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Comments
In unveiling its redesigned LS 460 flagship at the Detroit auto show, Lexus said the sedan will have the world's first eight-speed automatic transmission. The previous benchmark was the Mercedes-Benz S class' seven-speed transmission.
The 4.6-liter V-8 is an all-new design, with both port and direct fuel injection, that generates 380 hp and 370 pounds-feet of torque. That delivers a 0-to-60 time under 5.5 seconds, while combined fuel economy is about 25 mpg.
A hybrid version will deliver the equivalent power of a 6.0-liter V-12 while consuming the fuel of a V-6.
Is that supposed to be a good thing? My wife's 1990 LS400 gets consistent 27 MPG cruising at 75 MPH. It is a 4.0 V8 with more than enough acceleration. It also just passed it's smog test with flying colors. You may like the direction that hybrids are going. They don't give me a warm fuzzy feeling.
And by the way: V12 power with the fuel efficiency of a V6 has been an automotive design goal for decades. Way before Hybrids.
Not a whole lot of V6s can get 25MPG combined. That is the high end of V6 economy.
Same with the LS400hL. What could be next?
DrFill
are some details.
0 to 60 = 5.3 seconds (all round quicker than GS430)
Top = Limited to 155
Price = $57K basic.
Engine = V6 3.5 liter
Packages = $6K to $10.8K
Digitally Mapped = Yes
Bui;t in = Tahara
You will get 280 hp form the gas engine and around 60 from the electric motor - topping out at around 340 hp.
This GS450h is known as the "balanced car" balanced between the LS600h and the GS300.
It will cost around $57K (base price). Loaded around $68 K.
306+45=351HP
If their 4.6 delivers 380, the GS450h wouldnt be too far from that mark, plus they did say "well in excess of 300" and thats a direct quote
My bet is on at least 360
Is that really the color palate that the likely demographis wants? Booooooring.
Maybe this isn't the right car for me....
But I'll definitely go check one out
In my opinion the GS450h will be more fuel efficient than the RX400h at speeds over 65 mph because of its reduction gear which besides the 6 speed transmission gives you a power and cruise range. The reduction gear can also be put on non hybrid cars to get better fuel efficiency at speed and I expect most Lexus models will get it. And then there's the dual fuel injection, port AND direct...... Lexus comes at you from every angle.
This car is out of my price range, but I might take a shot at leasing one.
TORONTO, Feb. 15 /CNW/ - Lexus today received the 2006 Best New Technology award from the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) for an innovative fuel injection system introduced on the 2006 Lexus IS 350 luxury sport sedan.
"We're pleased to accept the Best New Technology award from AJAC," said Stuart Payne, Director for Lexus in Canada. "At Lexus, we strive to develop new technologies that maximize the performance and efficiency of our vehicles, and the injection system on the new IS 350 sport sedan which won this award is an excellent example of that."
The IS 350 is powered by a 306-horsepower 3.5-litre 24-valve dual overhead cam V6 engine that features a unique fuel injection system. This system combines direct fuel injection - delivering fuel to the combustion chamber - and port fuel injection - delivering fuel to the intake ports. Fuel distribution is controlled via the two types of injection, according to driving conditions:
- When the engine is running under low or medium loads at lower speeds,
both systems are used to create a homogeneous air-fuel mixture. This
stabilizes combustion, improves fuel efficiency, and reduces exhaust
emissions.
- When the engine is running under heavy load, the engine automatically
converts to a direct injection-only system. By controlling the timing
and duration of fuel being injected directly to the combustion
chamber, the combustion efficiency of each charge is maximized. It
also allows the engine to operate at a higher compression ratio,
thereby improving engine output and performance, by reducing the
tendency of the compressed mixture to ignite prematurely.
"Lexus is committed to developing new technologies to help improve the performance of our vehicles, and minimize their environmental impact," continued Payne. "While this award firmly establishes our technological leadership in the automotive industry, Lexus will continue to create leading- edge systems in our cars and SUVs for years to come."
The high-performance model of the GS range, the Lexus GS 450h is the world’s first hybrid luxury sedan, and the first full hybrid vehicle to combine front engine mounting with the rear wheel drive essential to sport driving dynamics.
On sale throughout Europe from early summer 2006, the GS 450h features a 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine coupled to a high-output, permanent magnet electric motor. Combined power output is in excess of 250 kW/340 DIN hp accelerating the new GS 450h seamlessly from 0-100kph in less than 6.0 seconds.
The new powertrain equips the GS 450h with performance characteristics equivalent to conventional 4.5 litre V8 engined models with fuel consumption on a par with that of a 4-cylinder 2.0 litre engined vehicle.
Proving to be substantially more frugal than comparable sports sedans, the GS 450h is returning 7.9l/100km in the combined cycle; moreover, the new Lexus returns CO2 emissions of just 186g/km, markedly less than rival, premium sector sedans with similar engine power.
Translating from metric to American measures:
0 to 62.2 mph in less than 6 seconds
29.83 mpg in the combined cycle
I was in Chicago last week and I heard they had a 450h at the auto show there, but I did not have a change to attend. Maybe some others reading this were able to do so.
Where you given any pricing info on the NM edition, or did you have to order like the rest of us with the price unknown?
Just got a Lexus flyer from my dealer on the GS450h. Not a lot in it
but a bit more information.
Data based on prototypes and use of premium gas
Most interesting announcement:
"Instantaneous reponse. 0 to 60 in just over 5 seconds. Seamless acceleration"
The 0 to 60 time appears better than previously announced. Based on my RX400h the seamless acceleration is valid.
He asked about the Neiman Marcus edition and it is supposed to be released one week prior to the regular production GS450h, but again, no exact date at this time.
Can hybrid technology make a great sedan even better?
by Paul A. Eisenstein (2006-02-24)
The Big Island of Hawaii is a land of surprises. Along the warm, dry Kona Coast it's sunshine, swimming, and golf. But just ten miles away, along the cross-island Saddle Road , a torrential rain is pummeling down, while a blizzard scours the island's twin volcanic peaks.
So it was an unexpectedly appropriate place to go for our first drive of the 2007 Lexus GS450h, a sedan that delivers a variety of its own surprises. The new model could very well redefine both the Lexus brand and the concept of hybrid-electric vehicles.
"Hybrid" is, of course, what the little "h" stands for, making this the second gasoline-electric offering in the Lexus lineup. The first, the RX400h, debuted barely a year ago. A version of the automaker's crossover wagon, it's proved both immensely popular and quite controversial. Like the little Prius sedan sold by parent company, Toyota , Lexus bills the RX400h as an environmentally friendly vehicle whose high-mileage technology reduces both emissions and reliance on imported oil.
In real-world use, the RX is more about feeling good than helping Mother Earth. Some reviewers, including those at TheCarConnection.com and The New York Times, have gotten just 21 mpg. Polling owners, the enthusiast site, GreenHybrids.com, got the average closer to 25 mpg, still a significant shortfall from the 33 City/28 Highway sticker. But if you don't save much fuel, there's the feel-good factor - and the access to the diamond commuter lanes with one person onboard, offsetting the steep hybrid price penalty.
Well aware of the controversy, Lexus is nonetheless still singing a green tune as it prepares to launch the GS450h. But it is fine-tuning that message. The emphasis here is on environmentally sensitive performance.
Cleaner than the average car
The sedan, boasted chief engineer Shigetoshi Miyoshi, is "80 percent cleaner than the average car." But during a background briefing, he put the real emphasis on the fact that the new hybrid is not only the fastest-ever Lexus, but with a 0-60 time of 5.2 seconds, quicker than a Porsche 911 with the Tiptronic transmission. Top speed is a limited 131 mph for the U.S. version.
Will you also get better mileage? Well, it depends. Almost certainly better than a 4.5-liter V-8, which officials claim is what you'd need to get comparable performance - and why the 3.5-liter sedan is designated the GS450h, rather than GS350h. According to Lexus, the '07 hybrid should match the fuel consumption of a stingy, 2.5-liter in-line four, rated 27 mpg City and 28 Highway.
Well, that's what the window sticker is likely to show. But we wouldn't expect that in everyday use. Sure, in heavy L.A. traffic, you'll spend time in electric-only mode. But stomp on the drive-by-wire throttle and you're going to drain a lot of that imported petrol. During several admittedly brief runs around the Big Island , our test GS delivered results ranging from 19.3 to 24.4 mpg. Steep hills and hard acceleration, as you'd expect, quickly slashed away at the numbers.
Now, as we tore through the Hawaiian countryside, we have to admit, we weren't all that worried about fuel economy. This hybrid-electric proved an absolute, er, gas to drive.
Flat-out performance is exhilarating. The throttle nailed, you quickly sank back into the sedan's well-bolstered seats. Thanks to the "electric supercharging" system, the GS kept pulling as long as there was power in the batteries. And we found no noticeable loss in performance as we climbed to higher altitudes on this well-terraced island.
With last year's introduction of the GS sedan, Lexus took a great leap forward. As the division's general manager, Bob Carter, readily admits, this is not a brand known for its high emotional quotient. Parent Toyota is trying to change that. It has set up a separate Lexus board of directors, engineering arm and design center. And the '06 GS made great use of the division's stylish new design theme, known internally as L-finesse.
Lexus chose not to plaster the word, "hybrid," all over the vehicle, preferring discreet badging and otherwise subtle visual differences from the standard GS sedan.
Synergy at work
What matters most is largely found under the skin. Lift the hood and you'll discover an engine cover emblazoned, " Hybrid Synergy Drive ." It's an extraordinarily complicated package of technology - and not easy to boil down to a paragraph, but let's try.
The 292-hp V-6 delivers power through a new hybrid transmission specifically developed for the GS450h (and likely other high-performance models to follow). The transmission can also be driven by the most powerful hybrid twin-electric motor system Toyota has ever built, which is capable of punching out 197 hp and lots of on-demand torque.
(Don't try to add the horsepower ratings of the gas engine and electric motors. It doesn't work that way. All told, the GS450h makes a maximum 339 hp.)
When slowing or coasting, the synergy drive system can recapture waste energy, as can the vehicle's so-called regenerative brakes, which create current, rather than waste heat. This power can be re-directed to the electric motor, or recycled into 40 nickel-metal-hydride batteries.
The hybrid package is smaller and lighter than that used in other Toyota hybrids, notably the RX400h. That reflects the emphasis on performance over mileage, as well as the need to provide reasonable cargo space. There's room for two full-size golf bags in the trunk. Still, the motor, power electronics, batteries, and other hybrid accoutrements add about 386 pounds to the standard, V-6 GS sedan, which now weighs in at a hefty 4134 lb.
On the road, you'd likely not notice. Nor are you aware of all the complicated machinations ordered up by the hybrid's computer controllers. "It's a challenge, when you're (switching from electric drive to gas-power) to tell when the engine starts," asserts executive engineer Dave Hermance. After trying, we have to agree.
This is easily the most transparent of any hybrid we've driven. There's very little of that rubber-banding effect you feel in a Prius or RX as the engine revs, seemingly independent of actual road speed. It's even better when you put the shift in manual mode, where it does a reasonable job of emulating a six-speed manual.
DrFill
The '06 GS introduced an alphabet soup of technology designed to improve handling, performance, comfort, and safety. There's a full review on-site, so to keep this piece from stretching on indefinitely, we'll touch on only a few key features, like VGRS, which provides variable gear ratio steering. The steering is electrically assisted.
The Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management System, or VDIM, takes input from sources like steering angle, yaw rate, brake pressure, and acceleration sensors. That regulates various traction systems, including anti-lock brakes, or ABS, Vehicle Stability Control, or VSC, Traction Control, or TCS, Brake Assist, or BA, and Electronic Throttle Control with intelligence, or ETC-i.
Our test vehicle also included the optional Active Stabilizer Suspension system. (Perhaps you can understand why Lexus uses no acronym here.) It's similar to the BMW system used to variably torque stabilizer bars, but Lexus has gone electric instead of hydraulic.
Toss in the standard rain-sensing wipers, Park Assist, and rearview camera and you've got a car with more silicon and copper circuitry than you'd find at a small Radio Shack. But what happens when it's all running?
While we may be skeptical of the mileage claims, it's hard to fault the performance and pure fun of driving the GS450h. It's smooth and quick and nimble. As with the '06 GS, the steering is precise and quick and the suspension keeps you firmly planted on the road. Better yet, with the electric portion of the drivetrain directly linked to VDIM, the traction systems seem to work just that much more smoothly.
Our complaints, then, are relatively minor. We'd like to replace the mouse-fur headliner, and some of the buttons for the video display are cheap looking. But the display itself is incredible. It's the highest resolution display Lexus has ever offered and that permits a much more detailed, eye-pleasing image, whether you're watching the Hybrid Synergy Drive display or using GPS navigation.
Incidentally, the next-generation nav software now allows you to program street addresses by voice, so you don't have to stop and type - or so we're told. There are no maps for Hawaii , so we couldn't test the claim out.
Expect the powers-that-be at Toyota to be watching quite closely to gauge the reaction to the new GS450h. If things play out well, it's likely to be the first in a series of high-performance hybrids from the Lexus brand. But it could very well kick off a bit of a backlash among those who believe gas-electric technology should be used exclusively to boost mileage.
While we're skeptical of the save-the-earth claims, we're duly impressed with the GS450h's overall performance and handling. It's lavishly equipped and incredibly quiet, as you'd expect from a Lexus, but has a much more sporty feel than the brand has traditionally been known for. We expect a lot of folks to pay attention when the sedan reaches showrooms.
:shades:
DrFill
The SC430, at similar money, sold over 17k it's first year.
DrFill
Great car . . . just wondering why they did not try routing the electric motor power through the other axle, making an AWD . . . AWD's seem to be very popular in this segment lately.
How will it justify a higher price? Will it be significantly faster that the hybrid? The GS450h will have many items standard that are options on the GS430.
If the GS450h is as quick, and gets 50% better fuel economy, doesn't that kill off the V8 model?
I fully expected at $63-65k price. That's why I compared it to the SC430. But with better economy, a lower price, and 4 doors, sales should be double what SC was out of the box.
Any less than 20k units over 12 months is a failure.
DrFill
I don't see any information about iPod connectivity.
"As you might imagine we get many phone calls and emails from Lexus Owners and prospective Lexus owners and I can tell you that the number one question we get concerns iPod connectivity. A fact that we have made Lexus aware of. So I would imagine that any new radio would have this, although I cannot guarantee it, of course." :confuse: