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Lexus has introduced a series of
styling, technical and equipment
revisions that further
strengthen the full hybrid GS
450h’s appeal in the premium
saloon market. It has
rationalised the model line-up
into two equipment grades – SE
and SE-L – and introduced new
exterior colour choices, alloy
wheel designs and interior
trims.
The GS, powered by a smooth and
ultra-efficient combination of a
3.5-lire petrol V6 and a compact
650V electric motor, delivers
sharp performance with fuel
economy and emissions that are
unmatched by its conventional
petrol-powered rivals.
Revised Pre-Crash
Safety system and active
headrests
The Pre-Crash Safety system in
the GS 450h has been revised to
include pre-crash brake
technology to support the
established pre-crash seatbelt
and brake assist functions.
Both front seats have new,
inflator-operated active
headrests, which are activated
by a signal from the ECU should
the car suffer a rear-end
impact. The inflator slides a
piston into the headrest,
unlocks the mechanism and
projects the headrest forwards
and upwards to support the head
and reduce the risk of whiplash
injury.
Navigation and
audio upgrades
In common with its sister Lexus
models, the GS 450h has a new
40GB hard disc drive (HDD)
navigation system, giving
Europe-wide coverage with
traffic information data capture
in each country. The
HDD also provides 10GB of
storage space for owners to
create their own on-board sound
library of digital audio files –
room for around 2,000 music
tracks.
Two audio systems are featured
in the GS 450h range: a
10-speaker Lexus premium package
and a 14-speaker Mark Levinson
Premium Surround Sound System
giving 5.1-channel surround
sound on selected CDs and DVDs.
Both systems come with a USB
port and audio jack plug for
full connection and integration
of portable music players. The
Bluetooth, provided as standard,
includes an audio streaming
function. As an option, owners
can upgrade their audio system
to receive DAB digital
broadcasts.
Styling
The 2010 GS 450h has a new front
grille design that features a
series of horizontal bars. The
hybrid-blue rear lamp clusters
have been modified to
incorporate larger, transparent
outer lenses and a new 18-inch
alloy wheel design has been
introduced for the SE-L model.
The SE version rides on 17-inch
alloys, with five-double-spoke
18-inch wheels available in a
combined package with parking
sensors.
In
the cabin there is a new
hybrid-blue backlit stop/start
button and the choice of a new
Venaro Grey semi-aniline leather
upholstery option, with
contrasting black stitching and
grey bird’s eye maple wood grain
trim.
The range of 11 exterior colours
includes three new shades:
Vanilla Mist, Richmond Green and
Atlantic Blue. |
