Infiniti is stepping up the ante in its collaboration with the Red Bull Racing team by pitting the reigning Formula One World Champion, Sebastian Vettel, against his team-mate, Mark Webber, in a race with the firm’s M37 and M35h saloons at the Nürburgring Nordschleife to mark the start of European sales of the hybrid model.
Sebastian Vettel drove the new M35h that mates a 306HP 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine to a dual-clutch transmission and a 68HP (50kW) electric motor for a combined system output of 364-ponies, resulting in a 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint time of 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
His Red Bull Racing teammate Mark Webber participated in the race in Infiniti’s M37 S Premium that comes equipped with a 320-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 for a 0-62 mph in 6.2 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
While Infiniti won’t say who won the race around the 13 miles and 73 bends of the Nordschleife until the first press day of the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 13, the company notes that Webber was “blown away” by how responsive the M35h is, and that Vettel said the encounter between the two teammates was “good fun”.
Vettel, who is the Japanese firm’s official Brand Ambassador, will be on hand at the Frankfurt auto show to reveal the new concept version of the FX50 that bears his name.
PHOTO GALLERY
