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The biggest news here is that the GS 460 replaces the GS 430 as the top entry in the GS lineup, bringing more power and enhanced luxury. Exterior changes to all models include revamps to the front fascia, wheel design and color choices, while the interiors feature new instrument graphics and accent bits, a broader array of wood trims and UV and infrared-reducing tinted glass.
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.
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