Infiniti Planning Hybrid M

[Variance]

Infiniti Planning Hybrid M

Nissan is planning a rival for the hybrid powered Lexus GS450h. The green machine will debut sometime after April 1, 2010 and use Nissan's own hybrid technology.

While Toyota and Honda have pushed ahead aggressively on hybrids, Nissan has deliberately held back, probably for three reasons:

1. Cost. Hybrids are generally not thought to make money yet, or not enough of it;

2. There's still considerable debate inside Nissan whether hybrids really are eco-friendly “the answer”, as opposed to diesels, fuel cells and plug-in hybrids; and,

3. Why promote a technology in which your two main rivals are already so far ahead?

Still, the wheels of change are rolling at Nissan and a recent speech to the media, Nissan COO Toshiyuki Shiga admitted that, yes, the car-maker would develop a hybrid with its own technology. But which model? All he would say is...."we are thinking of F/R”, meaning a front-engine, rear-drive configuration.

Investigations can reveal however that the car Nissan is thinking about is the next Fuga/Infiniti M35/M45, a direct rival to the Lexus GS.

Wheels Magazine

[Sixty8panther]

Love Infinti but hate hybrids... get with the program.

Hydrogen is the correct answer people, HYDROGEN!

Edited February 5, 2007 by Sixty8panther

[Drew Dowdell]

Love Infinti but hate hybrids... get with the program.

Hydrogen is the correct answer people, HYDROGEN!

Incorrect.

There is no one fuel* that is the correct answer.

The correct answer is "diversification"

*That hydrogen is even a fuel and not just an energy storage medium is another debate

[regfootball]

i think the japanese are getting a little egotistical.

"lexus has it so we need to and we can do it better"

is all this is. Even the japanese like to brag to say their johnsons are bigger than the other guys.

[Flybrian]

Infiniti should do a hybrid version of the Q45. You know, a blend of the Q45 and a car that sells well.

[BlkHhr104]

Q45 is no more.

[siegen]

It'll be interesting to see how Nissan's system works, if it is really going to be developed in house.

Nissan is just playing it safe by waiting so long to enter the hybrid game. They let Toyota and Honda do all the work and find the market for it, now Nissan can jump right in and have an approximate idea of what the sales will be (based off of the competition's sales). Of course the sales of the GS hybrid don't look that great, so I don't see why Nissan would start there....

i think the japanese are getting a little egotistical.

"lexus has it so we need to and we can do it better"

is all this is. Even the japanese like to brag to say their johnsons are bigger than the other guys.

This is any different than GM making sure their Corvette has more horsepower than the Viper?

[JT64]

I bet it'll be done for fuel economy, instead of power like the Lexus GS. The Infiniti M would be a great fuel efficient commuter car.

Nobody's buying the Lexus GS hybrid.

Hybrid for power is a stupid idea, especially when +300 lb "hybrid" components is synonymous with "poor handling".

[regfootball]

It'll be interesting to see how Nissan's system works, if it is really going to be developed in house.

Nissan is just playing it safe by waiting so long to enter the hybrid game. They let Toyota and Honda do all the work and find the market for it, now Nissan can jump right in and have an approximate idea of what the sales will be (based off of the competition's sales). Of course the sales of the GS hybrid don't look that great, so I don't see why Nissan would start there....

This is any different than GM making sure their Corvette has more horsepower than the Viper?

yes, because it is an icon, a brand, and a top in class product for 40+ years. Horsepower is at the very core of the corvette's being. It is inherent that a corvette be a top performer.

the M hybrid is a venture into a new arena. the M has no legacy, no cred, and is a flash in the pan in comparison. no one is asking for this car, and the hybrid powertrain is not an essential virtue of this segment, and not at all at the core of this car.

Of course the sales of the GS hybrid don't look that great

and so they obviously aren't doing it for sales. this is all about who has the bigger technological penis in Japan.

Edited February 6, 2007 by regfootball

[regfootball]

I bet it'll be done for fuel economy, instead of power like the Lexus GS. The Infiniti M would be a great fuel efficient commuter car.

Nobody's buying the Lexus GS hybrid.

Hybrid for power is a stupid idea, especially when +300 lb "hybrid" components is synonymous with "poor handling".

why not just a simple high power diesel?

BMW's 3 series diesel makes great power and delivers near 40mpg in real world combined driving.

[Flybrian]

why not just a simple high power diesel?

Diesel:

Hybrid:

That's the image in the general public's mind.

[Intrepidation]

zNIce metaphores Fly