Infiniti hybrid carries $54,575 sticker price

Infiniti has set a base price of $54,575, including shipping charges, on the 2012 M hybrid sedan. The luxury division of Nissan said the car will go on sale on March 16.

The Infiniti M hybrid's powertrain mates a 302-hp, 3.5-liter V6 with a 67-hp electric motor. That power flows through a seven-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels. The sedan is rated at 27 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.

The powertrain includes a lithium-ion battery pack. Infiniti says the M hybrid can travel on electric power at speeds of up to 60 mph and has a range of 1.2 miles on battery power alone.

Infiniti also is launching 2012 models of the M sedan with conventional powertrains in early March. Base prices for the cars, including the $875 shipping charge, are $48,575 for the rear-drive M37, $50,725 for the all-wheel-drive M37, $59,975 for the rear-drive M56 and $62,475 for the AWD M56.

By Dale Jewett