2012 Infiniti M35h Preview Drive
INFINITI M35H PREVIEW DRIVE
Vehicle type: Large Luxury Sedan (hybrid)
Price: TBA – launching in August
Power: 225kW petrol engine | 50kW electric motor
Combined system output: 268kW
Torque: 350Nm petrol engine | 270Nm electric motor
Fuel Consumption: 6.9l/100km (NEDC combined)
OVERVIEW
The Infiniti brand may not be relaunching onto the Australian market until August, but earlier this week TMR was given a sneak peak (and drive) of the M and FX ranges on the roads surrounding Queenstown, New Zealand.
Representing the M model range at the event was the M35h petrol-electric hybrid saloon. This is the flagship drivetrain option, sitting above the 3.7 litre V6 petrol M37 and 3.0 litre turbodiesel V6 M30d versions.
The M35h models we drove were UK-spec cars with instruments displaying miles-per-hour and minor ADR-specific detail differences to the eventual Australian models.
Despite Infiniti’s intention not to emulate traditional premium brands, comparisons with the similarly-sized and specced E-Class, 5 Series, A6 and GS will be hard to avoid.
In the case of the hybrid M35h, it would appear to go head-to-head with Lexus’ GS450h petrol-electric hybrid, and likely to rival BMW’s upcoming ActiveHybrid 5-Series.
Interior
The M35h’s interior design-aesthetic distances it from other luxury brands, and nor does it compare to any other current Nissan product available in Australia.
Its swooping interior lines combine with impressive quality, with a great variety of materials, textures and colours on most surfaces.
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