FirstDrive: Lexus GS450h Prior to driving Lexus' new GS450h I couldn't quite figure out what the point of the luxury hybrid was. I mean, if you're on a mission to save the planet then you don't buy a two-ton, leather-lined, luxury leviathan, now do you?
And if you can afford to splash out over €90,000 on a new luxury car, then saving a few hundred Euro a year in petrol isn't going to be much of a selling point either.
And for those looking to show off their green side, the tiny hybrid badge on the flanks and the little 'h' on the back don't really make the kind of look-at-me-while-I-hug-a-tree statement of a Toyota Prius or Civic Hybrid. The luxury hybrid concept seemed a great oxymoron, like "deafening silence" or "low fat, great taste". It really didn't make any sense.
But then Lexus said the magic word: power. The GS450h is the most powerful GS you can buy, producing 339 bhp of combined petrol and electric power compared to the rather languid 283 bhp the 4.3-litre, V8-powered GS430 makes.
That also brings it in line with the likes of the 367 bhp BMW 550 and 306 bhp Mercedes CLS 500, despite the fact the GS450h uses a 3.5-litre V6 engine - that's one whole litre of capacity and two cylinders down on its competitors.
We also expect it will be just a few thousand more than the €97,000 V8 GS430, so really you could actually think of the 450h as the performance GS and simply forget the whole hybrid thing altogether. And yet despite the extra performance it's considerably more economical than the V8, offering 33 per cent better fuel economy in real world driving conditions. Perhaps saving a couple of hundred Euro a year doesn't mean much to the luxury car buyer, but 13 fewer visits to the petrol station a year does have its appeal.
Even though the GS450h weighs around 175 kg more than the V8 model, it still manages to be considerably faster than the GS 430 in every respect.
For example, we expect the GS450h to dispatch the 0-100 km/h sprint in about 5.5 seconds and it will pull like a mule all the way up to its 250 km/h limited top speed, noticeably faster than the V8 GS with its 6.1-second 0-100 km/h time.
Undoubtedly, the extra power plays a part in the 450h's impressive performance but a great deal of the credit should go to the CVT (Continuously Variable Transaxles) transmission as well.
Not only do you save more petrol because there's no energy-sapping torque converter to drive, the CVT also makes the car instantly responsive to throttle inputs.
Step on the accelerator and there's no delay while the transmission shifts down. There's just a smooth and instantaneous delivery of power with only the slightly coarse howl of the V6 to spoil the performance. 50 km/h to 80 km/h takes a very sprightly 2.7 seconds and all this in a luxury car capable of an estimated 9L/100 km.
Lexus has also been busy reducing the size and weight of all the components that comprise the hybrid system, making it more space efficient, energy efficient and lighter than the system found in the hybrid RX.
Because it's rear-wheel drive, Lexus had to move the batteries to behind the rear seat and integrate the two generator/motors inside the CVT transmission to save space and improve efficiency.
The task of one electric motor is to act as the V6 engine's starter motor as well as functioning as the primary battery regenerator when the car is coasting along or braking, while the other electric motor actually drives the car at low speeds or works with the V6 engine to provide up to 47 additional bhp, depending on the driving situation.
It also acts as a secondary generator, harnessing even more of the kinetic energy that would otherwise be dissipated by road friction and the atmosphere or squandered by the brakes.
From the driver's perspective, though, all this is irrelevant. The only time you're aware that this is a hybrid vehicle is when it goes all quiet as the petrol engine shuts off at traffic lights, or when you look for the tachometer only to find a dial telling you how many kilowatts you're producing. (Erm, thanks Lexus ... )
As the air conditioner and power steering systems are electrically powered, the GS 450h remains cool and drivable in hybrid mode and thanks to its variable ratio power steering, it's actually a very wieldy car in tight spots while feeling utterly normal during regular driving, unlike the irksome variable ratio steering system employed by BMW.
However, where the benefit of this hybrid system can really be felt is on the open road. Without a big heavy V8 hanging over the front wheels and near perfect weight distribution overall, the hefty GS450h actually feels much more agile than its V8 sibling on twisty roads. The steering offers more feedback and it's more responsive to inputs, while the throttle is incredibly sharp for such a big, comfort-oriented saloon.
So now I get it. Lexus has taken its best model and fitted it with the best hybrid system it has ever produced, which makes it as fast as competitive V8s yet more efficient than V6-powered rivals, without charging much more for the technology.
It looks great, handles well and is beautifully appointed inside which, in short, makes it the best all-round car that Lexus currently makes. Instead of being a hybrid first and a car second, the GS450h is simply a fast and rather delightful luxury saloon that just happens to be a hybrid as well.
FACTFILE Lexus GS 450h
ENGINE: 3.5-litre V6 w/hybrid electric motor
Petrol V6: 292 bhp @ 6,400 rpm and 362 Nm @ 4,800 rpm.
Total power: 339bhp
Top Speed 250 km/h, 0-100 km/h: 5.5 seconds (est.)
Transmission: CVT transmission with integrated electric motors
FUEL ECONOMY
Urban: 9.4 L/100 km (25 mpg) Extra urban: 8.4 L/100 km (28 mpg)
Combined: 9.0 L/100 km (26 mpg)
PRICE: unconfirmed but likely to be close to €100,000