Lexus GS300h Likely to Use V6 Hybrid Engine
After speculating that the new GS hybrid, likely called the GS300h, would run with the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gas engine found in the ES300h(shown above), Lexus has dropped some hints which now point to a V6 engine being under the hood.
Yoshihiko Kanamori, the lead designer of the Lexus GS, said to Autocar that the need for in-cabin noise cancellation in the new four-cylinder Audi A8 hybrid is one of the reasons that a Lexus GS “could never have a four-cylinder engine.”
The car needs to offer more affordability than the larger GS450h, so it will have to have small engine. And the 2.5-litre V6 engine that is fitted to the new GS250 seems like a good fit, considering the company won’t be using the small four-cylinder. Lexus’ new hybrid philosophy also points towards the small frugal V6, as the company wants to get away from large thirsty hybrids in favor of small fuel-saving models.
While nothing is confirmed, whatever runs the car will have to hit a CO2 figure of at least 119g/km to match the BMW 520ed, its main competitor.
[Source: AutoCar]
Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
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