VIDEO: Lexus LS600h-Is it the new the ultimate driving machine?

This is great!

I just love 001's unbiased reviews and professional judgement, specially for Lexus cars.

Keep up the good work 001!

001, you should request one with full leather interior and tell us how big the trunk is. ^0^

Why the video has no sound?

No, many pre-production ones are not.

Full leather interior is standard on the 600.

A Xerox only take a few seconds....

Hey 009, what's with the Xerox?

Haha well said 009

"has there ever been any more buzz around a luxury sedan?"

Nope, not on this site. There also hasn't been more ass-kissing, puffery, and border line creepy love affairs surrounding a luxury sedan before on autospies.

There are a lot of companies that are envious of that and would do just about ANYTHING to have a buzz around their cars like that...Lexus has earned it...plain and and simple...and the others just stood around and watched it happen

001

Well said, 001.

"Competitions are completely unable to respond", Auto Express UK.

But Lexus itself still has a lot of room to improve this ultimate Lexus in the near future like updating to more powerful,lighter battery, developing a RWD version...

i hope 001 drives the 600h L into a ditch and lexus drops sponsorship of this site.

i hope the Kia will be the only auto maker who will advertise on the site. Then 001 will have to drive a Sedona and write articles with titles like "Has there ever been this much buzz surrounding a Spectra??"

unfortunately, the chances of such an outcome are slim.

Are there ditches in Southern California?

Unfortunately NARunner, you've forgotten that the 00's always win!

;)

001

fanboy,

i am joking with 001, I obviously don't wish him any harm or the car any harm. I love the Lexus LS, in fact, I caught myself defending Lexus when my wife said she didn't like them.

And I understand 001 gives great reviews of other cars too, like the CL550...but when its a Lexus, it just seems that the reviews and articles are a bit more, how do I say, plentiful?

and 001-

i'm aware the 00's always win. bastards.

NArunner: 00's win because the manufacturers/PR guys run out to save and cuddle them.

Agent001, you seem very, oh, I don't know, BIASED, lately...

we have talked on the merits of the new Lexus' and there is an appeal to the market for them. He is simply stating what is obvious. They are excellent machines.

Willis, you're not going to fire Agent001 are you? LOL :)

Memo to Willis : Pls don't fire 001. He's great.

LOL!

How can I fire Agent001? He runs this site. I'm powerless to do anything.

Really Willis? Then I guess Lexus dealers/PR guys run this site.

This whole "BIASED" thing is ridiculous. Didn't 001 just give a glowing review of the CL550?

Everyone complains about the Lexus ads, go to various other automotive websites and see how many ads are there. I just came from the C&D website which has numerous ads from GM and Volvo. When was the last time a GM or Volvo product won a C&D comparo?

If everyone really wants an ad-free site, then donate your own money so 001 can continue to run this site.

As you have noticed, a knowledgeable enthusiast will understand the merits and drawbacks of any vehicle and judge them accordingly. Those that scream bias typically aren't viewing all of the facts objectively or just have their head in the sand.

"VIDEO: Lexus LS600h-Is it the new the ultimate driving machine?"

No, but it's the current ultimate hybrid machine.

True.

i guess he is just talking about the buzz, and he's right in my book, eventhough i find this car utterly useless, i mean you want to drive green, get a diesel or a prius, you want a luxo limo, get a proper one, these do in fact include the LS460 IMO!

I myself am obviously a Lexus fan, but even Lexusfanforever's comments are starting to sicken me.

Anyone with Lexus in their name seems to be an idiot.

same here aefsc430, i think they are all fake people with no life.

BS. He's the real Lexus fan.

Like or not I the new Lexus LS460/LS600hl is truly a piece of engineering to marvel. It beauty, grace and present is just stunning when one see it in person.

Lexus

p.s. "NOT" all Lexus fans are idiot, so get your fact straight German Nutt tree hugger. Stop living in the past, it the years 2007 where Lexus compete with the big boys now.

I think eventually Lexus will make a super ultra luxury sedan/coupe with a V10 or V12 with 600 hp+. Than they can definitely compete with the like of Bentley, Maybach and the RR's. And if they sales for a much lesser price, it will be a hit for sure.

Please respect the fact that 001 will give us a fair and unbiased review. I hope people appreciate the fact that we all benefit as car consumers from the strides Lexus has made in a short time.

Don't worry, 001's reviews are always great.

Much better than some AutoMotor und sport.

Yeah like 001 is a belly dancer.

Ricemaster, what "SOUL" are we talking about, you mean the same "soul" the test driver the BMW 355i felt when it when overheat in the fourth laps when comparing to G35? LOL :)..........if that what you German call soul you can keep them. And I will keep my realibility and quality.

to answer the question in the title: no, the LS600 is definitely not the ultimate driving machine.

as the lexus fans have reminded us 10,000 times, the LS is a cruiser that's about luxury, technology, safety, hybrid, etc... and it's not meant to be a sport sedan.

wait....I should hold MY judgement?
but you just said it's a kick ass car. how do you know?

Just think when the S-Class, 7 Series and A8 go hybrid.

Watch out!!!

bluetec = bye bye hybrid efficiency claims

bluetec= Yet another diesel-based smoke blower.

I hate smog.

what happened to your suggestion to hold judgement?

huu:

my ignorance? i'm actually pretty well read, thank you very much.

i'm well aware that bluetec is a urea-based solution to filter out particulates from diesel emissions thereby meeting 50-state emissions requirements in the united states.

so once bluetec is in states like california (the most MPG happy state in the union), the bluetec will blow away the MPG of the hybrids. for example, in C&D tests the GS450h got 20MPG overall while the E320 bluetec got 34MPG overall. that's a massive improvement in fuel economy at the expense of some acceleration. and since most buyers of hybrids are concerned more about efficency than speed, it'lll be a compelling proposition.

hope that helped you out.

surprise huu!

I was behind a brand new Bentley GT and in the next
lane was a LS460 and the Bentley blew the Lexus away.

Happened a few days ago, honest!

el34

Do you even know the price difference between them?

Next time don't be surprised if a Civic blows your German car(whatever it is) away.

Lexus fan comments are more than annoying to read through.

They're like a broken record with comments on reliability, technology (which is no more advanced than the Germans, in fact the S-Class is the most technically advanced vehicle on the road today), & how Lexus's are just simply just the best cars in the world.

"LexusFanForever" however is the worse of the worse with absolutely no appreciation or knowledge for motor history...I'm waiting for him to top the comment "LS600h, a car that has the status and heritage of a Bentley and Rolls Royce but totally kills them in technology and quality."

Anyhow I saw a black LS on the road today & it is a fine looking car, not exciting but yes, a handsome automobile.

Munich: I believe that Lexus and Germans are on even in terms of technology.

LS, Bentley and Rolls are all isolation boxes.

lexus is even with the germans on tech. and possibly ahead.

and FAR AHEAD on reliability, especially "minor" things like switchgear, electronics, power eqpt.

the GAP is SUCH THAT '98 LS400s have fewer problems than '06 mb ML500s.

Do you know how SMALL the gap is in reliability today? That the biggest difference I could conceive is that the least-reliable car would get, on average, five more problems than the most-reliable car on the road today? Do you know how stupid you sound?

All we hear is "QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITYQUALITY RELIABILITYQUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY" and it makes me want to shoot someone.

Nobody on this site can claim who is #1 in technology! It's impossible! There are so many things more important inside a car's body than a self-parker or night vision! And if you want to talk about consumer technology in cars, it's not a very long shot to say BMW pioneered the car tech age.

This is why I dont come on this site much anymore. Lexus is not way ahead of the Germans on Technology. What technology are they way ahead of the Germans with, exactly? Hybrid tech - yes and the Germans have diesels which are ahead of them. On the LS600 what exactly does it help do? Cleaner enviroment - whipdee do. Trade off - smaller trunk, V8, not as quick or handle as well as other 100k + cars, similar gas mileage, and expensive trade-off for V8 sibling. I would rather have the LS460 vs the LS600 for the price differences. If I am going to spend $100 large for a car I WANT STATUS. For people to know that I am driving and " look at me " mentality. No one buys a $100k + car for reliability. If so, then Ferrari, porsche, Lambo, Rolls, Bentley, Aston would be out of business. Everyone knows that. You buy them because of the status and prestige that those cars emit. That most people on the street will look twice when they see it on the road. No one looks twice at a Lexus LS and says that is my dream car. That is the difference. No one in their right mind ever compares a Lexus to Rolls. huh?

The reliability arguement is way overdone. IN 3 to 4 years how many more service visits does a BMW owner have than a Lexus Owner. It is only .5 more visits on some cars and less on others. Blah blah blah ... That is the only arguement that Lexus fans have. I have a few custom choppers, and the reliability isnt that great but man does it look and feel good to be riding down the road. I didnt buy for reliability. They are my show bikes. Love to ride them and take them out and show them off. My 2 cycles are a Bourget Python and Bigdog Chopper.

Do you think I care about that? BMW & Lexus are hands down the 2 best cars on the market today and moving forward. They are both unique in what they bring to the table. They both excell in all aspects of the car industry: reliability, marketing, customer satisfaction, performance, luxury, resale, overall appeal and value of their products.

Awesome post. I agree 100%.

Yeah I don't understand why the Lexus guys think they are so far ahead in technology, I’d agree to saying that it’s fairly even ground.

Since 2002 BMW's were the most technology filled cars on the road up until the release of the S-Class, which now holds that crown. Lexus has showcase technology with their hybrids so no one here is actually playing catch up.

Wow, "BUCKFUSH," you are just sad. I pity you and your incredible defense of Lexus; it's a lost cause. Let me quote myself:

"Nobody on this site can claim who is #1 in technology! It's impossible! There are so many things more important inside a car's body than a self-parker or night vision! And if you want to talk about consumer technology in cars, it's not a very long shot to say BMW pioneered the car tech age."

By the way.....my Grandmother loves her Lexus. In fact, I think that all grandmothers love Lexus. No drama, no excitement....."Go straight, turn right, not too fast, nice and easy".

This car is luxurious i'll give it that and Lexus have meant luxury and is a respectable brand with the latest generations.

However, the Maybach inspired rear seats can not be compared to Maybach or even the RR or Bentley's in the ultra luxury limo category.

However I have to disagree with 001 on the interior being any better than it's competitors.

This site is paid for by Lexus so obviously some here will be biased and fair enough. In today's world it's all about getting paid anyways.

If Lexus pays you guys to be biased then so be it.

Like I said before only in the US is this car loved so much. The European luxury fans will still stick to their S-Class, 7, and A8's.

However I'm not biased though as I own an S-Class, GS and have an LS 460 coming in. I find Lexus luxurious and good quality but it lacks the feeling of driving a German car. A feeling I can't describe unfortunately.

s4: "Do you know how SMALL the gap is in reliability today? That the biggest difference I could conceive is that the least-reliable car would get, on average, five more problems than the most-reliable car on the road today? Do you know how stupid you sound?"


for the first 90 days? how about in the 10th year of service, where toyota/lexus has all of 60/100 cars. while vw/audi have 175/100?

how stupid is YOUR statement now?


"All we hear is "QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITYQUALITY RELIABILITYQUALITY RELIABILITY QUALITY RELIABILITY" and it makes me want to shoot someone."


well, i can understand your frustration at the word, considering vw is at the BOTTOM OF THE HEAP, with regard to reliability. even old hyundais do better.