Gearheads, take note: Formula 1 racing is talking quite seriously about permitting gas-electric hybrid technology in F1 competitions as early as the 2008 season. Picture for a moment a 20,000-rpm, 750-horsepower machine braking into a chicane...and zipping onto a straightaway on battery power.
Automobile shoppers can get a taste of the F1 gas-hybrid future today—by driving the new Lexus GS 450h sedan.
While it'll never compare with Formula 1 cars for speed, this gas-electric hybrid provides race-car-like acceleration and luxurious appointments in the same package.
While it'll never compare with Formula 1 cars for speed, this gas-electric hybrid provides race-car-like acceleration and luxurious appointments in the same package.
Slip behind the wheel of this $55,000 machine, and "hybrid" will be the first—and last—thoughts that come to mind. First you'll note, with geeky chic, that the car has not a tachometer but a "kW" gauge for—that's right—kilowatts. A display near the 160 mph speedometer shows a battery in various stages of charge. The center console's screen will toggle to hybrid mode and display your energy consumption.
And consume you will. Ever so gently depress the accelerator and the GS will stalk silently to 15 mph on full electric mode. But mash the go pedal, and five Mississippi's later you're passing 60 mph—a fraction of this car's top speed—and looking for gobs of open pavement ahead for decidedly un-environmental antics.
See, the GS 450h is perhaps the purest expression of power harnessed for the "no compromises" side of the hybrid ledger. Toyota mated a high-output, electric motor-generator rated at 197 horsepower with a 297-horsepower, 24-valve, 3.5-liter gasoline engine to yield the Hermes of hybrids, a 339-horsepower brute (don't ask; Toyota wizardry at work here) that motivates this 4,100-pound luxury sedan.
To state the obvious, the GS 450h is expensive. Base MSRP is $54,655 and can easily and quickly climb from there when piling on the options. But for that price, not only are buyers getting the Lexus prestige factor, they are also getting Toyota build quality.
Government fuel economy ratings for this hybrid is 22 city/25 highway. That’s not bad, but compare those figures to the gas-powered GS’ 19 city/27 highway. In overall combined fuel economy, the two vehicles are actually very comparable. But the standard GS has a starting base sticker of $44,915, almost $10,000 less than the GS 450h.
Considering that kind of premium and virtually no significant fuel economy advantage, when would the GS 450h make sense? When you crave performance, prestige, and a hybrid badge all in one package—and price is no object.
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