NiniaPimp Magazine

Photo gallery:
2012 Infiniti M Hybrid

Hybrid cars may be high tech, but after hitting an apex in the Toyota Prius and Ford Fusion, the technology stagnated. But now a new generation of hybrid drive system is revitalizing the market. Using lithium ion batteries, these systems operate under electric mode over a greater range of speeds, delivering more efficiency. Such is the case with the 2012 Infiniti M35h, one of the first of the new generation of hybrid vehicle.

The M35h boasts EPA fuel economy of 27 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, an impressive achievement for a luxury sedan that also generates 360 horsepower. The car accelerates quickly, using both the 258 pound-feet of torque from the gas engine and the 199 pound-feet from the electric motor to press you back into the seat when the accelerator is mashed. And this same power train slips into EV mode for long stretches, even when traveling above 60 mph on the freeway.

Infiniti packaged this all-new hybrid power train in its top-of-the-line sedan, the M, a car that has never quite garnered the prestige of executive sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz S-class, the BMW 7-series, or the Lexus LS. The smaller M sedan isn’t the kind of car for which you would hire a chauffeur. But it tries to compete with those other cars by offering similar levels of technology, and pushes driver assistance features to an extreme.

Interestingly, the M35h is not alone as an executive-class hybrid. Last year, BMW released its ActiveHybrid 7, and Mercedes-Benz previously launched the S400 hybrid. But of these cars, Infiniti really has the best hybrid system. It not only features idle stop, but it also is able to propel the car under electric power alone, and it gets the best mileage of its competition. It doesn’t hurt that the M35h is the cheapest of the lot, either.

Gas and electric power
The M35h relies on Nissan’s tried and true VQ-series engine, a 3.5-liter variable valve-timed V-6 as its gasoline-powered component. This engine, though landing on the Ward’s 10 best engines list repeatedly over the years, is not very advanced by current standards, and was even knocked off Ward’s 2011 list by Nissan’s own electric motor powering the Leaf.

However, the research Nissan did for the Leaf also paid off for the Infiniti M35h, as both cars use lithium ion battery packs. The M35h gets a 50-kilowatt pack mounted just behind the rear seats, compromising the trunk space. This battery powers a 67-horsepower electric motor capable of driving the car. A regenerative braking system, similar to that used in most hybrids, charges up the battery. Although this is a new-generation hybrid, there is no plug-in capability.

A gentle touch on the accelerator makes the car move forward in EV mode, indicated by a green light on the tachometer. With that same gentle push, the car will continue to accelerate under electric power, the engine remaining off. But so as not to cause a traffic jam and also to get the most out of the car, it works better to push off harder, spooling the engine up to cruising speed, after which it will shut down, only coming on as needed.

To maximize EV time, the car features an Eco mode, accessible with a dial on the console. Eco mode detunes throttle response to a sometimes frustrating degree. Forget about any sort of satisfying acceleration, the M35h will barely get out of its own way.

But the console dial has two other modes, Snow and Sport. Snow reduces torque to the wheels, and is meant to keep the car from losing traction on slippery roads. Sport mode generally keeps the engine speed above 3,000rpm, making for ready power. But even in Sport mode the car will switch to electric drive when conditions call for it.

Sport mode also affects the transmission, which explains why there is no separate sport setting on the shifter. With its seven gears, this automatic transmission helps the car’s fuel economy mission. A manual mode lets the driver shift through the gears sequentially, and allows more aggressive driving than the Sport mode.

Further putting the M35h in the efficient luxury camp more than sport luxury is the suspension, which is sprung soft. Infiniti also doesn’t take the M35h’s tech so far as to offer an active suspension. Sway bars keep the car reasonably stable under hard cornering, but as a fixed suspension, Infiniti had to find a compromise setting between rigid and soft.

Infiniti fits the M35h with an electrohydraulic power-steering unit, essential for times when the engine shuts down. At speed, it is difficult to tell that it is not a conventional hydraulic power-steering unit, attesting to Infiniti’s tuning job. But it is also not exceedingly sharp, showing the kind of understeer present on average cars. Again, the M35h is more luxury than sport.

Next page

Photo gallery:
2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7

Most automakers use the additional energy provided by a hybrid system to get away with a smaller gasoline engine, thereby maintaining expected power but reducing fuel use. BMW looked at that extra power and thought, “excellent, we can make our cars go even faster!”

Such is the case with the 2011 BMW ActiveHybrid 7, which hosts the same engine as the standard 750i, a twin turbo direct-injection 4.4-liter V-8, but straps on an electric motor getting power from a 120-volt lithium ion battery pack. The result: Substantially more horsepower and better fuel economy than the 750i.

Besides the power train, the ActiveHybrid 7 offers all the amenities of a typical 7-series. In fact, BMW makes many tech features standard on the hybrid which would be options on other 7-series models. Things such as the 16-speaker audio system upgrade, head-up display, and rear-view camera come with the car, helping to justify its premium price tag, high even by BMW standards.

Mild hybrid
As the ActiveHybrid 7′s hybrid system can’t fully drive the car under electric power, it should be considered a mild hybrid system. Like Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist system, BMW’s adds boost under acceleration and lets the engine shut down at stop lights. But unlike Honda’s system, the ActiveHybrid 7 feels much smoother.

From the driver’s seat, there is little to indicate the hybrid system. As in other new BMWs, the tachometer has a blue region in the fuel economy gauge, indicating when the car regenerates electricity from its momentum. The super-wide 10.2 inch center LCD can be made to show a real-time animation of the car’s hybrid power distribution, but its 3D presentation makes it more difficult to read than those power diagrams found in Toyota and Ford hybrids.

The clearest indication of the car’s hybrid nature comes when it stops at a traffic light. The tach needle drops to zero as the engine goes silent. Take your foot off the brake, and the engine comes back to life with surprising smoothness, considering the size of the engine.

This idle stop system requires some getting used to, and is not preferable in some situations. It works great in places with particularly long traffic lights, as the car can sit there not burning gas or pumping out pollutants and carbon dioxide. But in traffic jams, with stop-and-go traffic, shutting down the engine for 5 seconds at a time is not as efficient, and is slightly annoying for the driver.

The amount of power on tap in the ActiveHybrid 7 also takes some getting used to, as the car lunges forward with just a light tap on the accelerator. Putting a hybrid label on a car may sound green, but the real virtue of this hybrid system is horsepower. The combined output from the turbo V-8 and the electric motor is rated at 455 horsepower and 515 pound-feet of torque. Compare that to the 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque in a 750i. The ActiveHybrid 7′s power is closer to that of the V-12 760i.

BMW puts the ActiveHybrid 7′s acceleration at 4.7 seconds to 60 mph, and it feels every bit that fast when you put pedal to metal, or pedal to plushly carpeted floor. The car surges forward, the traction control quickly adjusting power to keep tire motion useful, making for very little hesitation in the initial push. The big car feels steady and solid as it picks up speed, the speedometer slipping past 60 mph to hit 70, 80, and 90 in quick succession.

Although they use the same basic engine, the extra power the ActiveHybrid 7 has over the 750i doesn’t all come from the hybrid system’s electric motor. While figuring out how to make the gasoline and electric drive systems work in harmony, BMW engineers realized they could do away with things like the starter, alternator, and the belt driving the air conditioning compressor. The hybrid system handles the tasks of those components.

Shedding that gear, and probably some clever tuning from BMW, increases the output of the 4.4-liter V-8 to 440 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid’s electric motor, by itself, is rated at 20 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque. This motor sits between engine and the transmission’s torque converter. Its lithium ion battery pack forms an odd little cube in the trunk, a strange packaging decision on BMW’s part.

But hybrid systems are supposed to have something to do with fuel economy, and so it goes with the ActiveHybrid 7, which gets EPA economy of 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, covering a range of 2 to 4 mpg better than the 750i. Driving over a combination of city streets, 65 mph freeways, and mountain highways in sport mode, the car turned in an average of 20.6 mpg. Nothing miraculous, but still quite good for a car of this power and luxury.

BMW handling
Given the hybrid system, you would think the car would suffer a handling penalty for carrying this extra gear, but it doesn’t. Although 230 pounds heavier than the 750i, it holds the road well, its active suspension making sure that the tires stay in strong contact with the pavement.

A rocker switch on the console changes the damping through Comfort, Normal, and Sport settings. Comfort loosens up the suspension, making it smooth over bumps, while Sport screws it down tight. In this mode, the ActiveHybrid 7 corners very well, responding to steering input with precision.

However, all 7-series BMW models are big vehicles, and the optional active roll stabilization feature is smart technology to include. This feature puts rotary actuators on the front and rear sway bars that counteract the body’s tendency to lean in corners. Lacking this feature, the weight of our tester ActiveHybrid 7 made itself felt in the turns. It is a worthwhile option, making the car much more capable.

Next page

70 horsepower
Performance tech in the ForTwo is similarly limited, except for one important optional upgrade. The tiny engine is average, tech-wise. No turbo or direct injection, which may be a blessing as these technologies might not make sense on an engine this small. At 1 liters, and with only three cylinders, the engine makes 70 horsepower and 68 pound-feet of torque. But at around 2,000 pounds, this engine delivers enough power to get the car moving quickly, and lets it maintain freeway speeds of 70 mph.

Appropriately sized for the small ForTwo, the engine brings in fuel economy numbers of 33 mpg city and 41 mpg highway. In freeway testing, the instant fuel meter averaged around 40 mpg. During CNET’s time focusing primarily on city driving, it turned in only 26 mpg. Put that low figure down to typical car reviewer driving, mashing the gas pedal at every start.

Holding the ForTwo back is its most technically advanced piece of performance tech, the transmission. Similar to versions of the Lancer Evo and Volkswagen GTI, the ForTwo’s five-speed transmission uses an automated clutch. But unlike those cars’ dual-clutch systems, the ForTwo only gets a single clutch, so gear changes take a horribly long time.

This gearbox has evoked much criticism of the ForTwo, and will make first-time drivers of the car think it almost undriveable. Accelerate from a stop, and the car picks up speed until the first gear change, when power drops drastically. And again, from second to third, another long power drop. It is unnerving until you get used to it.

And the transmission’s manual mode does not cure the problem; telling the car to upshift delivers the same, slow gear change. After some time with the car, however, you can adjust to it, timing the shifts and throttle control to smooth over the dips. The addition of a tachometer, which the ForTwo lacks, would really help drivers time the shifts. The transmission is one area of the car that Smart could definitely stand to improve.

As much of the car is designed to save money and space, it does not come with power steering, which becomes immediately noticeable on trying to crank the wheel around from a stop or at slow speeds. It takes effort, even with the car’s tiny tires. But this issue can be fixed with the optional electric power steering unit, a feature that Smart should really make standard.

One aspect of the ForTwo that probably can’t be helped is the awful ride quality. Its small wheels and short wheelbase lead to plenty of jouncing around, the car getting lifted back and forth by any bumps in the road. The suspension tech in front is fairly modern, if average, with Macpherson struts, but the rear uses a solid bar, a DeDion axle that keeps the rear wheels from completely independent travel.

The brakes are also troublesome, as they don’t feel like there is any power assist at all. Drivers of the ForTwo must anticipate braking situations much more than in other cars, as it takes a lot of effort to stop the car.

Although the ForTwo can easily keep up with freeway speeds, it can feel a little scary. Wind and grooves in the pavement pull the car around more than they would a heavier vehicle, and the ForTwo is not particularly aerodynamic. Although the car can feel tippy in cornering, its stabilizer bars keep it surprisingly balanced. And its short length allows for easy traffic maneuvering, jumping into gaps too small for other cars.

In sum
If it weren’t for its options, the 2011 Smart ForTwo would have been a complete failure for cabin tech. But the available navigation system, iPod support, and iPhone app all bolster it. The surround-sound audio system is a surprise feature that also contributes to its cabin tech score.

As to performance tech, the engine is only average, and the suspension is very rough. But the transmission, despite its slow shifts, pushes the tech envelope, and the electric power-steering unit also gives it a boost.

The ForTwo’s real win is design. Some people might find it ugly, but it is certainly a unique car. And the two-seater practicality is really amazing, giving occupants plenty of headroom along with usable cargo space–more so than in a typical roadster.

Previous page

Photo gallery:
2011 Nissan Juke SV

Nissan designers don’t shy away from controversy. Both the Cube and the Leaf use designs that appeal to the quirky more than the conventional. And so it goes with the 2011 Nissan Juke, a new breed of compact SUV that inspires very mixed reactions.

But judging from concept cars shown at auto shows, compact SUVs will be the newest trend in automotive design. Nissan has just gotten out ahead of everyone else. As a compact SUV, the Juke has the dimensions of an economy car like the Versa, yet sits on 17-inch wheels and a raised suspension, making access easy. It also incorporates one of the most modern gasoline engines available today.

What will throw people off is the bug-eyed front end, fitted with a set of round headlights and another light casing on top of the front fender. From front to rear, the fenders are unduly prominent, making the cab look squashed between them. Even the hatchback has extra curvy elements.

Jumping Juke
In many ways, Juke designers seem to have taken inspiration from the Mini Cooper S. Although the Juke lacks the Mini’s heritage, it is a similarly remarkable design. And it uses a very similar power train, a direct-injection, 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, good for 188 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. That’s 16 more horsepower than the Mini, with the same torque figure.

The result is an aggressive engine ready to spin up and make the Juke jump. In fast launches, the front wheels hop or spin until they can get a grip and shoot the little car forward. The shifter could have a shorter throw, but it offers a good mechanical feel when running through the gears. Heading toward top gear, the shifter always wants to pop into fourth.

But here’s where it gets a little unsatisfying. The Juke can be had with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and with a six-speed manual or continuously variable transmission (CVT). Nissan only mates the manual with front-wheel drive, and the CVT with all-wheel drive. So dreams of turning your Juke into a World Rally Car competitor can be laid to rest.

The Juke takes its power-train tech a lot further than most by giving the driver Sport, Normal, and Eco drive modes, features not seen in cars of its price range. Each mode affects engine, steering, and climate control. For example, The Sport mode makes the engine and steering more responsive, but leaves climate control alone. Eco mode detunes engine response and dials down climate control, leaving the steering in normal mode.

Pressing a button labeled D-Mode, above a small LCD at the bottom of the stack, makes the different drive modes available. In Normal drive, the LCD shows a torque graph, in Sport it shows the amount of turbo boost, and in Eco it brings up a bar graph displaying how economically the car is being driven. Another button labeled Drive Info brings up a G-meter on the LCD.

Nissan created different engine programs to achieve the three modes, and also took advantage of the electric power-steering unit, giving it two distinct programs for normal and sport driving. This programming gives the Juke customizable performance that is completely new for cars in the $20,000 range.

But using Sport mode in the Juke drives home a little bit of conventional wisdom, namely that cars handle better when they are lower to the ground. The high ride height of the Juke keeps it from being a track competitor. But it is still fun to drive.

Taking a turn at speed, the Juke feels drift-happy, the high center of gravity wanting to pull all four wheels across the pavement. Too much speed, and it can feel tippy, but Nissan did a good job of screwing down the suspension, eliminating excessive travel. The ride tends more toward rigid than soft.

Steering response is good, and even better in sport mode. With the front-wheel drive and manual transmission, you can slip the shifter into low gear while braking, pull the wheel and feel the tires scramble for grip, then put on the power for a satisfying turn exit.

Next page