The beautiful Lexus GS450h sitting by the fountain was as stunning as the sunlight bouncing off the fountain at the Ritz Carlton Monte Lago Villa in Lake Las Vegas. However, as striking as that visual was, it wasn’t the most significant impression about the car. What really got my attention was the lower case “h” for hybrid, perched by the 450 designation on the deck lid.
My partner Cathy D. and I had been invited by Lexus to take part in a two day press conference. It was the unveiling of the 2007 Lexus GS450h, the world’s first hybrid luxury car. We also were able to test the Lexus 2007 ES350 on challenging roads and straightaways. It was a trip I’d been looking forward to for a long time and when it was all said and done, the only thing that disappointed me was not having enough seat time in the GS.
First I want to talk about the all new 2007 ES350. According to Lexus group Vice President and GM Bob Carter, the new 2007 ES350 will surpass the original LS flagship sedan. “It’s faster, more powerful and quieter than the vehicle that redefined the prestige luxury segment in the early 1990’s” said Carter at the Tuesday morning press conference.
With its restyling, the ES is the final Lexus sedan to join the L-Finesse design theme which is all about understated elegance. Although overall length has remained the same at 191.1 inches, the wheelbase has grown over 2 inches. This allows for more interior rear seat legroom while maintaining the same comfortable front seating area.
The interior appointments have been improved, thus bringing this entry level luxury car to a new height that outdoes many of its competitors. Bright, clear Optitron gauges combined with integrated metallic and authentic brown walnut wood trim creates a very luxurious ambience in the cabin.
Power is delivered smoothly and efficiently by the ES350’s 3.5 liter, V6 that delivers 272 horsepower and 254 lb.-ft. of torque, getting power to the ground through an electronically controlled six-speed automatic ECT- i transmission. The “I” designation is for ‘intelligence’ meaning the transmission is designed to accommodate and adapt to a variety of driving styles.
The Lexus ES350 comes with the Smart Access keyless entry and push-to-start ignition system. This luxury feature allows the driver to keep the fob in their purse or pocket. This is a feature that one could get used to very easily.
This car does exemplify Lexus renowned craftsmanship and attention to detail that we’ve come to expect from the brand. Dual-zone automatic climate control and ten-way power front seats with available memory. The seats are available in cloth, leather or extra soft perforated leather. Also included is a tilt/telescoping steering wheel, one-touch power moonroof and an illuminated entry system complete with puddle lights.
New safety features include Vehicle Stability Control and Traction Control. These are systems that use both throttle and brake intervention to help control wheel spin and stabilize the vehicle. The ES350 features the Adaptive Front lighting system which allows the headlamps to swivel, and at the same time, help illuminate a turn or curve as one steers into it. It’s a pretty nifty system to see in action.
The optional Mark Levinson audio system is an audiophile’s dream. The system uses ten channels of amplification with a total of 300 watts at .1 percent total harmonic distortion. The unbelievably clear sound comes at you from 14 speakers which brings a whole new dimension to music listening. Oh, what a joy to behold.
The Lexus ES350 gets better and better each year. It affords quite a bit of substance, for an entry level luxury car and believe it will continue to be another success story for Lexus.
The Lexus GS450h simply stated is a mind blowing iteration…one that I’m guessing, will have quite an impact on the market especially since it’s the first hybrid powered luxury performance sedan. I don't know about you, but I for didn't expect a performance hybrid for quite some time but I suppose I should be surprised that Lexus was the one to do it first.The GS430 has always been a limited production vehicle and this version will be no exception with only some 2000 GS450h iterations being built.
The GS450h will go on sale in May of this year and when it does, it brings to the table are some very interesting stats. According to Bob Carter, Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager, "the GS450h will be the industry's first truly high-performance hybrid". It will be the worlds first rear-wheel-drive sedan, and it will without a doubt, be among the quickest Lexus vehicles ever built blazing from 0-60 in a mind numbing 5.2 seconds. At this moment in time, the GS450h is without equal in the automotive industry.
At the press conference Mr. Carter said, "From the beginning Lexus has always differentiated their brand from other luxury vehicles with quality, dependability and reliability along with value and an ownership experience second to none". While that is a pretty serious claim, one of my sons is on his second Lexus and will probably end up with a third when he drives the new GS.
One of the driving factors that Lexus brought to the party with this powerful hybrid was the understanding that there is great diversity in the luxury market. While the European market demands fuel economy, the U.S. market mostly demands greater power. I'm not saying here that right or wrong but all one has to do is look at the horsepower ratings of cars like Mercedes Benz, Jaguar, Audi, Cadillac and Lexus just to name a few. In addressing that issue, Lexus engineers looked for ways to create a balance of power and performance while minimizing fuel consumption and emissions. The result is the GS450h.
How they accomplished the goal was developing a vehicle that combines a 3.5 liter V6 engine with all-new high-output electric motors and battery. There is a new, compact high-output converter and what Lexus calls a revolutionary two-stage speed-reduction/torque multiplication device. All technology that is way over my head, but after driving this car, I can tell you it works.
The overview goes like this; according to Lexus, this hybrid will deliver the performance of a modern 4.5 liter V8 engine with fuel consumption equivalent to a 2.5 liter four-cylinder engine. Emissions are 80% cleaner than the average car and during electric mode cabin noise is reduced by half of that during normal engine operation.
Here are some numbers that quite frankly would have been hard to believe had I not driven this car. The GS450h will accelerate from 0-60 as quickly as a Porsche 911 with Tiptronic transmission, yet this car delivers more than 30% better fuel efficiency. I could go on about the performance of this car, but what is really important is some of the technology that was developed that made it possible to build this hybrid.
A major technological development is what Lexus calls "the worlds first longitudinal hybrid transmission" which enables the car's rear-wheel drive operation. The transmission is similar in size to a conventional 6-speed automatic but it's just a tad different on the inside. there is a 180hp water and oil cooled electric motor/generator that recharges the battery pack during engine operation while acting as a super-sized starter for the gasoline engine.
There is a second similar electric motor that drives the rear wheels by itself, or in conjunction with the gasoline engine. It too recharges the battery pack during regenerative braking and coasting. It also develops a constant 197hp from 5615 rpm to 13,000 rpm and 203 lb.-ft. of torque from 0-3840 rpm. The A/C compressor and Power Steering pump are electrically driven which of course eliminates the need for belts, but more importantly it allows them to operate when the car is in electric-drive mode.
Enough of the techy talk though, what this car is really about is driving. As I said, 0-60 in 5.2 seconds, 30 to 50 passing acceleration is just 2.7 seconds with no lag time at all because of no down-shifting and the instant torque from the electric motors. But all that aside, this is simply one fantastic vehicle that affords an awful lot of comfort and style along with the performance. It has a huge fun quotient for the driver but it is extremely comfortable and very easy to be in on a long trip.
As I said before, I've always liked the GS, but the new "L-Finesse" styling and modern performance characteristics definitely take the 450h to new heights. When you consider that you get all this and on average save 200 gallons of Premium fuel per year, over $500 in savings, it's a package that I think will be very popular. Once again according to Bob Carter, "the 2007 Lexus GS450h will offer a powerful new reason for luxury car buyers to consider hybrid technology. As a total high-performance package the GS hybrid will be, simply a car with no peer in the industry".
Mr. Carter, I think I quite agree with you, and if you do, I'd suggest you get in line as there will only be 2000 copies of the GS450h produced. And at around $55,000 for this car with all the equipment that comes with it, it's not a bad deal.
