Infiniti M35h Fuel Economy Rated at 32 highway, 27 city

The 2012 Infiniti M35h is described as a hybrid performance luxury sedan. That means it's going to pump out lots of horsepower (350 horsepower to be exact) while somehow managing to get 32 mpg highway and 27 mpg city.

Of course, those fuel economy numbers have to be read with a "wink, wink" because there is no way drivers are going to be able to avail themselves of the 350 horsepower V-6 in the 2012 Infiniti M35h and get anywhere near 32 mpg highway and 27 mpg city.

However, you are still going to get better fuel economy than you would driving the 2011 Infiniti M37. It is rated at 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. In other words, it gets an almost jaw-dropping 50 percent improvement over city mpg and a respectable 20 percent improvement over highway mileage.

Not surprisingly, the M37, itself all-new for 2011, gets less horsepower than the M35h because the hybrid version is mated to an electric motor for its hybrid operation that gives it a torque-filled boost. Electric motors just ooze torque, which can help improve horsepower numbers.

Infiniti likes to point out that the M35h is the only vehicle to offer more than 350 horsepower and get more than 30 mpg on the highway. Of course, one does not know what the cost of greater power and fuel efficiency is going to be. Infiniti has not released suggested prices for the M35h, which goes on sale this spring. The Infiniti M37 starts at $47,050. Expect at least a 10 percent premium unless Infiniti gets aggressive on pricing.

Such a strategy would not be without precedence. The Mercedes S400h, which is a much larger vehicle than the M35h, but still a performance sedan, actually costs the same as a Mercedes S550. The S400 has the distinction of being the best value in hybrid sedans because it carries no hybrid markup in price and delivers better fuel economy. which means owners start saving money as well as fuel from the moment they sign their ownership papers.

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