Unless you’re talking about gas mileage, performance is not something you would ordinarily associate with hybrids.
The gas-electric combination vehicles the Japanese introduced in the late 1990s have been known for their ability to stretch a gallon of gas, not their 0-to-60 times.
But that changes with the Lexus GS 450h, the hybrid version of the automaker’s luxury performance sedan.
For the first time, company marketers can point with pride to a hybrid’s ability to get away from a standing start. Bob Carter, Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager, notes the 5.2-second, 0-to-60 mph clockingfor the GS 450h rivals that of a Porsche 911 equipped with Triptronic.
“In fact, it was designed to be quicker than every V8-powered competitor in its class,” Clark says, while at the same time, “delivering more than 30 percent better fuel efficiency.”
Lexus did this by combining an all-new, high-output electric motor with a 3.5-liter V6 gas engine that is rated at 292 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 267 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm. Total system power is rated at 339 hp.
Of course, there is a price you pay for that. Mileage ratings for the GS 450h fall short of the astronomical numbers (which are rarely reached in actual driving conditions, by the way) usually seen for hybrids. The 450h is rated at 25 mpg city, 28 highway with a combined rating of 26 mpg. The V8-powered GS 430 (0-to-60 at 5.7 seconds) is rated 18/25. The V6 GS 300 (0-to-60 at 6.9 seconds) has EPA figures of 21/27 when equipped with all-wheel drive.
Still, according to company figures, the 450h will save on average about 200 gallons of premium fuel per year, which at today’s prices can run $500 or more. The 450h will require about 13 fewer stops for gas along the way, too, saving you time.
The mileage figures for the GS 450h also are the reverse of what is normally expected of hybrid vehicles. The GS 450h gets more mileage in highway driving than in the city because it is a rear-wheel-drive vehicle – the world’s first RWD hybrid, Lexus claims – and the regenerative power for the electric motor gained from braking isn’t as plentiful as that in front-wheel-drive hybrid vehicles, which do better in town because they use more battery power. Thus the gasoline engine has to run more to recharge the 450h’s hybrid battery pack.
A newly designed longitudinal hybrid transmission allows for the RWD setup. The electronically controlled, variable transmission is similar in size to a conventional six-speed automatic. One electric motor inside the case recharges the battery pack while the engine is operating and also acts as a starter for the gas engine. A second electric motor drives the rear wheels either by itself or in conjunction with the gas engine. It also recharges the battery pack.
So how’s the GS 450h drive?
Pretty much like the conventional V8-version of the GS. There’s no question about the available power. It’s there in an instant – no reason to hesitate when pulling out into traffic as one often does in other hybrid models. Nor is there any reason to be shy in passing situations. The company clocked the 30-to-50 mph acceleration at 2.7 seconds.
The ride is quiet, especially at low speeds when the electric motor is engaged.
All the usual amenities you find in the conventional GS 430 are on the 450h. Some features that are optional on the 430 are standard on the 450h, including a moonroof, rain-sensing wipers, headlamp washers, a parking assist system and rear sunshade. A navigation system, Mark Levinson upgraded sound system and pre-collision system with dynamic radar cruise control are among options offered on the 450h.
The only difference in appearance is the hybrid badging and a smaller trunk for the 450h (only 7.5 cubic feet) because of the placement of the hybrid battery pack between the backseat and trunk.
The 450h will go on sale in May with the sales target limited to 2,000 the first year. The MSRP is 54,900, or $3,525 over the starting point for the GS 430 ($51,375).
