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Nissan's first in-house-developed hybrid will be on sale in the spring of next year in the form of the 2012 Infiniti M35h. The Nissan Altima Hybrid, which is available only in a handful of states, borrows Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive technology. Being a brand focused on premium, sporty cars, you can be sure that the mooing we've become accustomed to from four-cylinder CVT hybrids will not be part of the M35h's package.

When it comes to $50,000 luxury sports sedans, there is the German triumvirate, and there's everybody else. Of the others, two in particular take a surprisingly similar tack in presenting an alternative. One is Jaguar. This brand, with its long and low styling, elegant interiors, and graceful dynamics, has always been a sensualist's choice. Infiniti has generally been more of a Japanese BMW than a Jaguar, but for 2011 it has redesigned and redefined its M sedan, and in so doing has moved toward what can only be described as a very Jaguar-like ideal.

So, what makes this G37 an Anniversary Edition? Well, it has a Premium package, a navigation package, a sport package, and four-wheel active steering. It also has a new exterior color that most of us would call gray but Nissan calls Graphite Shadow. Its interior is leather, colored Monaco Red. (We've had lots of cars with red leather interiors lately, and I have to say that they don't really float my boat, but this one is well-executed.)

It's easy enough to be wooed by the svelte form of the Infiniti G37 coupe, but its $36,915 entry price isn't exactly an easy hurdle for all consumers to clear. Perhaps G37 fans on a strict budget may be intrigued by the 2010 Nissan Altima 3.5 SR Coupe. It's hard to argue that the two-door Altima isn't an attractive car, but does the midsize, front-wheel-drive coupe have enough substance to support its good looks?

The new QX56 is a huge beast, but it's also incredibly useful and luxurious. You could say the same about previous-generation QX, too, but the new model also adds a great deal more refinement, slick styling (rather than a simpler, truck-like look), more available features, and significantly more power. I particularly enjoyed the heated steering wheel, ventilated seats, and seriously nice sound system.

If you thought Infiniti was going to abandon the full-size luxury SUV segment just because most people are segueing toward smaller, more fuel-efficient, less ostentatious crossovers, think again: the smell of money is in the air.

Very mixed feelings about this car. On the one hand, it's hard not to really like something this pretty - it's a convincing Infiniti G37 knockoff - and this quick. And believe me, it is quick. The six-speed manual transmission is well worth the $2330, as it wakes up the ol' VQ and turns a well-mannered family car into a snorting, rorting beast capable of some very impressive second-gear pulls. There's more cause for celebration inside, where, despite some tacky faux leather and brushed aluminum trim, this Altima SR is far more mature than its predecessors. The small color screen on the non-navigation-equipped stereo unit is also a nice touch.