Lexus unveiled the GS 450h hybrid luxury sedan at the 2011 Frankfurt auto show. Toyota has made several attempts to apply the hybrid technology to various models but the results have been quite mixed.

The 2013 GS 450h is a major improvement over the outgoing model which was quite powerful but didn’t succeed in achieving the level of fuel efficiency that one would come to expect from a hybrid car. The 2013 GS 450h boasts of 35% improvement in fuel efficiency as compared to the outgoing model.

Stylish Design

The GS 450h imbibes the new Lexus design language with its precisely sculpted exterior. The engineers designed the GS to maximize the aerodynamics. The car gets a new platform which is much more rigid compared to the previous model. The car also gets a new suspension system which allows much more precision while cornering.

Performance

The Lexus GS 450h gets an entirely new V6 engine and an improved hybrid system. The car is powered by a 3.5 liter V6 engine which has been redesigned to run on Atkinson cycle which has resulted in the improvement in fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

It includes a two motor hybrid system and the combined output of the hybrid system is 338hp, which is higher than the non-hybrid V6 version producing 303hp. For greater efficiency, the maximum voltages for the hybrid is limited to 500 volts in the Eco mode while in sports mode its goes up to 650 volts.

The GS 450 h also has a sports plus mode which stiffens up the suspension and offers greater throttle response.

Efficiency

The increased efficiency in the 2013 GS 450h comes at a minor loss of performance with the car doing 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 second against the 5.2 seconds of old model.

The fuel efficiency has gone up to 31mpg combined (29 city/ 34 highway), which is 8 mpg more than 2011 model.

With new GS 450h, Toyota does manage to get its hybrid power-efficiency combination right. It’s a major improvement over the 2011 model which failed miserably at the market place. With a better overall product, it would be interesting to see what kind of sales numbers Toyota achieves with the new Lexus GS 450h .

Specifications