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Infiniti M35h Hybrid Targets Porsche Panamera S Hybrid In New Commercial

The world's fastest-accelerating production hybrid. Not the sort of battle that any revhead would lose sleep over, but when an affordable Japanese luxury hybrid raises a glove to an expensive European rival – and wins – a promotional video has to f


The world's fastest-accelerating production hybrid. Not the sort of battle that any revhead would lose sleep over, but when an affordable Japanese luxury hybrid raises a glove to an expensive European rival - and wins - a promotional video has to follow.

In this case, it's the Infiniti M35h and Porsche's Panamera S Hybrid. On paper, the two cars offer similar figures: the Porsche is powered by an Audi-sourced 245kW 3.0 litre V6 and a 35kW electric motor, and the Infiniti gets a 225kW 3.5 litre V6 paired with a 50kW motor.

Officially, the Panamera S Hybrid will hit 100km/h in 6.0 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 270km/h. Infiniti says the M hybrid will manage the same run in 5.5 seconds, topping out at 250km/h. 

While that might be grounds enough to boast, the M35h also holds a Guinness World Record as the world's fastest-accelerating hybrid over 400 metres (a quarter-mile in the old numbers), at 13.9031 seconds - based on an average of all the runs on the day. 

Driving home the point for new buyers, Infiniti has released a new video of the M35h and Panamera Hybrid S duking it out over the same distance, with Infiniti claiming a 13.4-second sprint. (How the new figure was measured and confirmed was not revealed.)

While the Porsche's time wasn't noted, the video (a dramatisation, of course) would have us believe that there was half a car's length between the two as they crossed the finish line. 

The Infiniti brand will make its Australian debut this year, with the petrol-powered M37, turbodiesel M30d and M37h hybrid confirmed for a local launch. At this stage, it's unclear if the V8-powered M56 flagship will find its way to Australia.

The M hybrid will face off against the brand-new Lexus GS 450h - slated for an Australian debut in the second quarter of this year - and possibly the Mercedes-Benz E 300 Bluetec Hybrid, should Mercedes green-light it for a local release.

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