2012 INFINITI M35h

Appealing To Both The Fast And Frugal 2012 Infiniti M35h - Click above for high-res image gallery It is time for enthusiasts to embrace hybrid powertrain technology. A few short years ago, the mention of "hybrid power" conjured up images of low displacement engines, tiny electric boost motors and lethargic performance. Sure, the vehicles were environmentally-friendly (on a local level, at least) and they spanked their pure-combustion counterparts when it came to fueling stops, but they were also absolutely boring to drive. No, make that numbing. Of course, there are always a few exceptions to the rule. Vehicles including the Lexus LS 600h L, Lexus GS 450h, BMW ActiveHybrid 750i and BMW ActiveHybrid X6 deliver spirited performance, but only mediocre improvements over their gas-only siblings when it comes to efficiency. And, we don't need to remind you that these vehicles are always very complex, excessively heavy and hardly inexpensive – there were simply few compelling reasons to put one in the garage. Infiniti, a brand in itself almost embarrassing late to the hybrid game, seems to be in a position to change all that. Continue reading Quick Spin: 2012 Infiniti M35h... %Gallery-122261% Photos copyright ©2011 Chris Shunk / AOL This comfortable leather-lined roost is hiding a secret. We are sitting behind the wheel of the new 2012 Infiniti M35h piloting the sedan up California's Pacific Coast Highway. From the driver's seat, and to those in the city of Santa Monica, this full-size sedan appears no different than its M37 and M56 siblings – it's just another commonplace mid-size luxury sport sedan crowding the Los Angeles basin. Unknown to the drivers stuck in traffic around us, this 4,129-pound four-door masquerading as commonplace is Infiniti's first hybrid gasoline-electric vehicle. The automaker's third-generation M sedan was launched in late 2009 (for the 2011 model year) with two traditional gasoline combustion engines. The flagship M56 boasts a 5.6-liter V8 (VK56VD) rated at 420 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque while the volume selling M37 has the brand's familiar 3.7-liter V6 engine (VQ37VHR) rated at 330 horsepower and 270 pound-feet. Brand-spanking new for 2012 is the M35h, a hybrid gasoline-electric variant. As expected from its badging, the new frugal sibling is fitted with a slightly smaller 3.5-liter V6 (it's the VQ35HR, also found under the hood of the previous-generation M35). The all-aluminum four-valve powerplant is rated at 302 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Bolted to the back of the engine is a seven-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission, identical in type and ratio to the gearbox in today's torque-laden eight-cylinder M56. Sandwiched between the engine and transmission is a 50 kW electric motor with a power rating of 67 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque (it is a one-motor, two-clutch parallel hybrid system). According to Infiniti, the engine/motor package develops a combined 380 horsepower (Infiniti isn't releasing torque figures, but combined we figure they are making an easy 400-plus pound-feet). The power is sent solely to the rear wheels, as Infiniti's adaptive "Intelligent All-Wheel Drive" …
Full Review