Engine
300+-hp, 3.5-liter V-6, teamed with electric motor |
Hybrids are hot, and as the market continues to grow, Lexus is raising the performance bar with a gasoline/electric hybrid that's also its fastest sedan ever, the GS 450h.
More than just luxurious, fast and sporty, this "green" version of the all-new GS 430 model, which went on sale just last month, is also the first rear-wheel-drive hybrid on the U.S. market.
This is the second hybrid from Lexus, due to go on sale next spring as a 2007 model. The first Lexus hybrid, the RX 400h — based on the best-selling RX 330 sport utility vehicle — had 12,000 preorders even before it began arriving in showrooms last month. Add in the six-month wait for the wildly popular Toyota Prius and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, and you can bet on more hybrids from both brands.
The luxury GS 450h houses a 3.5-liter V-6 that puts out more than 300 horsepower and can launch from zero to 60 mph, Lexus says, in well under 6 seconds. The electric motor can deliver ample torque on demand, especially at midrange speeds for such maneuvers as lane changes in the 30- to 50-mph range.
Lexus claims a combined fuel economy in the 20s. In other words, this hybrid has the acceleration and power of a 4.5-liter V-8 and the fuel efficiency of a 2.0-liter V-6.
It's built on the GS 430 platform and offers similar standard equipment and options, including a sunroof and perforated leather seats. It is visually identical to the GS 430, except for a large air dam on the front bumper to cool the electric motor, a power meter on the dashboard instead of an odometer, and 18-inch light-alloy wheels.
No price has been set yet, but Lexus officials indicate there will be a premium similar to that on the RX 400h, which means customers can expect the GS 450h to cost $3,000 to $4,000 more than the GS 430. |
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