose any semblance of a usable trunk once the roof is stowed. Many automakers playing this game shoot for the moon and try to get the elusive best of both worlds, but few succeed.

In transforming the G37 coupe into the G37 convertible, Infiniti has redesigned the car completely from the A-pillar rearward. But rather than trying to satisfy everyone by aiming for both form and function yet achieving neither,

....and like a coupe with top up... (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Nissan's luxury division went with form, keeping the rear end trim and slender at the expense of trunk space. The result is an unabashedly stylish convertible, but with the roof stowed, trunk space quickly shrinks to that of a glove box. And if you're anything like us, you'll want to drive with the top down as much as weather will allow.

While we were enamored with the G37 convertible's styling, unfortunately the trunk isn't the only downside of its design. Like most other coupé-cabriolets, as they're called overseas, the retractable structure and all that goes with it also makes the vehicle extremely heavy: at about two tons, its curb weight more closely resembles that of a sport-utility vehicle than a sports car, only without the utility

....even looking fabulous from behind with the top up! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

that goes with it. At 30 seconds, the time required to operate the roof is also slower than some of the other hard-top convertibles we've driven. And while that might seem negligible, when you're stopped at a red light that turns green and the roof is still in operation, half a minute can seem like an eternity. Ditto for sudden thundershowers.

If you need to transport more than yourself and a fortunate passenger in the G37 convertible, there is a set of rear seats at your disposal. So if your weekend bag won't fit in the diminutive trunk, you can always toss it in the back. Unfortunately that and giving the neighbor's kids a ride around the block are just about all those back seats are good for, so severely limited is the legroom

A top-tier interior with quality and features designed to shame the Germans. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

back there. But that's largely the same story with other four-seat convertibles, and it bears noting that, in most markets, the inclusion of the rear seats will knock the Infiniti's insurance rate down a bit over a comparable two-seater.

Fortunately those are our only substantial complaints about a vehicle which we otherwise thoroughly enjoyed and would – notwithstanding those few caveats – recommend enthusiastically to anyone in the market, because the G37 convertible presents a compelling alternative to its competitors. And we needn't look far for rivals to Infiniti's new convertible, either: fellow countrymen at Toyota introduced the new Lexus IS C only a few months earlier, and while the Lexus may offer a bit more space than the Infiniti, the former's orientation is

Details that really make it stand out. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

decidedly less sporty than the latter's. Infiniti clearly has its eyes fixed farther abroad on the BMW 3 Series convertible.

Infiniti has an aggressive pricing strategy in place to take on Munich's benchmark convertible: at CAD $57,400 MSRP (before delivery), the G37 cabrio is priced to compete with the $55,600, 230hp 328i, but with 325 horsepower on tap, the Infiniti's output is even higher than that of the $65,600, 300hp twin-turbo 335i. The more-for-less strategy ought to give potential 3 Series buyers something to think about, whether they're looking for extra power or extra cash. But notwithstanding the rear seats that ostensibly put the G37 in the same

325hp at a price nearer to its closest rival's comparatively anemic base car. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

league as the 3 Series, those heading down to their local BMW dealership to check out the more performance-oriented new Z4 – which, like the 3 Series, also went hard-top in its current iteration – may want to stop by an Infiniti dealer to give the G37 a look, because the Infiniti offers up a thoroughly enjoyable drive, whether you're looking for a relaxed cruise or a spirited assault on your favorite switchbacks.

In principle, extra weight is the enemy of performance, and Nissan hasn't found some magical way to reverse the laws of physics. The lighter, more rigid coupe will still trounce the heavier convertible around the race track, but there are some upshots to mounting that big, heavy roof mechanism in the trunk. It improves the car's balance, bringing the front/rear weight distribution up from

Bose audio that almost sounds as good as the engine. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

the coupe's 54/46 to a more optimal 52/48. The added heft also gives the drop-top a solid highway cruise. In making room for the folding top, Infiniti also widened the track by 35mm. But for the enthusiast, the hands-down best part of lobbing the top off the G37 is the front-row seat it gives you to the absolutely intoxicating exhaust note.

The G37 convertible packs the same 3.7-liter DOHC V6 with variable valve timing as its fixed-roof and four-door counterparts, only reduced by 5 horsepower to 325 due to the rerouted exhaust necessitated by the redesigned rear end. The latest evolution of Nissan's vaunted VQ engine is responsive and punches far above its weight, but the exhaust note is in another league,

A fabulous seven-speed automatic that blips on downshifts and features magnesium paddles for quick shifts. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

like something you'd expect from an exotic three times its price. The rich note that's dampened by the coupe and sedan's fixed roofs is at its fullest in the convertible with the top down.

Our drive took us along twisting country roads from downtown Montreal out to Montebello, half-way to Ottawa. Along the way we had a chance to sample both the 6-speed manual and 7-speed automatic, both fitted with the Sport package. The manual will, of course, be the natural choice for sports car purists, and although said purists would likely opt for the fixed-roof model, we're glad to see Infiniti offering it for those few customers who prefer stirring their own gears in the open air. The automatic is a single-clutch torque-converted unit where others have switched to dual-clutch sequential-manual gearboxes,

Excellent grip from its gorgeous wheel and tire package. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

but with seven ratios, throttle-blipping rev-matching downshifts and long column-mounted magnesium shift paddles, the auto-box is still capable of delivering a responsive drive when summoned or a carefree cruise when left to its own devices.

Although lobbing off the top left the G37 convertible with some cowl shake, Nissan's engineers evidently put in a lot of work keeping it to a minimum. The brake pedal has a tad too much travel before biting in a less-than-linear fashion, and while the steering proved well-weighted, it felt a touch too isolated from the road for our tastes. Those minor concerns, however, didn't stop us from enjoying the drive from a well-appointed, well-designed and well-executed cabin.

Its Achilles heel, luggage space. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Our test vehicle was fitted with optional equipment including heated and cooled seats that form part of a climate control system that adapts to the roof's position and the vehicle's speed to keep its occupants comfortable in any circumstance. As does the sound system, which was augmented on our tester with the optional Bose surround sound that mounts speakers in the headrests along with eleven more around the cabin to give an all-enveloping audio experience should listening to the exhaust note grow monotonous after the first hour or ten. The fully adjustable steering wheel and seats ensured that we had an optimal driving position, and the front buckets offered plenty of support while we wrung out the G37's neck in the twisty bits as well as comfortable cushioning for the leisurely highway cruise back into the city. Wind buffeting, with the windows up or down, proved well managed, but Infiniti also offers a wind deflector that can be installed over the rear seats.

Stepping out of the luxurious open cabin to take in the elegant lines of the exterior design, it's immediately evident that Infiniti has completed a remarkable job of tailoring the coupe's highly admired shape to the adaptable open-air form. And while that understated elegance comes with its price, we're hard-pressed to think of many things in life that don't.