2008 Lexus GS450h

The 2008 Lexus GS450h is a luxury car that comes with a hybrid. This is not a particularly common feature amongst cars at this level. Even more surprising is that the hybrid technology is actually being used to improve the cars performance, not something that many people would expect. The GS450h is a top of the line luxury car and well worth considering if you are in the market for a car that combines comfort and performance.

The 2008 Lexus GS450h is a hybrid offering from the company. However it is different from most other hybrids that you will buy. Most people associate hybrid technology with better fuel economy. However you can also use that technology to improve performance. This is exactly what Lexus have done with the GS450h it was the first car to be introduced in North America that had a hybrid with the goal of improving performance rather than fuel efficiency. Basically you are getting a car that has the power of a V8 but which only uses as much fuel as a V6. Combine this with things like adaptive suspension and you get a car that really performs. It's not exactly a sports car but the performance is outstanding for a luxury sedan.

The power behind the 2008 Lexus GS450h is a 3.5 liter V6 engine combined with an electric motor. As a result of this the name of the car confuses some people. Normally Lexus name their cars based on engine size so you would expect the car to be named the 350. However because of the increased performance provided by the electric motor they consider that you get the same power as you would get out of the 4.5 liter V8 so they went with the name GS450h. The electric motor helps with low end torque and adds power when you are accelerating. The electric motor recharges itself with regenerative braking; basically it uses the heat from the brakes to recharge the electric motor.

With all of the talk about the performance of the 2008 Lexus GS450h you would think that it was a high performance sports car. Of course like all Lexus models it is a luxury car. The GS450h is the top of the line model available from Lexus so it goes without saying that it has all of the luxury items that you would expect. Heated seats, dual zone climate control and keyless entry are a given of course on a car like this. There are also plenty of extra features that you may want to add like adaptive cruise control or a voice activated navigation system. One small criticism of the car is that it doesn't have a lot of space. You lose some trunk space because of the battery for the electric motor. For some reason there is also not a lot of head space inside the car. This may present a problem for some taller drivers.