Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest seller of gasoline-electric autos, will make its Lexus GS 450h sports car the most expensive hybrid in the United States, with a starting price of $54,900.
That's $2,830 more than the GS 430 sedan with a 4.3-liter gasoline V8 engine, Lexus spokesman Bill Ussery said Tuesday. The hybrid sports car, set to begin sales in May as a 2007 model, can cost more than $60,000 with a navigation system and high-priced audio system, he said.
The GS 450h is built to outperform the comparable gasoline-only model, with acceleration from 0 to 60 m.p.h. in 5.2 seconds, 0.5 second faster than the GS 430, Ussery said.
ia a center console-mounted switch, the new transmission offers a choice of three power settings:
Normal, for the optimum balance of power and traction;
Power, for maximum acceleration; and
Snow, for excellent traction control under the most slippery road conditions.
sounds like you can drift in green!
i got around 20 km a liter when i drove a civic 5 spd using advanced hypermiler techniques
and now I drive a salvage nwh20 prius that gets almost to 25 km/l with 195,000 km to date.
Even your favorite hybrid company is focusing on marketing hybrid technology as a PERFORMNCE OPTION rather than a means to increase fuel economy.
Um, hybrid engines are simply more efficient than gas engines. That efficiency can be used for increasing fuel economy or for increasing power. In this case, both. The smooth silence of EV mode is quite fitting for a luxury car, and at higher speeds the 450h enjoys very fast acceleration. What's the problem? I think the hybrid drive is quite a good fit for the car, and the hybrid 'premium' is not an issue with it.
LOL I think its cool, if you have someone that will buy a "Maybak" 100k sedan why not let them buy a toyota sports car thats a 60k Hybrid? Some people seem to only want high dollar cars, Im guessing they think it makes them more prestigouse.. They'll be running green!
I know a guy who's wife wanted a mercedes, could they afford it? Yes but he was happy with the mountaineer..... So she got the mercedes and traded in the mountaineer....
04' # 5, W/leather & JBL omitted. "Prius, Just ask the person that drives one" 04' Tundra, 18mpg city & 22mpg hwy. 04' Prius, 60mpg city & 53mpg hwy.
Kenstyle NHW20 AERO Kit
Last edited by PriusGuy04; 03-02-2006 at 05:38 PM.
Toyota's New Expensive Hybrid
