Gs450h?

[tachy]

Just purchased a gs300. What is this GS450H in the title of this forum? Is this some hybrid yet to be released or not released to the us market. The only ones listed in the manual are the 300 and the 430 for 2006.

[Abear]

thats correct. The 450h is supposted to be released in spring 2006. Of course, as it being a hybrid I'm sure there is going to be a long waiting time. The 450h is gonna have a 6 cylinder engine, and an electric engine. Supposedly gonna have the power of a V8 and the economy of a larger 4 cylinder. Lexus has come out with it gonna have more than 300 horses. sounds good doesnt it. Its also gonna only be like 5 or 10 thousand more than the 430 I think. Of course lexus hasnt come with a real price yet and this is just what i have heard.

[smcd]

I'm surprised that there isn't more talk about this on the forum. This seems like a very interesting car and unique in the market. Is there any chance of an AWD version? How will mileage & performance compare to the 430?

[Abear]

If you go to Lexus.com and click on the hybrid section, theres a link to the GS450h. It has a few pictures and a video. I just watched the video and I can't wait for this thing to come out. I'm gonna try and get my dad to trade in his car for this thing. Haha. The car is going to have combined mileage in the upper 20's (the video states everything I'm about to say). It also is gonna be able to OUTPERFORM the 2006 GS430, and also is going to have WAY better fuel economy than the 6 cylinder GS300!! WOW!! Lexus is doing something right. Also, he says the 450h is going to be RWD, the first RWD hybrid, so I guess that answers your question smcd. I also see you have a 2006 530xi on order, which is part-time AWD correct? If your looking for AWD then I would stick with the 530, but if not, I would wait and see what the 450h has to offer you.

[smcd]

530xi is full time AWD. I like RWD a lot - my 95 M3 is RWD but mostly for the track. If I had my way, I would get a 550i w/SMG but my wife has more sense than me.

I really like where this GS450h is going but I'd be hesitant to buy it in the first year. I know Lexus is generally good but the first hybrid sports sedan is just asking for reliability/efficiency problems, especially the way I drive.

The direct link for anyone interested is:

http://www.lexus.com/2007gsh_preview/index.html

[s.on.gGS300]

Im not to impressed with Lexus' new hybrids. My neighbor is a Lexus master certified tech and he was tellin me there really arent that many benefits over a regular gas engine car. He may be wrong, but he was tellin me they only get better gas mileage in city driving. HW stays about the same. And brake pads are used less because the electric engine spins backwards to slow you down until the brake pedal is pressed more that 80% of the way down. The cell battery is 7 grand and you go through about 3 in the cars lifetime. That was refering to the RX---h, but I dont remember if he said it was the same for all lexus hybrids. Can anyone expand on that?

That is all broad info though. He was ''mentioning'' a few things about the hybrids while we were wrenchin away on my GS in the garage, so he wasnt really caring too much about what he was saying.