If you’re looking for a luxury hybrid but want serious performance too, Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel recently “proved” on the Nurburgring’s 21-kilometre, 71-turn Nordschleiffe circuit that Infiniti’s new 2012 M35h hybrid could run a bit harder than its gasoline-fuelled counterpart, the M37, in the hands of teammate Mark Webber.

And there’s a video to provide veracity. Of course, Vettel has been doing that all year in his Red Bull race car, but they did both look like they were trying pretty hard in this internecine contest.

And the M hybrid’s total output of 360 hp does outmatch the 330 hp of the 3.7-litre-engined M37 allowing it to get to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds versus 6.2 seconds, obviously compensating for its extra 100 kilos or so of weight. Not mentioned is that the M56 with its 420-hp V-8 will blow the doors off both of them. But then it’s perhaps not a very responsible choice, is it?

The M hybrid, Infiniti’s first venture into electro-mechanical propulsion, and which joined the redesigned-for-2011 M range earlier this year, also has you covered off if you want a luxury car that does its bit to save the planet through reduced greenhouse gas emissions while keeping a “few” extra dollars in your wallet.

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