Infiniti Boasts World's Fastest Hybrid

Do hybrid buyers have a need for speed? It seems counterintuitive, but Infiniti thinks so. The automaker recently crowned its M hybrid sedan the world's fastest hybrid. Nissan's luxury arm pitted its M35h against the Porsche Panamera S Hybrid in a drag race.

During a 90-second video called "The Duel," the M leaves the Panamera in a cloud of dust and beats it to the finish line. Infiniti lists an 11.5-second zero-to-100-mph acceleration time and a quarter-mile time of 13.4 seconds for its hybrid. The automaker says a third-party testing company confirmed the results, which have also been certified by Guinness World Records.

Infiniti didn't say how much gas was wasted in racing these two hybrids, however.

Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Infiniti

2012 Panamera Turbo S at the 2011 New York Auto Show

• Competes with: Aston Martin Rapide and Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class 
• Looks like: Porsche finally fills out the Panamera’s lineup … or has it? 
• Drivetrain: 550-hp, twin turbocharged 4.8-liter V-8 with a seven-speed auto-shift manual transmission; all-wheel drive 
• Hits dealerships: Spring 2011 

Porsche has been busy expanding the Panamera’s trim offerings since the model was first unveiled in 2008. Today, the automaker showed off its new top-of-the line 2012 Panamera Turbo S trim.

The Turbo S takes off where the Panamera Turbo ends in terms of features and brings an extra dose of performance. The Turbo S takes the standard V-8 powertrain and manages to eke out another 50 horsepower (550 hp). Torque has also increased to 553 pounds-feet, and an overboost function can increase peak torque to 590 pounds-feet. With the help of launch control, the Turbo S can go from zero to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, with a top speed of 190 mph.

2012 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid: First Look

• Competes with: Lexus LS 600h, BMW 750 ActiveHybrid, Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid  
• Looks like: A hybrid to be lusted after
• Drivetrain: 333-hp, supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 with 47-hp electric motor, eight-speed automatic transmission
• Hits dealerships: Late 2011

Hybrids and luxury marquees haven’t been a big success outside of the SUV realm; think Lexus RX 400h. But many big makers have put hybrid powertrains in their flagship sedans despite lukewarm demand for such a vehicle. Enter Porsche, putting the same powertrain from its Cayenne Hrybid SUV into the Panamera four-door hatchback. While the final mileage figures weren’t released today, we do know it will hit U.S. dealers later this year at a starting price of $95,000.
 
Until we know the final mileage, it’s hard to make an early ruling on the success of such a vehicle. At $95,000, it will slate below the top-of-the-line Panamera Turbo at $135,300 but just above the Panamera 4S at $94,700. Those two vehicles get a combined mileage rating of 19 mpg and 18 mpg, respectively. The Cayenne S Hybrid gets 21 mpg combined.

Porsche Sales Up, but Not on Sports Cars

For years, Porsche was known solely as a sports car manufacturer. That all changed when the Cayenne SUV hit the market in 2003. It quickly became the most popular model in the lineup.
 
Porsche’s sales were up 75% last month, and another new Porsche model is in the mix: the Panamera grand tourer, which starts at $74,400 for the base 300-horsepower V-6 model, which is the best-seller. That's followed by the Panamera 4, which is an all-wheel-drive version of the V-6, and then the Panamera 4S, which is the all-wheel-drive version of the V-8 S model. The top-of-the-line Panamera Turbo starts at $132,600. Nearly every Porsche sold has at least a few options — from special color-matching trim materials to beefier brakes — adding to the sticker price. Fully loaded units can retail for tens of thousands above the starting price.

Recall Alert: 2010 Porsche Panamera

Porsche has issued a recall for 3,176 Panamera vehicles from the 2010 model year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The recall affects the Panamera S, 4S and Turbo four-door sedan.

In some of these vehicles, there is a defect with the front seat so that if it’s adjusted to an extreme position, the mating components may break and the seat-belt locking mechanism can’t be trusted. The seat-belt mount could break from the anchoring system when the belt is fastened or open. In a crash, the belt could fail, increasing the risk of injury or death for any passengers.

Dealers will install an additional locking element on the seat-belt anchoring system for both of the front seats for free. Owners may contact NHTSA’s vehicle safety hot line at 888-327-4236.

Porsche Panamera V-6 Starts at $74,400

Porsche announced pricing for the V-6 options on the 2011 Panamera. The rear-wheel-drive V-6 will start at $74,400, and the all-wheel-drive Panamera 4 will start at $78,900. Both prices do not include a $975 destination fee.

The V-6 engine provides a significant drop-off in power from the V-8. The 3.6-liter V-6 manages 300 horsepower and 295 pounds-feet of torque, which is 100 hp and 74 pounds-feet less compared with the V-8. Then again, with the V-6 you knock $15,400 off the price tag, and while official EPA numbers are not available yet, gas mileage will likely be better.

Porsche says the Panamera will not fall under the gas-guzzler tax, which could also cut down on the overall expense. This gives the Panamera a fairly wide pricing spectrum, considering the top-of-the-heap Panamera Turbo goes for just over $133,000.

V-6 Porsche Panamera Arrives in June

We’re not sure exactly who would buy a V-6 Porsche Panamera starting at $74,400, but Porsche sees some dollar signs, we guess. The all-new V-6 puts out 300 horsepower and 295 pounds-feet of torque and comes with either rear- or all-wheel drive. The two trims are called simply the Panamera and the Panamera 4, respectively. All-wheel drive will cost you $78,900 to start. Neither price includes destination charges.

The base model comes with a standard suspension; Porsche’s adaptive air suspension is an option. Both models go on sale this June. You can read our review of the more powerful V-8 Panamera here. A few more photos of the Panamera and Panamera 4 are below.

Cars.com Reviews the 2010 Porsche Panamera

A Porsche hatchback? The incongruity of that phrase is enough to send fans into a fainting spell. Cars.com reviewer Mike Hanley is willing to give the 2009 Porsche Panamera a shot nevertheless (we know, what a rough gig). Hanley put the Panamera through its paces. To find out if this outside-the-box luxury car can convert skeptics, check out his full review.

2010 Porsche Panamera Review

Cars.com Podcast: Porsche Panamera

This week’s podcast is a bit like the classic Pink Floyd album “The Wall,” especially considering the line, “If you don’t eat your meat, you can’t have any pudding.” In the case of this week’s podcast, you’ll have to listen to our editors discuss last week’s mileage challenge and how it came together before you’ll hear about Mike Hanley’s seat time in the full line-up of the new Porsche Panamera.

You can check it out in iTunes here or just hit the play button below.

Cars.com Podcast