I've been looking at the (rather encouraging) Motor Trend reviews and I'm frankly surprised by their numbers. Here is a comparison between the two:

450h / 350 (difference)

0-30 2.4 / 2.0 (-0.4s)
0-40 3.5 / 2.9 (-0.6s)
0-50 4.7 / 4.1 (-0.6s)
0-60 6.0 / 5.4 (-0.6s)
0-70 7.8 / 7.0 (-0.8s)
0-80 9.6 / 9.0 (-0.6s)
0-90 11.6 / 11.1 (-0.5s)
0-100 14.0 / 13.7 (-0.3s)
1/4 14.4@101.8mph / 14.0@101.0mph
lateral g 0.89 / 0.94
figure of 8 26.3s / 25.4s

How accurate are these numbers? I seriously did not expect the 450h to be THAT much slower!?!?

The two car's stats are so close on paper it seems weird there should be so much difference, specially bearing in mind that the 350 is not available in the UK (and a few other countries). If the 350 is pretty much par with the 535i, the 450h is going to have a hard time...

C

 

According to the UK specifications from magazines and from the official Lexus web page the

GS 450h ….0-62 in 5.9

And the hybrid is heaver by at least 200kg ( batteries).

 

I thought the hybrid was faster? 338hp to make up for the heavier weight and the electric engine helping it shoot off the line

 

I thought the 350 was closer to 5.7-5.8 sec for 0-60mph?

 

i saw that... i would wait for insideline numbers... as to the handling, probably due to the aggressive tire/wheel combo of F-Sport.

350 is actually faster than 535i, so this might be on par... but i trust insideline numbers better.

 

The hybrid is 200 kg heavier, so it will always handle less, and pull fewer g's around corners.
If the hybrid was compared to the F Sports, the hybrid's handling will be less again.

As to the straight line acceleration, theoretically the hybrid should be at least the same, or even faster.
We have have to follow up on the straight line acceleration...

 

According to those numbers, the 450 goes 30-100 in 11.6 vs. 11.7 for the 350. The 450 is only slower off the line for some reason. I drove the 350 and did note it feels like it jumps off the line a lot harder than my LS 460.