When the tachometer in the new Infiniti M35h (called Nissan Fuga Hybrid in Japan) fell while we were cruising along at 40 mph, we couldn't help but do a double take. But as the needle hit zero and the car continued to hum along, we realized there were no gremlins in the system. The engine had simply cut out and we were driving in electric-only mode.
Why the initial surprise? The world's best known hybrid -- the Toyota Prius -- also has an electric-only mode, but the car has no tachometer. Honda's IMA hybrid system, fitted to vehicles like the Insight and CR-Z, has a tach, but when in cruise mode, the engine never cuts out, so it doesn't make such radical fluctuations. This M Hybrid is the first car we've driven where the tach hibernates every so often.

It also happens to be Nissan's first hybrid of the 21st century. Nissan launched the Tino hybrid in 1999, following Toyota into the hybrid era. But while it did employ a lithium-ion battery pack, putting the company one step ahead of Toyota back then, its limited edition run of 100 units was just a splash in the ocean and didn't put Nissan on the hybrid map. Later, Nissan borrowed Toyota tech for a hybrid version of its Altima, which was a stopgap measure.

Looking identical to its Infiniti M brother apart from the chrome-coated 18-inch alloys, Infiniti's M Hybrid is a different story. Aiming fairly and squarely at the Mercedes E-Class and the BMW 5 Series, and available in the U.S. from spring 2011, the M hybrid will be the brand's first production hybrid. And while we can say it certainly has a street presence, we can't say it's beautiful. With strong design hints from the macho FX SUV, the M Hybrid seems more ready to bludgeon than beautify its surroundings.