Is Infiniti getting Ready to Drag Race the M Hybrid Against the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid? - Just moments ago, Infiniti dropped an email into our inbox pointing us to a video on YouTube titled "What is the fastest accelerating full hybrid?" The short clip shows a driver dressed like The Stig entering a Porsche Panamera S Hybrid and getting ready to race the sports saloon in the desert.
Infiniti's email also notes, "Check out this teaser video and let us know where you think it’s going…. Don’t miss the results, coming January 23rd, 2012".
Since we find it hard to believe that the Japanese automaker would create a promotional campaign for Porsche and its new Panamera Hybrid we think it's all about showing the potential of the also new M Hybrid (called M35h in certain markets). And more importantly, let's not forget that last September, the M Hybrid made it into the Guinness book of world records as the "Fastest Accelerating Full Hybrid" after it completed the quarter mile run in 13.9031 seconds with a passing speed of over 160 km/h (100 mph).
The question is, will Infiniti engage in all out bragging war showing the M Hybrid and Porsche Panamera Hybrid racing side-by-side or will it wimp out and be content with simply stating the numbers? Guess we'll have to wait until Monday to find out.
For the record, the U.S. specification Infiniti M Hybrid links a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine with 302HP to a 50kW (67HP) electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack, which offers a combined output of 360 horsepower. Both the gasoline V6 and electric motor deliver their power to the rear wheels via a 7-speed automatic transmission.
Infiniti says that the M Hybrid completes the 0-60mph sprint in "less than six seconds". In Europe, the Japanese company has released a 0-62mph (100km/h) time of 5.5 seconds. Fuel economy figures are estimated at 32 mpg highway, 27 mpg city and 29 mpg combined.
On the other side of the ring, we have the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid featuring a 333HP 3.0-liter supercharged V6 linked to a 47HP (34 kW) electric motor for a combined system output of 380HP.
According to Porsche, the Panamera S Hybrid goes from zero to 60mph (96km/h) in 5.7 seconds en route to a top speed of 167mph (269km/h), while delivering EPA estimates of 22 mpg city and 30mpg highway.
