*drewl*... sweet.. i wonder if my parents will give up their 400h for it ( so i can test drive it ) muahahaha

Ummm... I guess I'll stick with my Prius.

oooof!

This is a fast and very heavy luxurious car; it doesn't compare. This car is for people whose primary consideration is a fast and very luxurious sedan, and whose secondary consideration is a clean-burning hybrid drive with acceptable mileage. Plus the ability to operate with the engine off is rather luxurious, since it's smooth and silent, so it makes sense to pair the hybrid drive with this car.

It makes sense to put the hybrid drive in any car. But for a tree-hugger like me, the Prius is the better car. My sister, on the other hand, drives a $75,000 Lexus because she will settle for nothing less than maximum available luxury. She would buy a hybrid to get the HOV sticker, but only if it's the top-of-the-line Lexus SUV.

Sadly, she'll have to wait until this beast or the other hybrid SUV's get upto the minimum 45mpg to qualify for the HOV lane (at least in CA/NY).


That's the kicker isn't it... you're driving the Prius which offers a luxury FEW other cars can provide (HOV Access), and she's paying $75K for a smoother ride... but spending the same time breathing the same smog as all the other poor non-HOV capable cars.

As an aside, I do think the hybrid camry/GS450h have a very compelling feature I would want built-in to the Prius: an ionizing air filter... but I'm not willing to give up my HOV access for just that (and a smoother ride). Especially since the hybrid camry is probably a bit more expensive.

While toyota estimates 28.. they still need to find an EPA rating.. then there will be the (what i call Zen drivers) who will get way higher MPG because they'll test it on a 15 mile track with perfect conditions then everyone will be proved wrong. lol. I wonder what the top MPG for these luxury vehicles are. (400h 450h... etc <-- being future vehicles seeing this post will be archieved)

http://pressroom.toyota.com/Releases/View?...YT2006022863558

<quote>
Lexus Announces Pricing on GS 450h Luxury Gas/Electric Hybrid Sport Sedan
02/28/2006 Torrance, CA
February 28, 2006 - Torrance, CA - The 2007 Lexus GS 450h, the world's
first luxury performance hybrid sedan, goes on sale in early May with a
base Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $54,900. Beyond its
advanced gas/electric hybrid powertrain and Vehicle Dynamics Integrated
Management (VDIM) stability control system, the base price includes a wide
array of premium standard features typically offered as popular options on
the GS 300 and GS 430.

"The GS 450h is a top-flight luxury performance sedan designed to have
class-leading acceleration and responsiveness," said Lexus Group Vice
President and General Manager Bob Carter. "Like the RX 400h, it is a
performance-luxury vehicle without compromise, with fewer emissions and
improved fuel economy over competitive V8-powered luxury sedans."

A completely new Lexus hybrid powertrain propels the new GS 450h. The
system combines a 3.5-liter V6 engine with a new compact, high-output,
permanent magnet electric motor that drives the rear wheels. The
transmission utilizes an advanced two-stage motor torque multiplication
device for the Electronic Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT) motor,
delivering responsive and seamless acceleration with no power loss.

With a combined system output of 339 horsepower, the new 3.5-liter V6
hybrid delivers the dynamic performance of a modern 4.5-liter V8 engine
and is expected to be as quick or quicker than every V8-powered competitor
in its class. The GS 450h accelerates from zero-to-60 miles per hour in
approximately 5.2 seconds.

With 80 percent fewer smog-forming emissions than the average new car, the
GS 450h delivers an estimated 33 percent better fuel efficiency than its
V8 competitors with a manufacture-estimated combined fuel rating of 28
miles-per-gallon (MPG). A Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV)/Tier
2-BIN 3 emissions rating is expected.

Since the GS 450h is driven by its electric motors when starting,
traveling slowly and during low-load driving, the Noise, Vibration and
Harshness (NVH) level is about half that of a conventional
gasoline-powered engine, providing an extremely quiet ride.

In addition to the Lexus Hybrid System, the base price includes VDIM, an
advanced stability system designed to anticipate the onset of a vehicle
skid or slide and then help to automatically correct the situation with a
combination of braking, throttle and steering control in a way that is
essentially transparent to the driver.

Other standard features include Electronic Power Steering (EPS) with
Variable Gear Ratio Steering (VGRS), electrically powered air conditioner,
power moonroof and power rear sunshade, heated/ventilated front seats,
rear side airbags, rain-sensing wipers, Intuitive Park Assist, rear
back-up camera, a Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) system, Adaptive Front
lighting System (AFS) with headlamp washers, 18-inch alloy wheels, and an
eight-year/100,000-mile battery and hybrid system warranty.
</quote>

AWESOME!!!!!!! ive been waiting for this to happen ever since they announced it last year, i drove the gas only version, and let me tell you it was a blast! i bet this is 10x better. and im leasng so the price difference wont be too much over the gas only(plus u get V8 power with V6 efficiency) !!!!!!!!!! :lol:

emuman,

I think that if you enjoy aggressive driving, M45 or GS430 could be better choice for you. Remember that hybrid is not designed for persistent aggressive driving. As the battery depletes, the ICE actually needs to share power to charge battery. You could be getting performance that is less than the pure 3.5L version, not to mention the extra weight on board. If you don't believe me, bring a RX400h or GS450h to a racing circle. People with Civic Si will eat your lunch after a couple laps. IMHO, these luxury hybrids are for rich people who enjoy occasional quick-up-the-ramp fun.

Let's look at the sales number of RX400h vs RX330. About 22% RX sold are RX400h. Lexus sold less than 2000 GS in Jan/2006. By projection, they will sell only about 500 units of GS450h. That is about 2 GS450hs per month per dealership in USA. When a vehicle does not sell well, the resale value will go down the drain. If leased, its lease rate won't be great unless Lexus will be willing to subsidize it (like BMW does - thru projected resale value percentage).

That said, you're welcome to lease one and tell people here more about it. :lol:

So TheCarConnection did repetitive test of 0-60 runs and got almost the same numbers (+/-0.2 secs)? I would love to see that. The battery must be getting juice from somewhere magical.

For the love of automobiles, I hope that is true, but I seriously doubt that. Their "test" was not what I was talking about, "persistent aggressive driving".

Update:
quote from theCarConnections:
"the GS kept pulling as long as there was power in the batteries"

28 MPG is a HUGE improvement over the GS430 which struggles to get 20. I look forward to driving it. The RX400h is amazing, so smooth and powerful, but I'd never want another SUV.

This however I might buy...

As for resale values, as long as they only build 500 the GS450h will have fantasic resale value. Your issue only comes when they build more cars than there are buyers for.

TP, got any link for the ionizer? When I google/froogle for those terms, I only get this thread, and a bunch of generic ionizers.

Is that what you're referring to? As a long-time allergy sufferer, I would love to know anything more on this topic.