New Sport Car

The “driver’s hybrid” from Infiniti, the M35h sports sedan, will introduce world-first steering and braking technologies when it goes on sale in the USA and Europe in 2011. The company calls the M35h a "driver's hybrid," with innovations in both steering and braking technologies designed to blend fuel efficiency with driving feel. As the first in-house hybrid from Nissan/Infiniti, the M35h is pretty unassuming. Indeed, although the test cars we drove in Japan were covered with decals advertising their gasoline-electricness, small “hybrid” badges on the production models’ front fenders will be the biggest powertrain giveaway once the cars arrive stateside next spring.

The Infiniti’s single electric motor is located between the engine and automatic transmission, in place of a conventional torque converter. The 67-hp motor is connected to the crankshaft via a wet-plate clutch. This allows the M to use its 1.3-kWh, 340-volt lithium-ion battery pack for electric-only propulsion at speeds up to about 60 mph as long as the driver keeps throttle application below 20 percent.

The 2011 Infiniti sports sedan M35h uses a 3.5-litre petrol V6 and a 68 PS (50 kW) electric motor for propulsion while power is put to the ground via a seven-speed automatic gearbox. The brakes are similarly designed primarily to suit sports sedan buyers’ needs, but at the same time contributing to the lower carbon footprint of the M35h, low CO2 champion of Infiniti’s all-new M Line sports sedan line-up.

Central to this is its one motor/two clutch system. The first clutch is installed between the naturally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 and the electric motor, which is embedded within the automatic transmission. The electronically controlled clutch allows the full decoupling of the V6 when the car is in electric drive and power regeneration modes. Decoupling the V6 reduces mechanical drag and boosts the efficiency of the electric motor.

Aided by an exceptionally fast charge/discharge response from the lithium-ion battery pack, the result is a hybrid that’s electrically powered for more of the time, and at higher speeds, than conventional hybrids.

Infiniti’s sports sedan first hybrid, the M35h is the low CO2 star of the all-new M Line which also includes petrol and diesel models and which is the first M ever to be sold in all of Infiniti’s 34 world markets.

Among the Infiniti M’s many other claims to fame are the world-first Blind Spot Intervention (BSI), state-of-the-art Forest Air climate control and Active Noise Control, while comfort and luxury are taken care of with double-piston dampers and the availability of semi-aniline leather in the spacious cabin.

Extensive details regarding these two innovations are available in the press release and Inifiniti said it will sell the M35h sports sedan on all of their 34 world markets. M35h sports sedan sales start in spring 2011, depending on market.