By Andrew Ganz
Wednesday, Jun 13th, 2012 @ 10:58 am
 
A new, entry-level version of the Lexus GS featuring a four-cylinder hybrid powertrain is reportedly on the way to do battle against high-mpg diesel and hybrid rivals from BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

According to Auto Express, the higher-mpg Lexus will reprise the original GS' badge, albeit with an "h" attached to denote the new powertrain: GS 300h.

The British magazine says that Lexus will look to its corporate parts bin for the 200-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine/electric motor powertrain mated to a CVT that debuted last year in the Toyota Camry Hybrid. That same powertrain is offered in the North American-market ES 300h that will arrive in dealers later this year. EPA fuel economy figures haven't been announced for the ES 300h, but the Camry Hybrid is rated as high as 43/39 mpg. Given the extra weight associated with the upmarket GS, a combined fuel economy figure of around 35 mpg seems about right.

That would put the GS 300h well ahead of the more powerful, V6/hybrid-powered GS 450h, which is rated at 29/34 mpg, or 31 mpg combined.

While the lower-powered GS 300h might sound like a weak offering in North America, it could help Lexus become much more competitive in Europe. Squaring off against cars like the similarly-powerful BMW 520d EfficientDynamics and Audi A6 2.0 TDI, a GS 300h would offer substantially reduced emissions that would make it subject to far lower taxes in most of Western Europe. For the corporate fleets that buy substantial numbers of midsize premium sedans in Europe, that could give the GS 300h a significant upper hand.

Auto Express suggests that the GS 300h will be announced at September's Paris Motor Show.
  

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