2013 Lexus GS 350 F Sport teaser
That means we could be seeing a combined gas mileage of around 30 mpg for the 2013 Lexus GS 450h, which, while still impressive, fails to beat the efficiency of many diesel rivals sold overseas. You may recall that a Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel, not currently sold in the U.S., scored an average fuel economy of 52.4 mpg on a cross-country tour.
As a result, Lexus is now reportedly developing a ‘downsized’ hybrid system for the GS, which will allow it to compete with more fuel efficient diesel models.
Speaking to Auto Express, Lexus’ deputy chief engineer and product planner Koji Sato said: "We are working on a number of solutions to offer low CO2 emissions and these include a small hybrid."
The Lexus exec also reiterated the automaker’s stance of backing hybrid technology rather than diesel when it comes to economy.
While final specifications for the new hybrid system are yet to be finalized, we can expect performance on par with some of its intended rivals. These include the aforementioned Jaguar XF 2.2 Diesel, as well as the BMW 520d and Audi A6 2.0 TDI, all of which return mileage above 40 mpg.
Sadly, just like its rivals, the downsized hybrid GS is unlikely to be offered in the U.S. Note, just yesterday Lexus also took the wraps off a new GS 250 model powered by a 2.5-liter V-6 but this, too, is unlikely to come Stateside.
For full details on the Lexus GS models that we will be getting in the U.S., click here.
