Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Lexus challenges passengers to control their heart rates... in a hybrid]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/19/lexus-challenges-passengers-to-control-their-heart-rates-in-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/19/lexus-challenges-passengers-to-control-their-heart-rates-in-a/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/07/19/lexus-challenges-passengers-to-control-their-heart-rates-in-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Lexus GS Hybrid heart rate

Picture the scene: You're in a quiet place; a forest. The grass is green, the sky a perfect shade of blue. It's sunny; the temperature is hovering somewhere near perfect and a gentle breeze wafts by. You look at the pretty flowers - bend down to reach one... then, BAM!

No, we're not talking about Bambi versus Godzilla - though we do offer Marv Newland a healthy round of applause. What's we're talking about is the Lexus GS Hybrid. Or, more specifically, the car's Italian advertising campaign as seen in the video below.

Lexus claims its 2013 GS 450h can accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 5.6 seconds, courtesy of its 3.5-liter V6 engine and electric motor hybrid powertrain that puts out a combined 338 horsepower. Combine that level of thrust with rear-wheel drive and a professional driver and you've got yourself some fun at the race track.

Lexus decided to put this combination together, mixing in a blend of new-car shoppers to see what effect its hybrid sedan had on the heart. Scroll down below to watch it all unfold.

Continue reading Lexus challenges passengers to control their heart rates... in a hybrid

Lexus challenges passengers to control their heart rates... in a hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 lexus gs 450hgsgs 450hheart ratehybridlexuslexus gslexus gs 450hThu, 19 Jul 2012 19:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20282043/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2012/07/19/lexus-challenges-passengers-to-control-their-heart-rates-in-a/20282043/article-detail.xml 20282043 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/lexus-gs-hybrid-heart-rate_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2012/07/lexus-gs-hybrid-heart-rate.jpg <![CDATA[2013 Lexus GS 450h [w/video]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/30/2013-lexus-gs-450h-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/30/2013-lexus-gs-450h-w-video/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/30/2013-lexus-gs-450h-w-video/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Lexus' Best Compromise Yet



Ever since the Prius unexpectedly became the Xerox of hybrids and a greenie icon, Toyota has been trying to figure out how to apply the technology to its other models. Its results have been decidedly mixed, nowhere more so than with its luxury lineup. But with the 2013 Lexus GS 450h, Toyota thinks it has finally figured out what a hybrid luxury car should be.

From a sales perspective, the first-generation GS 450h was a disappointment. While we liked it quite a bit when we test-drove it a couple years ago, Lexus just hasn't been able to move the metal. Introduced to much fanfare in 2006 as a 2007 model, the GS was Lexus' second hybrid and the first rear-wheel-drive hybrid on the market. Lexus touted it as a performance sedan, even as Toyota was heavily marketing its hybrids as fuel sippers. Whether consumers were confused or not, they never took to the hybrid GS. Sales peaked at just below 1,800 in that first year and have gone down in each successive year. In 2010, Lexus sold barely 300 GS hybrids, roughly four percent of total GS sales, which were about 7,000.

The cognitive dissonance presented by Lexus hybrids has been an issue since the brand launched its first, the 2006 RX 400h SUV. Only marginally more powerful than the standard RX, its improvement in fuel economy was similarly slight at launch. The LS 600hL - the brand's halo car before the LFA sports car came along - is a six-figure, 20-mile-per-gallon hybrid marketed as having V12 performance with V8 fuel economy, the rough equivalent of ordering a Diet Coke with your Super Size Big Mac Extra Value Meal. The "Lexus Prius" HS 250h, with neither particularly good fuel economy (35 mpg combined) nor any sporting aspirations, has been a critical and sales disaster and is rumored to be on the chopping block. While Toyota's simple, "better mileage" definition of its hybrids is clear, Lexus has combined green machine and muscle car in varying doses, such that you never quite know what you'll be getting with a gas-electric Lexus.

Continue reading 2013 Lexus GS 450h [w/video]

2013 Lexus GS 450h [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2013 lexus gs 450hfeaturedfirst driveFirstDrivegsgs 450hgs hybridgs450hhybridlexuslexus gstoyotaFri, 30 Dec 2011 11:57:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20137444/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/30/2013-lexus-gs-450h-w-video/20137444/article-detail.xml 20137444 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/03-2013-lexus-gs-45h-fd-opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/03-2013-lexus-gs-45h-fd-opt.jpg <![CDATA[2013 Lexus GS 450h does the electric slide]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/14/2013-lexus-gs-450h-gs450h-frankfurt-2011/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/14/2013-lexus-gs-450h-gs450h-frankfurt-2011/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/14/2013-lexus-gs-450h-gs450h-frankfurt-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



What might the 2013 Lexus GS 450h add to the additional performance goodness delivered in the 2012 Lexus GS 350? More power and more fuel efficiency, for starters. The second-gen hybrid system boots out 338 total horsepower for a 5.6-second sprint to 60 mph. That's 32 hp more than the GS 350 and a 0.1-second improvement on the stoplight run.

Fuel economy gets an "expected" 30 percent improvement - the quotes meaning the sedan's fuel use hasn't been officially certified, but anything in that ballpark will be a tremendous gain. If it's a GS 350 with instant torque, that would be enough for us, but we'll look forward to driving it soon and finding out ourselves. A press release lays out the particulars and our gallery of high-res photos shows them off.

Continue reading 2013 Lexus GS 450h does the electric slide

2013 Lexus GS 450h does the electric slide originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 frankfurt2013 gs 450h2013 lexus2013 lexus gs 450hfrankfurtfrankfurt motor showgsgs 450hgs hybridgs450hlexus gslexus gs 450hWed, 14 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20042378/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/09/14/2013-lexus-gs-450h-gs450h-frankfurt-2011/20042378/article-detail.xml 20042378 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/01-2013-lexus-gs-450h628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/01-2013-lexus-gs-450h628.jpg <![CDATA[Lexus debuts GS450h ahead of Frankfurt]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/12/lexus-debuts-gs450h-ahead-of-frankfurt/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/12/lexus-debuts-gs450h-ahead-of-frankfurt/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/12/lexus-debuts-gs450h-ahead-of-frankfurt/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

2013 Lexus GS 450h

With three different variants of the 2013 Lexus GS in the pipeline, Lexus is taking to the Frankfurt Motor Show to highlight the hybrid version just a few weeks after the GS 350 debuted in Pebble Beach.

Nothing's particularly different on the outside of the GS 450h compared to its standard sibling, with the exception of a few hybrid badges and Lexus' trademark blue logos. Under the hood, an Atkinson Cycle 3.5-liter V6 with a 13:1 compression ratio, some intake tweaks and a high-output, water-cooled electric motor brings output up to 338 horsepower and an undisclosed amount of torque. In standard Eco mode, the PCU dolls out 500V on justice while Sport increases voltage to 650V to maximize off-the-line acceleration. Lexus claims a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds, but isn't giving up fuel economy numbers just yet.

All the runnings bits from the standard GS carry over unchanged, including the Lexus Dynamic Handling System with four-wheel steering. Expect more from the show floor tomorrow, but in the meantime, check out the first batch of images and press release below the fold.

Continue reading Lexus debuts GS450h ahead of Frankfurt

Lexus debuts GS450h ahead of Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 frankfurt2013 lexus gs 450hfrankfurtfrankfurt motor showgs 450hgs450hlexuslexus gs 450hlexus gs450hMon, 12 Sep 2011 15:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20040616/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/09/12/lexus-debuts-gs450h-ahead-of-frankfurt/20040616/article-detail.xml 20040616 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/2013gs450h02eu-628_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/2013gs450h02eu-628.jpg <![CDATA[2013 Lexus GS 450h to debut in Frankfurt]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/01/2013-lexus-gs-450h-to-debut-in-frankfurt/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/01/2013-lexus-gs-450h-to-debut-in-frankfurt/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/09/01/2013-lexus-gs-450h-to-debut-in-frankfurt/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



Perhaps Lexus was none too happy with the open-handed slap Infiniti dealt it in the luxury-hybrid-sports sedan war. Sure, those two are the only ones playing that game, but if you're in the fight you want to win it, right? Lexus is certainly not going quietly in this battle, and the Japanese automaker plans to bring a new weapon to the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

The German auto show will be the stage upon which the 2013 Lexus GS 450h makes its world debut. No details on the sporty electric-and-gas-swilling sedan have been released, but we assume the four door will utilize the current 450h's 3.5-liter V6 in combination with an electric motor. Once we land in Frankfurt and get up close with the 2013 GS 450h, we'll be sure to bring you all the juicy stats.

Continue reading 2013 Lexus GS 450h to debut in Frankfurt

2013 Lexus GS 450h to debut in Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2011 frankfurt2013 gs2013 lexus gs2013 lexus gs 450hfrankfurtfrankfurt motor showgsgs 450hlexuslexus gs 450hThu, 01 Sep 2011 13:59:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20032630/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/09/01/2013-lexus-gs-450h-to-debut-in-frankfurt/20032630/article-detail.xml 20032630 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/2013-lexus-gs_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/09/2013-lexus-gs.jpg -1 2