Infiniti Hybrid – Infiniti has shed light on its new model year M35h hybrid, with fuel efficiency and CO2 emission figures seeing a considerable boost.
The latest model, which is due to be unleashed across Europe in the coming weeks, also has key enhancements to electric motor accuracy and battery charging, allowing the M35h to rely more on electric power when the cold snap hits. Styling and equipment changes, however, are not quite as pronounced this year.
In the M35h, CO2 emissions drop from 162g/km to 159g/km. That’s not a big drop, but it is a significant one. why? Because in markets such as the UK, it means the car qualifies for the higher rate of Write Down Allowance (WDA) – in other words, companies can claim 20 percent of the car’s cost as capital expenditure per year, instead of 10 percent before.
That’s not the only thing your wallet might like about the M35h – it drops a whole tax band for drivers, taking it from 23 to 22 percent for 2012/13. Top-band UK taxpayers save approximately £180 a year.
Meanwhile, the lower fuel consumption drops from 7.0 to a petrol-sipping 6.9 lt/100km (0.5mpg to 40.9mpg UK) and highway consumption is down from 5.7 to 5.6 lt/100km (50.5mpg UK).
The hybrid’s V6 powertrain engine is still producing a combined output of 359bhp (364PS), resulting in a pleasing 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 5.5 seconds, considerably nippy as hybrids go.
As for what it costs – in the UK, the 2012 M35h is priced at £46,840. That’s £1180 more than the 238HP M30d diesel. The rest of Europe will see the M35h around early-May.