Part of what makes Lexus so unique in a sea of luxury vehicles is the companys dedication to hybrid powertrain vehicles and environmentally friendly performance.
This is the natural evolution of the gasoline/electric hybrid vehicle. That is, just as the first few hybrids on the market needed to be overtly different from the norm to gain the collective attention of the American consumer, today's hybrids need to be perceived as mainstream. And mainstream the GS 450h is, with a strong undercurrent of performance and economy that goes substantially beyond what a conventionally powered luxury model would offer.
Educated by parent company and global hybrid powertrain-maker Toyota, Lexus presented the world with the RX 400h, a remarkable hybrid sport utility vehicle which earned Lexus a number of World Firsts including the titles of worlds first luxury hybrid vehicle, the worlds first six cylinder vehicle and the worlds first performance hybrid.Technology
For the GS 450h, Lexus has selected its latest V6 creation, the 3.5-liter unit from the new Toyota Avalon/IS 350 performance sedan (not the existing 3.0 V6 from the GS 300). Like the IS, the motor is transversely mounted to drive the rear wheels, and is mated to a CVT gearbox with a permanent magnet motor sandwiched in between. Seeing as info on the electric half is closely guarded, well have to entertain you with stats on the ICE (gasoline engine). Key features include dual VVTi on both intake and exhaust valves, and D4-S direct fuel injection for increased performance and economy. Output is "well in excess" of 300-horsepower, which could mean it may be as high as 350-hp.
As expected from Lexus, standard specification levels are suitably high, with the 'entry-level' model having comprehensive safety kit - front, side and full-length curtain airbags, front knee-protecting airbags, stability control, traction control, tyre pressure monitoring - as well as mod cons like rain-sensing wipers, a touch-screen display and operating system, Bluetooth connections, a CD player, keyless entry, cruise control, auto-dimming mirrors, heated seats and adaptive front headlights, plus 18" alloys.
It's deceptively quick, too: as the engine is so quiet and smooth, even under hard acceleration and with a seamless CVT (continuously variable, or stepless, transmission) gearbox, acceleration is utterly effortless. There are no uncouth noises, no squirming torque-steer, no roars to the redline and very little to indicate quite how fast the car can be, bar the blurring of the scenery and the needle of the speedo. Think of, say, the Honda NSX versus, perhaps, a Corvette and this indicates the feel of this car versus, perhaps, comparably quick A6s, 5-Series or E-Classes. It's just so civilised.