spoken like a true communist. and if having a manual makes me an individualist then give me a getrag 6 speed inline 750 with triple cone synchros on the 1 to 2!

regards

They are set to be 4-mode parallel hybrids based upon driving demand. Dry and wet clutches incorporated into the automatic transmission will switch between modes. The transmission will also act as an mechanical electrical regenerator along with the heat based regeneration from the brakes .

Therefore the Infinti hybrid can run on pure electric power for short urban or suburban commutes – up to 3 miles at typical urban speeds. In higher speed acceleration gas and electric will run together, hence power should actually better that offered by current gas-engined powered models.

When slowing and stopping the gas engine will shut, and regenerative braking will keep charging the battery.

81% of American drivers operate in congested metropolitan areas. In most conditions they don’t operate their cars at anywhere near wide open throttle. No, the Infiniti hybrid’s high speed fuel economy won’t match that of the most frugal diesels. But in a combination of low speed urban and moderate suburban commuting they should better the fuel efficiency of the high-powered diesels.

Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid is claimed to return close to 30 mpg in these driving conditions. Mercedes S400 Blue Hybrid, set be launched in the US market later this year offers 290 hp and 29 combined cycle fuel efficiency.

Dr Fill:
Just stop.

Personally, I am way more interested in the commercial Danki Cube (2011 i think) than a G37 hybrid… but thats just me.

A manual on a hybrid isnt too hard, it’s been done before, but i think, if it does come out, it will be on a sport model…which is a good thing

Like it or not gasoline prices will be back above $3/gal within the next 2 years. The only reason they are hovering under $2 right now is because the economy is in the shitter. We haven’t even hit bottom yet… so it will be at least 2010 before things start to move in a positive direction again, it may even take to 2012 before we see any real improvement in conditions… so all any of these companies can do is hunker down and try to ride out the storm. With demand for new cars dropping like a stone maybe the manufacturers should think about suspending new model development for the next year or so. Put all the projects on hold, save your money, and wait for the market to recover.

A brand getting ready to launch in Europe to glowing reviews from the European press.

Last I heard is that Infiniti is part of the world’s fourth largest automaker, Renault/ Nissan.

That same company that is spending $1 Billion of its own capital in the next 5 years to build viable plug-in electric passenger car fleets for consumption in Israel, Denmark and Portugal. 65,000 of its electric plug -ins scheduled to be up and running in those markets by 2012. The same company scheduled to update its Smyrna, Tennessee plant to build enough plug-in electrics to replace the municipal government car fleets in San Francisco, Portland, much of Marin County, CA by 2011.

The same company that is spending $200 million of its own money to build the Li-Ion batteries co-developed withe NEC rather than rely on outside suppliers as will GM for its Volt.

A year ago:

1) Oil future prices were still at about $60 and not yet at their summertime peak of $140 per bbl. Retail gasoline prices in the U.S. hadn’t yet hit $4.85/ gallon. Minimum wage earners in large cities with longish commutes hadn’t yet had to work 2 hours to clear enough to pay for their daily gasoline needs.

2) The NHTSA hadn’t implemented its passenger car CAFE regulations for 2012 (31.2 mpg combined cycle) and 2015 (35.7 mpg combined cycle) and the huge penalties for non-compliance.

3) Infiniti sold nearly 60% more vehicles then than it does now.

4) Everyone was still denying that there existed a housing bubble and that we were headed for the worst recession since that which followed the Stock Market Crash of 1929.

5) The Chevy Volt was on GM’s back burner while GM was planning to make huge sales strides on all these RWD platformed cars (coming from Holden) stuffed full of small block V-8s.

At least Nissan has the brains, the guts and the money to change their course.