Lexus LS 600h L: The Misguided Hybrid

"If any of our more affluent readers are thinking about the Lexus LS600 L, by all means, have some fun. But don’t kid yourself that you are doing anything to help the world."

agreed.

— enthusiastx11 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 2:47:40 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

I agree, utahnkid.

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 11:40:52 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

I think you answered this perfectly. A lot of Toyota/Lexus naysayers ( yea they are pissed that a Japanese car manufacturer has publicly out teched, superseded the american and euro manufacturers) beat themselves silly when BMW launches a high power V8. But should Lexus try and invent its own performance paradigm that includes a lot of new technology which incidently makes all its competitors look like ox cart manufacturers, they immediately cry sacrilege...

— izfuney (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 6:11:50 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

my friend who owns a tuning company finally got me the goods. http://srautogroup.com/Images/gallery_euro_pic_180_2.jpg

— Agent63 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 6:33:15 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

This article should not be taken seriously at all. Why post this useless crap?

— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 7:36:35 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

People over-analyze everything when it comes to the Lexus brand.

The same pretentious reasons as to why anyone buys a gas-guzzling 12-cylinder luxury limousine, with gigantic "V12 Bi-Turbo" badges displayed everywhere will equal the pretentious reasons as to why the LS600hL with gigantic "Hybrid" badges displayed everywhere, will sell.

How can I convey this in the most simplistic, universal terms?: The 'hybrid' badges are meant to get the same consumer reaction as the 'V12' badges in this class of car. Hybrid = V12 !!! I don't know how to explain this in a more basic form! In today's eco-conscious world, having an emissions-reducing, gas-saving hybrid is seen as much more ideal than larger gas-guzzling engines.

Why is this so hard to understand? Let me guess: a) because there is already a negative stigma against hybrids in the European automotive community due to the inherent nature of their legions of followers to smack down the technology because it's not a diesel, and b) following along the same reason that European automakers are ever-so-slowly reluctant to produce a hybrid due to either their lack of the means to produce the technology or their lost focus of what the largest automotive market on the planet favors.

Everyone needs to chill out. Yes every automobile is harming the environment (so we can ultimately blame the doom of our planet on Germany, right?) but hybrids dramatically reduce the alarming rate at which we are currently polluting the planet.

One thing that the writer didn't feel like touching on is that Lexus is the first luxury brand to arrive on the market with full, modern hybrid systems. First to market = $$$ + name recognition. The writer failed to mention that Mercedes-Benz, BMW, GM and pretty much every other car manufacturer worth talking about is literally scrambling together to come up with their own hybrids. I mean really, MB, BMW and GM ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO PRODUCE ONE HYBRID!!! You know you're on to something when three of the most stubborn, yet money-making automotive corporations unite to catch up to you. And as many have said, it's not because Mercedes or BMW particularly WANTS to join the skeptical "save the Earth" bandwagon, the MARKET is forcing them. Toyota/Lexus is FORCING Mercedes and BMW to work together! (I'm sorry, but that amuses me constantly, lol.)

Do these hybrid writers ever stop to think that not everybody wants to drive a Toyota Prius or Honda Civic just to say they drive a hybrid? Lexus recognized this, why can't anyone else? Would it honestly be a BAD thing if every car were available with a hybrid system?

***Side-note: Somebody also answer me why Euro-centric fans hate hybrids with so much passion when mated to conventional gasoline engines, but whenever the discussion involves a diesel hybrid, everything's okay? What's going on? If it's the same idea of applying an electric motor to a conventional engine fueled by petrol or diesel, what makes a petrol-hybrid the Devil

— Will_ (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 10:12:02 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

I'll just add to the chorus. What a load of crap. The author's list makes no sense. I mean is he really complaining about it emitting less, or that it was hand sanded? These are problems??? I swear, as I was reading the list I had to keep going back to the headline to see if I had misread it, that maybe the article was really a recommendation, not a negative slam on the LS. Completely worthless. You know, someone needs to start filtering these Autos Space posts.

— 1970toyotamarc (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 10:22:32 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

I think the fact that any brand intentionally or unintentionally draws consumers through these means is the large complaint.

It is marketing.

— d1sinfo (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 11:05:33 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

Hey, did you hear at Disneyland in Anaheim they reopened the submarine rides (Finding Nemo) after being closed for nine years and they're using the same subs from 1959, but they've been converted to run on electric.

You see it's not only Lexus that have been changing the way we do things.

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 11:52:01 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4   

I LOVE THE TITLE OF THIS ARTICLE.

— w209w114 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 11:58:38 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

The author sounds a little bitter about not being able to afford one and guilt tripping other, more affluent people into not buying it as well. He really made no attempt to give a valid reason for why its a misguided hybrid simply because its not a conventional hybrid.

All of this doesn't negate the fact that it could be abusing the hybrid name and stereotype (not necessarily a bad thing), somewhere along the lines of the GS450h...but to be honest, I love what there doing with it. There both good cars and I expect great things from the next generation of these hybrids. I for one may hop on the bandwagon next gen.

— justbrown (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 1:07:15 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

Anyway you look at it the Lexus LS Series is already blending in with the Ford 500 thanks to the styling.

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 1:09:33 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -8   

alrighty, i dont have time to read all those posts above, but what i can say is...

The LS is about hurting the world less. I think we can all agree that all cars hurt the environment, but the idea is it hurts it less

— LexusKindaGuy12 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 2:13:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

It is not news, that you guys are ignorant. A car produces more than 80 % of its pollution from its exhaust.
LS600h emits 70 % less that its competitors average.

This is ANOTHER misguided criticism of hybrids.
You remind me several silly guys, who invented stories in past, to bash toyota prius.

Also keep in mind that LS600h is built on Toyotas Eco Vehicle Assesment lifecycle system known as ECO-VAS, which counts some years.

— silent_power (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 2:47:59 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

Well, I concur. WILL just offered a better, more in-depth and fair analysis of the LS600h than the one linked to this article.

It is nice to come back from a two-month long stay in the Middle East to the same yelling, screaming and fighting over Lexus.

— Anthony (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 2:49:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

The Lexus Hybrids were never meant to have overly exceptional fuel efficiency. They were meant to add power and still get somewhat decent gas mileage.

— lexusis350 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 3:13:52 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

uh yah the guy got his title a little wrong. his list of 10 things are the 10 things why you would WANT to buy the 600h. heh, people are still refuting the dominance that is in the LS?

— gsh23 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/14/2007 8:42:27 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Lexus ALWAYS understates their 0 - 60 times by at least .5 seconds. Here are the results of the 5 Top Luxury Cars in this test which was reported in the January Issue of Car and Driver. Please note these tests were all done on the same day at about the same time and at the same altitude. The results reflect the average of 3 runs and all cars are the 2007 vintage.

Mercedes S550 5.6, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.1 (Benz show 5.4 in their specs)
BMW 750iL 5.7, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.2
Jag XJ Super 6.0 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.5
Lexus LS460L 6.2 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.6
Audi A8 6.8 0 - 60 quarter mile 15.2

Note that Lexus, as usual, is more than the 5.4 the manufacturer CLAIMS to get by .8 seconds.

Also note the LS430 (prior model the LS460 replaced) was rated at 295 HP and was actually 278 when Lexus corrected their rating. And there were no refunds or apologies from the so-called "quality" car company. ABC - Always Be Careful what you buy from the (REPREHENSIBLE) Toyota/Lexus people.....

— bevisroy (View Profile)

Posted on 6/15/2007 11:29:19 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -6   

Bevisroy,
SULEV, 20mpg (2008), beat that.

Don't know how they tune cars in Europe, but the N.A. LSh only loses to the S600.

Of course, we keep confusing these cars for 2-door sport coupes. Silly us.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/16/2007 2:41:25 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

A car that parks itself and only takes 5 minutes to do.

Unprecedented!

— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 6/17/2007 3:11:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0