Lexus GS 450h: forebare of the next Avalon?

If you are wondering whether the Avalon will be offered with a hybrid drivetrain, I recall reading somewhere that Toyota plans to eventually offer every series with a hybrid drivetrain.

Thank you, Ray. I was more wondering whether the styling would be a predictor of future Avalons. I should have been clearer. Yes, my dealer affirmed the all-hybird alternative offerings -- by 2008, he said.

The GS 450h is reputed to get only 22 - 28 mpg but to be VERY peppy. That's not my favourite use for the technology, but I expect it will have wide appeal in the marketplace.

I am pretty sure that the Avalon and the GS are not based on the same platform. The Avalon has a transverse-mounted engine and transaxle and is front wheel drive, while GS has a longitudinally mounted engine and transmission with a separate differential and is rear wheel or all wheel drive.

I am not sure if this is still the case, but the Avalon did share its platform with the Camry and ES.

As far as styling, there are several cues that I think will continue to the next generation of Avalon, including a more upright front fascia, C-pillar that joins the rear deck aft of the wheel well, and roof line that slopes downward aft of the B-pillar. My guess is that the A-pillar will be more reclined with the base of the A-pillar creeping forward towards the front wheel wells.

The GS 450h, RX 400h, and LS 600h are named for the displacement that a conventional engine would be to produce the horsepower that the hybrid powertrain develops, implying that these vehicles are set up for performance, not fuel economy.

That's definitive.

My dealer says the current Avalon migrated to a Lexus platform, but again I have only his word.

That should be quite appealing.

So, for example, the GS 430 becomes the GS 450h?

Again, Ray, I'm grateful for your willingness to share information. I have a lot to learn.

Unfortunately, dealership sales personnel are not always technically savvy, so they mis-interpret some of what they hear.

You got it! A GS 450h would have the performance of a vehicle with a 4.5 liter engine, with fuel economy somewhere north of 20 mpg.

You're very welcome!

Isn't that liable to make series' design tricky, considering how different in shape the conventional and hybrid drive systems are (including bits like that big battery and the non-U controls)?

Or do they plan to do away with all conventional drive systems -- whether fuelled by petrol, diesel, flexfuel/biofuel &c? Sayings about eggs and baskets come to mind. I am a fan of hybrids; but there surely will be times when a plain old grunt-motor fits the need best (until hybrids have matured considerably, that is).

IMO, packaging a hybrid drivetrain is not that tricky, considering that Toyota/Lexus already have several vehicles that are or will be offered in both a conventional and hybrid drivetrain, like the Highlander, RX 400h, GS

450h, Camry, and LS 600h. The Ford Escape, which uses a Toyota design; the Honda Civic and Accord, and the GMC truck are all offered with conventional and hybrid drivetrains. The hybrid coupler is roughly the size and shape of a conventional transmission, the battery packs are in the trunk (making the cargo area shallower), and the controllers can be tucked in nooks and crannies. Ford, Daimler Chrysler, and BMW have formed a consortium to develop a hybrid transmission with the aim of making it adaptable to any conventionally powered vehicle.

I do not think Toyota or any automaker will do away with all conventional drive systems in the foreseeable future unless the break-even cost of the hybrid drivetrain comes in under 3 years and hybrid performance is on a par or exceeds the conventional drivetrain's performance. Given the additional components needed in a hybrid drivetrain, I don't see the cost coming low enough to break even under 3 years, and there are applications where a conventional drivetrain out-performs a hybrid one.