infiniti m35 hybrid

LA Auto Show: Infiniti M Hybrid for 2012 Model Year

Hybrid cars in the luxury car segment continue to proliferate despite the fact that most engineers will tell you that heavier vehicles like luxe sedans and SUVs achieve better fuel economy at a lower cost with a diesel engine.

The latest is the Infiniti M Hyrbird, introduced by the luxury brand of Nissan at the LA Auto Show this week. The new gas-electric version of the luxe sedan will hit showrooms the end of 2011 as a 2012 model.

The M is a rear drive sedan, and comes with a seven speed automatic transmission. Official fuel economy figures are not available yet. But Infiniti expects the M Hybrid to get 25 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mpg on the highway (27 combined).

The M Hybrid comes with premium amenities as you would expect: Active Noise Control; an audible pedestrian warning system for when the car is silently cruising in electric mode; navigation; Bluetooth; satellite radio.

The M will join Audi, BMW, Lexus, Porsche, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz with high end Hybrids.

Tags: Hybrid luxury cars, Infiniti M hybrid, Infiniti M Series, infiniti m35 hybrid, la auto show 2010, los angeles auto show, los angeles auto show 2010

Infiniti to Launch M35 Hybrid at Los Angeles Auto Show

by Sam Abuelsamid (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery

The highlight of the Infiniti stand at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November will be the brand's first gas-electric model, the new M35 hybrid. The M35 uses an all-new hybrid powertrain developed in-house by Nissan, unlike the Toyota-sourced system currently used in the Altima hybrid.

Since Nissan doesn't use the Infiniti brand in Japan, the M35 is sold as the Nissan Fuga hybrid in its home market where it debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show last fall. The hybrid uses the popular 3.5-liter V6 found in several Nissan and Infiniti vehicles in combination with a 50 kilowatt motor that can drive the M35 electrically at speeds up to 62 mph. The M35 also uses a smaller capacity version of the same lithium ion battery used in the new Leaf battery electric vehicle. The M35 hybrid will go on sale in 2011 as a 2012 model.

Gallery: Infiniti M35 hybrid