The GS 450h ($54,900) features a hybrid powertrain that combines a 3.5-liter V6 with an electric motor.
Standard equipment includes thick, regency-style leather upholstery and a choice of wood trim in either bird's-eye maple (brown or black) or walnut, and a complete range of convenience features. These include a sophisticated audio system with an in-dash CD player, a vehicle information system with a seven-inch touch screen, Bluetooth-compatible wireless telephone technology, and a moonroof.
Options include a navigation system with voice recognition and backup camera ($1900); Mark Levinson 330-watt audio system with surround sound ($1780); active vehicle stabilizer system ($3400); pre-collision braking system with radar-type cruise control ($2850); park assist ($500), Lexus Link road assistance ($900); rain-sensing wiper and adaptive headlights ($525); power rear sunshade ($210); ventilated front seats ($200); all-season run-flat tires ($480).
Safety features that come standard on all models include front air bags, side airbags for front- and rear-seat passengers (except the GS 450h, which lacks rear-seat side airbags), and curtain-type head-protection air bags both and front and rear.
Active safety features include anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, and Brake Assist. The available Lexus pre-collision system uses a radar sensor to detect the onset of a collision and will automatically optimize chassis calibration for quick steering response, retract the front seatbelts, initialize brake assist and even decelerate the car at 0.3 g if the driver fails to take avoiding action. The GS 450h and GS 430 come with Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management, an electronic stability control system that processes steering angle, yaw rate, deceleration, brake pressure and wheel speed, and then uses the car's entire range of electronic controls for the engine, brake, and steering controls to help the driver control the car in an emergency handling situation. In contrast to conventional electronic stability control systems, which react to a car's loss of control, VDIM has been developed to anticipate a dangerous situation, and then by making certain corrections, allow the driver to continue without even realizing the system is at work.
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