Following the release of the 2005 RX 400h, Lexus unveils its second luxury gas/electric hybrid, the 2007 GS 450h. Powering the hybrid GS is a completely new powertrain that combines a 3.5L V-6 engine with a new compact, high-output, permanent-magnet electric motor that drives the rear wheels. The GS 450h is also driven by its electric motors when starting, traveling slowly, and during low-load driving; the resulting noise, vibration, and harshness level is about half that of a conventional gasoline-powered engine.

Hybrid vehicles today are no longer just a political statement, but a viable way to extend your fuel dollar. While the thought of driving a futuristic-looking Honda Insight may appeal to a certain audience, Lexus brings style, form, and function to the hybrid table with its GS 450h. To get big performance from a small package, Lexus mates a 292-hp, 3.5L V-6 with a 197-hp, permanent electric motor (that drives the rear wheels and provides regenerative braking), providing comparable V-8 power while achieving an estimated 26 mpg combined fuel rating—with 80 percent fewer smog-forming emissions.

Lexus engineers had several goals for the industry's first high-performance hybrid rear-wheel-drive sedan. First was to deliver the performance of a modern 4.5-liter V8 with the fuel economy of a 2.0-liter engine with four cylinders. Second, the emissions were to be 80-percent cleaner than those of an average car. Third, the noise level during electric-mode operation was to be one-half of that during normal engine operation, a goal achievable due to redesigned fans and motors. And, finally, the acceleration from zero to 60 mph was to be as quick as a Porsche 911 with a Tiptronic transmission. By all accounts, the engineers were successful. The notion of using the attributes of a hybrid powertrain to achieve exemplary performance in a rear-wheel drive, luxury sports sedan can be expected to cause quite a stir, and we found that the GS 450h lives up to its promise. It delivers a big dose of performance, it's quiet, it's as comfortable as you would expect of a Lexus and it has all the environmentally friendly qualities for which people buy hybrids.