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R O A D T E S T

C OM PET I TOR SBMW ACTIVEHYBRID 3 (3.0-L I-6 + AC MOTOR, 335 HP, 8-SP AUTO)INFINITI Q50S HYBRID (3.5-L V-6 + AC MOTOR, 360 HP, 7-SP AUTO)LEXUS GS450H (3.5-L V-6 + AC MOTOR, 338 HP, CVT)LINCOLN MKZ HYBRID (2.0-L I-4 + AC MOTOR, 188 HP, CVT)

ACCELERATION 0–60 & 1/4-mile, seconds

ACTIVEHYBRID 3 Q50S HYBRID GS450H MKZ HYBRID

4 7 10 13 16 19

FUEL ECONOMY EPA city/highway mpg

MKZ HYBRID GS450H Q50S HYBRID ACTIVEHYBRID 3

25 30 35 40 45

CURRENT BASE PRICE* dollars x 1000*Base price includes freight and performance options; does not include tax credit.

MKZ HYBRID Q50S HYBRID ACTIVEHYBRID 3 GS450H

35 45 55 65

70–0 BRAKING feet

MKZ HYBRID GS450H Q50S HYBRID ACTIVEHYBRID 3

170 175 180 185 190

N O TA B L E H I G H L I G H T S

Infiniti’s steer-by-wire system mechanically

decouples the steering wheel from the

rack under normal circumstances. A

sandwich, consisting of two clutches and one

electric motor, lives between the 3.5-liter

V-6 and the transmission.

SPE CI F IC AT IONSPRICEAS TESTED ......................................... $53,655BASE .................................................. $47,255

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan OPTIONS: Deluxe Technology package, $5000; Navigation package, $1400STANDARD: power windows, seats, locks, and sunroof; remote locking; cruise control; tilting and telescoping steering wheelAUDIO SYSTEM: satellite radio; CD player; minijack, RCA, USB, media-card, and Bluetooth-audio inputs; 14 speakers

ENGINEV-6, aluminum block and headsBORE X STROKE .... 3.76 x 3.20 in, 95.5 x 81.4 mmDISPLACEMENT .................... 213 cu in, 3498 ccCOMPRESSION RATIO .............................. 10.6:1FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM ............. port injection VALVE GEAR: double overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, variable intake- and exhaust-valve timingREDLINE/FUEL CUTOFF ........... 7000/7200 rpm POWER ............................. 302 hp @ 6800 rpmTORQUE ......................... 258 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm

EXTERIOR DIMENSIONSWHEELBASE ................................. 112.2 inLENGTH ....................................... 189.1 inWIDTH ........................................... 71.8 inHEIGHT ........................................ 56.8 inFRONT TRACK .............................. 60.8 inREAR TRACK ................................. 61.8 inGROUND CLEARANCE ..................... 4.8 in

INTERIOR DIMENSIONSSAE VOLUME ............ F: 58 cu ft R: 42 cu ftTRUNK .......................................... 9 cu ft

SUSPENSIONF: ind, unequal-length control arms, coil springs, anti-roll barR: ind; 1 upper control arm, 1 diagonal link, 1 lateral link, and a toe-control link per side; coil springs; anti-roll bar BRAKESF: 14.0 x 1.3-in vented disc R: 13.8 x 0.8-in vented discSTABILITY CONTROL ............ fully defeatableWHEELS AND TIRESWHEEL SIZE/CONSTRUCTION ....... 8.0 x 19 in/

cast aluminumTIRES ........ Dunlop SP Sport Maxx 050 DSST

CTT 245/40RF-19 94W

INFINITI

CAR AND DRIVER TEST RESULTS

HANDLINGROADHOLDING, 300-FT-DIA SKIDPAD .............. 0.87 gUNDERSTEER ....................... MINIMAL

TEST NOTES: Brake-torquing is impossible because there isn’t a torque converter. You can trick the car for some wheelspin with light brake application and full throttle, but don’t bother. This hybrid is quickest with a sharp stab of the accelerator.

TEST NOTES: The steer-by-wire rack-and-pinion steering masks most of the feedback we look for on the skidpad. Steering effort never really tapers off near the limit as it does in most cars.

INTERIOR SOUND LEVELIDLE ........................................... 42 dBAFULL THROTTLE ....................... 76 dBA70-MPH CRUISING ................... 70 dBA

FUELCAPACITY .................................. 17.8 galOCTANE .......................... 91 (required)EPA CITY/HWY .................... 28/34 mpg C/D OBSERVED .................... 29 mpg

WEIGHTCURB ............................................ 4021 lbPER HORSEPOWER ...................... 11.2 lbDISTRIBUTION ........ F: 53.5% R: 46.5%CENTER–OF–GRAVITY HEIGHT .... 20.5 inTOWING CAPACITY ........................... 0 lb

TEST NOTES: Braking distance slowly grew from the first few stops to 186 feet. As with most hybrids, brake feel is totally absent in a panic situation, and the pedal goes right to the floor with little resistance.

BRAKING, 70-TO-ZERO MPHFIRST STOP .................................... 181 ftSHORTEST STOP ........................ 180 ftLONGEST STOP ............................. 186 ftFADE RATING ............................. SLIGHT

ACCELERATIONZERO TO SECONDS

30 MPH ............................................. 2.040 MPH ............................................. 2.850 MPH ............................................. 4.060 MPH ........................................ 5.170 MPH ............................................. 6.780 MPH ............................................. 8.590 MPH ............................................ 10.3100 MPH .................................... 12.5110 MPH ..................................................... 15.8120 MPH ..................................................... 19.9130 MPH ................................................... 24.8140 MPH ................................................... 30.5

ROLLING START, 5–60 MPH .......... 5.4 TOP GEAR, 30–50 MPH ................. 3.3TOP GEAR, 50–70 MPH ................. 4.01/4-MILE ........... 13.8 sec @ 104 mphTOP SPEED (GOVERNOR LTD) .... 149 mph

tested by K.C. COLWELLin Chelsea, Michigan

MOTORAC permanent-magnet synchronousPOWER ................................ 67 hp @ 2000 rpmTORQUE ........................... 214 lb-ft @ 1650 rpmCOMBINED POWER RATING .................... 360 hpBATTERYlithium-ion, air-cooledCELL COUNT/CONSTRUCTION ........ 96/prismaticCAPACITY ............................................ 1.4 kWhDRIVETRAINTRANSMISSION ............. 7-speed automatic with manual shifting modeFINAL-DRIVE RATIO ................................. 2.61:1GEAR RATIO MPH PER MAX SPEED 1000 RPM IN GEAR (rpm)1 ........ 4.78 ..... 6.0 ............ 43 mph (7200)2 ........ 3.10 ...... 9.3 ............ 67 mph (7200)3 ........ 1.98 ...... 14.6 ........... 105 mph (7200)4 ........ 1.37 ...... 21.1 ............ 149 mph (7050)5 ........ 1.00 ...... 28.9 .......... 149 mph (5150)6 ........ 0.87 ..... 33.2 .......... 149 mph (4500)7 ........ 0.78 ..... 37.3 ........... 142 mph (3800)CHASSISunit construction with a rubber-isolated rear subframeBODY MATERIAL: steel and aluminum stampingsSTEERINGrack-and-pinion with variable ratio and variable electric power assistRATIO ............................................... 12.1–37.0:1 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK ................................ 2.4TURNING CIRCLE CURB-TO-CURB ........... 36.7 ft