Nissan ’s luxury brand, Infiniti , has only recently fully taken the wraps off of its first-ever in-house designed and developed hybrid vehicle – the 2012 M35 Hybrid – but already the automaker is looking to spread its latest and greatest green technology across its lineup.
To date, Nissan has only sold hybrid vehicles under its own nameplate, not under the luxury Infiniti brand, and only thanks to licensed technology compliments of Toyota . But now Nissan is ready to join the hybrid game, with a very compelling and highly competitive product that is innovative and effective, albeit a bit late to the already saturated hybrid market.
Now, according to a report by Automotive News, Infiniti is already thinking beyond the M35 Hybrid three months before it even lands in dealer showrooms. Infiniti bills the performance of the M35 Hybrid to be capable of “V6 power at four-cylinder fuel economy levels,” which is necessary in the luxury division.
Although the automotive market has a wide range of hybrids available, there currently are very few hybrids in the luxury segment that deliver particularly compelling power and fuel economy figures – with most utilizing the hybrid’s electric motors for added performance more than added efficiency. The exception likely lies in just the recently introduced Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, which achieves 41 city, 36 highway miles per gallon, but only boasts 191 combined horsepower.
The Infiniti M35 Hybrid, by contrast, utilizes a 3.5-liter V6 which by itself is rated at 303 horsepower and 262 lb-ft of torque. Add in the new hybrid components and you have maximum combined output of 371 horsepower and 462 lb-ft of torque. Despite its incredible power, the M35 Hybrid is expected to deliver a 60-90 percent improvement in fuel economy of its naturally aspirated counterpart, which is rated at 17 city and 26 highway.
Infiniti moves beyond the M35 Hybrid
The technology behind the M35 Hybrid is obviously loaded with potential, which is why Ben Poore, Infiniti vice president, recently told Automotive News that the brand is already studying what other models it could incorporate its hybrid powertrain into.
The potential applications are extremely wide, as Larry Dominque confirmed that the hybrid system found in the M35 Hybrid was actually developed to be transferable to any rear-wheel drive model in the Infiniti lineup, which would include the G series sedan and coupe, as well as both the EX and FX crossover models.
The official and full reveal of the M35 Hybrid – including yet-to-be-confirmed fuel economy figures – is set to be revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show later this year, with sales beginning in the spring of 2011.
References
1.”Infiniti ponders more hybrids…’ view
