2013 Lexus GS 450H
Most of us would like to make some kind of gesture towards reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, but does this mean we have to drive a tiny and austere car and sacrifice the luxuries and roominess we may have become used to?
The answer for 2012 is a resounding “no” as vehicle manufacturers at the high end of the market compete to bring us hybrids that are not only thrifty, but downright luxurious and sporty too. Certainly, there are increasingly wide choices when it comes to hybrids at the more affordable end of the market, but this year sees a rash of exciting and opulent products from the upscale makers from Mercedes-Benz to Lincoln. It all adds up to the fact that a buyer with the money to spend can “go green” without making any luxury or performance sacrifices at all.
Take the 2013 Lexus GS 450h (available next year) introduced at the Frankfurt motor show in September and previewed in GS 350 (conventional drivetrain) form at the famed Pebble Beach Concours in California during August. The GS has long been Lexus’ “grand touring sedan” - a large sedan but not quite in the same mould as the bigger 600h. Dramatic “European” styling has always been a benchmark with the GS and earlier cars (they go back to 1991 in Japan) were penned by Italian master Giugiaro. The hybrid version was first launched in 2005.
The new GS certainly looks as though it will carry on the Italian design traditions that came with earlier models and it should keep its reputation as possibly Lexus’ most stylish saloon. Interestingly the lighting - a key styling point with any premium vehicle - is all-LED and according to Lexus, this is the world’s first car so equipped. The hybrid system for this car is a highly-updated and enhanced version compared to anything Lexus has brought us before.
Power comes from a front-mounted gasoline-fueled 3.5-litre V-6 working with two electric motors to drive the rear wheels (there’s one electric motor for each rear wheel). According to Lexus, the new GS offers very worthwhile reductions in fuel usage compared to the earlier model and is, according to reports, as powerful as a comparable V-8. In fact, Lexus is claiming 338-horsepower for the GS, which is very impressive. According to Lexus, the car will top 100 km/h in less than six seconds, which is really sports car territory. The car comes with selectable “driving modes,” including Eco, Sport S, Sport S+ and EV. You can choose the mode according to what mood you’re in for driving, from sporty to ultra-economical. Compared to the conventionally-fueled GS 350, the hybrid variant is said to be 30 per cent more fuel efficient.
The chassis of the GS has also been reworked, so handling should be exceptional for what is actually quite a large car. There’s an impressive array of technical highlights with the 2013 GS. Included is Active Variable Suspension and Dynamic Rear Steering (AVS and DRS respectively). There’s also an upgraded dynamic handling system for both safety and driver confidence. The blind spot assist system offered by Lexus is one of the best in the industry and possibly the best new safety feature in a decade. Even the most careful of us have started a lane change while there was a vehicle in our “blind spot” but that’s a thing of the past with these blind spot monitors. There’s also a system that warns when you wander across into another lane, which is a valuable safety aid too. Other highlights include night vision and head-up display for some vital functions.