This is the Infiniti M35 Hybrid, the company’s first hybrid offering. CAR has just been behind the wheel in Japan, and not only has the stint allowed us to test the electrified powertrain, but it’s also our first chance to assess the chances of Infiniti’s new 5-series/E-class/A6 rival.

The new M Line is on sale in America and the UK now with a 3.7-litre V6 engine, but a big saloon/big petrol engine is far from the perfect combination for this side of the Atlantic. Instead the hybrid M (available in early 2011) and a 3.0-litre diesel M (on sale in October 2010) will make up the majority of the Euro sales, 35% and 45% respectively.

Read on for CAR’s first drive review of the new Infiniti M35 Hybrid.

Tell us about the hybrid system in this new Infiniti M35 Hybrid…

Bar forthcoming electric/diesel combinations from PSA and Mercedes, every other hybrid mates a petrol powertrain to an electric module, and the Infiniti M35 Hybrid is no different. The set-up utilises Infiniti’s older 3.5-litre V6, doing without the newer 3.7’s variable valve VVEL system that boosts low-down torque because the Electric Motor takes that job.

The electric motor itself offers up 68bhp and 199lb ft, and with lithium-ion batteries (with a 1.3kWh capacity) allows the M35 Hybrid to cover around 2km in pure EV mode. It can also run solely using the electric motor at speeds up to around 50mph, or 80mph if you’re going downhill with a decent bit of wind behind you. The motor sits between two clutches, one dry clutch that decouples the engine to reduce mechanical loses, and a second wet clutch that’s used to modulate torque fluctuations when the petrol engine restarts on the move.