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" Making its North American debut at the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2012 Infiniti M35 Hybrid is nearly everything you could ask for in luxury sports sedan. Infiniti&amp;#039;s new Direct Response Hybrid System utilizes the company&amp;#039;s Atkinson Cycle 3.5-liter VQ V-6 in conjunction with a lithium-ion-powered 50kW electric motor, a 7-speed automatic transmission (sans torque converter) and two clutches to provide the driver with a combined output of 360 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque, delivered to the rear wheels. &amp;quot;Big deal&amp;quot;, you might say. But then Infiniti adds that its M35 Hybrid has a V-8 level of performance while also achieving EPA estimates of 25 mpg city/30 mpg hwy (27 combined). That&amp;#039;s impressive\u2014albeit not simultaneously realized.   You&amp;#039;ll notice the Infiniti M35 Hybrid, in contrast to other hybrids, delivers better fuel economy on the highway than in the city. This is likely due to its larger engine needing less rpm to sustain the vehicle at highway speeds, as well as its powertrain design. The use of a conventional 7-speed automatic becomes possible through the aforementioned clutches, one between the engine and electric motor (for decoupling the gasoline engine) and one aft the transmission before the driveshaft (to smooth power transfer to the wheels and to allow battery charging at a standstill). With this layout, Infiniti claims the M35 Hybrid can achieve pure electric propulsion up to 62 mph for up to 1.2 miles.   We had a brief opportunity to drive an early version of the M Hybrid in Yokohama, Japan, and came away impressed with the package. Although peak power output is important, it&amp;#039;s the 199 lb.-ft. of torque available at 0 rpm from the electric motor that launches you off the line in a hurry. The additional mass that the hybrid system adds, all 264 lb. of it, is discernible in the M37 Hybrid, but Infiniti did a good job to keep it low and rearward for a near-perfect weight balance of 51 front, 49 rear. This could be the difference between the M37 being a &amp;quot;family&amp;quot; or a &amp;quot;sport&amp;quot; sedan.   Infiniti won&amp;#039;t have pricing until a later date, but plan to see the new 2012 M35 Hybrid arrive at dealerships in late March or early April. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-shows/los-angeles-auto-show/news/a16563/2012-infiniti-m35-hybrid/>