Infiniti M35h sets Guinness World Record for Fastest Accelerating Full Hybrid, Lamborghini Countach Owners Beware

On August 23, the new Infiniti M35h sped into the Guinness Book of Records as the world's fastest accelerating full hybrid model.

The record-breaking feat took place at UK’s Santa Pod drag strip, with the 364HP luxury sedan, driven by CAR magazine journalist Tim Pollard, setting an average 0-400 m (quarter-mile) time of 13.9031 seconds and a passing speed of over 160 km/h (100 mph).

“The Infiniti M35h proves that hybrids can be fast as well as frugal,” said Pollard. “At Santa Pod you could feel the instant torque of the electric motor away from the standstill – the car just leapt of the line. I tried changing gears manually, but it was fastest in automatic.”

Infiniti claims that its new hybrid sedan, which just went on sale in Europe, can challenge not only supercars of the past like the Lamborghini Countach, but even contemporary sports cars like Porsches, Ferraris and Aston Martins.

The M35h was a standard production model combining a 305HP 3.5-liter gasoline V6 to a 50kW (68HP) electric motor. Despite its 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time of 5.5 seconds the M35h has an average fuel consumption of 7.0 lt/100 km (33.6 US mpg) and emits 162 g/km of CO2.

Quarter Mile Times from Zerotosixtytimes:

· 1982 Lamborghini Countach S: 13.9 seconds
· 1998 BMW M3: 13.8 seconds
· 2007 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante: 13.6 seconds
· 2007 Porsche 911 Carrera: 13.6 seconds
· 1966 Shelby Cobra: 13.5 seconds
· 1964 Ferrari 250 GTO: 13.5 seconds

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Toyota Prices New 2012 Prius Plug-in from $32,760 and Prius V Minivan from $27,160

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Honda Refreshes Insight Hybrid for 2012, CO2 Emissions Drops Below 100g/km

The upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show will see Honda revealing the 2012MY Insight hybrid alongside the European market 2012 Civic 5d hatchback. But for now, we get the first official photograph and initial information on the Japanese carmaker's Prius rival.

The big news for the 2012 model year is that, for the first time, the Honda hybrid model's CO2 emissions drop below the 100 g/km mark, to 96 g/km.

The automaker say this has been achieved thanks to a series of enhancements, which include reduced engine friction, changes to the CVT transmission and to the air conditioning that benefits from a new cold storage system, further aiding the reduction of fuel consumption.

The 2012 MY Insight also features some subtle exterior changes, with the most notable being the new front grille and the redesigned front bumper. A slimmer spoiler at the rear allows for a larger glass area, and, along with the smaller wiper, better rear visibility.

Honda’s engineers have also changed the suspension settings in order to improve both stability and ride comfort, while changes on the interior are limited to the use of higher quality materials.

Full details are to be announced at a later date.

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Peugeot Details All-New 508 RXH Diesel-Electric Hybrid Crossover

The HX1 conceptual people-carrier may give us some ideas about Peugeot’s future, but at the present moment, the French brand's newest offering is the all-new 508 RXH, which is the third variant to be added to mid-size model's range after the sedan and the estate.

Although Peugeot had given us a first peek at the 508 RXH in July, the Frankfurt Motor Show will mark the crossover’s world premiere.

Based on the estate version of the 508, the RXH follows in the lines of the Audi Allroad and Volvo XC70 featuring a unique front end, flared wheel arches, and of course, higher-riding suspension along with 18-inch wheels and wider tracks.

Unlike other models of the sort, the 508 RXH adopts a new four-wheel-drive system that makes use of an electric motor similar to the one used in the 3008 and the HX1.

The Hybrid4 system comprises a 2.0-liter HDi FAP turbo diesel located up front and an electric motor mounted at the rear. Each motor drives its respective axle, providing four-wheel-drive capability and, at the same time, four modes: Automatic, Sport, 4WD or Zero Emissions when the electric motor is powering the car.

Despite the system's combined output of 200HP, the 508 RXH offers an exceptionally low average fuel consumption figure of just 4.0 lt/100 km (58.8 US mpg or 70.6 UK mpg) and CO2 emissions of 109 g/km.

The 508 RXH will be available from spring 2012, one year after the debut of its 508 stable mate.

Peugeot will also display in Frankfurt a limited edition of the RXH that will be individually numbered and feature a Calern Brown exterior color and alcantara leather upholstery. It will be produced in only 300 units available to order this fall.

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