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Luxury Lexus offers an eco-friendly choice for business high-flyers

autoshows submitted on 10/23/2007 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 11:13:47 AM

13 user comments | Category: Reviews | Source: | SOURCE: autocar-show.blogspot.com

No car maker has embraced hybrid technology quite like Lexus.

While rivals moan about high development costs and technical inefficiencies, the Japanese manufacturer is committed to combining petrol and electric power – and the next vehicle in its highly charged line-up is the LS600h.

We have already tried the techno­logy in a left-hand drive version of the new car (Issue 958). But how does it work here on the UK’s roads? The first impression with any LS is its vast scale – especially in this long-wheelbase guise. Apart from its subtle badging, the hybrid shares the sombre styling of other variants. Even the twin chrome exhausts remain, hinting at its performance potential.


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Luxury Lexus offers an eco-friendly choice for business high-flyers

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autoshows

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User Comments

DaHarder

Shouldn't that read, "Quite Like Toyota"... The parent company?

— DaHarder (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 12:04:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

r15mohd

or no LUXURY car maker...quite like Lexus.

— r15mohd (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 1:11:54 PM | | Votes: -1   

Czelinski

True.

— Czelinski (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 12:52:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

deepwater

This is a rather old story. The LS600h already sold. Be kind to submit something interesting story, because this article is waste of time.

— deepwater (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 1:12:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

Czelinski

"or no LUXURY car maker...quite like Lexus."

I believe the S Hybrid that debuted at Frankfurt actually has better MPG and emissions. Not wanting a flame war, just stating that they now have and seek to improve it.

— Czelinski (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 1:53:27 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

zairnaim

but the s hybrid had 200 something horsepower etc.

— zairnaim (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 5:09:48 PM | | Votes: -2   

S4cabriofoxone

So? The point of a hybrid is fuel efficiency, not performance. S Hybrid buyers don't care about performance... and LS Hybrid models wouldn't either if it was a real hybrid.

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 5:14:32 PM | | Votes: 2   

Bill

I think the LS600h doesn't make sense at all. Here Lexus wants to pretend it's a green company and then they have to offer an overpowered and overweight car that has not lived up to its marketing hype and actually gets poorer gas mileage and performance than the LS460.

The LS600h is a waste of money. Stick to the LS460 and get the same car with better fuel economy.

Emissions? If someone in this class really cared about emissions, they'd be driving Geo Metro hybrid. Fact is, there are few people in this market niche who really care about the environment. And those that are interested in the LS600h strike me as plain and simple poseurs. People who think they're driving green and expect other people to view them in the same light.

Pathetic.

— Bill (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 5:32:06 PM | | Votes: 3   

bmwdrvr

not just that but this thing gets the same epa as an ls460, and ive seen slower to 60 in test, add in the fact it has less trunk space, is way overpriced, and you have the BS car of the year the ls600. they even copied the V12 number from mercedes the s600, what a load of marketing crap. the only one that would buy this is someone that likes to be taken advantage of, performance and epa ratings comparable to V8 cars that doesnt like a V12 alternative, or even a real hybrid, why not just buy the ls460l and a prius if you have to have a hybrid.

— bmwdrvr (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 10:33:19 PM | | Votes: 1   

w209w114

BORING OLD NEWS. NEXT!!!!

— w209w114 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 2:16:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Rupert

"Lexus claims a 0-62mph time of 6.3 seconds, although real-world perfor­mance doesn’t feel so sprightly. With the CVT gearbox offering change-free acceleration, the luxury saloon isn’t slow, but it seems no quicker than a diesel-powered Mercedes S-Class.
We also struggled to match the maker’s claimed economy. Driving mostly in town, the Lexus returned little better than 24mpg, according to its trip computer – a long way short of the official 30.4mpg combined fig­ure."
"While the motorway ride is smooth, it struggles to cope with sharp jolts and bumps. Tackling corners at speed leaves the Lexus floundering compared with Audi’s A8."

— Rupert (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 6:24:25 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

S4cabriofoxone

I have a love/hate relationship with this car. It's beautiful and luxurious, but it's an underperforming, rolling contradiction. The LS460 AWD would make much more sense for us if it ever came to existence.

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 7:13:04 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

bmwdrvr

beautiful in a bland, boring,overchromed would have been nice as an avalon kinda way

— bmwdrvr (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2007 10:34:57 PM | | Votes: 1   

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