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.

BUCKFUSH, as great as the LS600hL is, it's NOT green. You're misguided... just like Lexus. Or the buyers of this car- or both.

BUCKFUSH, I don't care if I pollute the world or not and remember it was you Libs that got us into WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

how is a car that uses 5,200 pounds of raw material (150 pounds of which is highly toxic nickel) and gets 20mpg green?

it's not. this is moral relativism at its worst.

I agree, utahnkid.

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 A lot of Toyota/Lexus naysayers ( yea they are pissed that a Japanese car manufacturer has publicly out teched, superseded the american and euro manufacturers) beat themselves silly when BMW launches a high power V8.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...

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

That's a hot S.

If I'm considering an S8, do you think I should look at slightly used S63 AMGs, too? I might... I just don't know if I am personally an S-Class buyer.

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

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

...and yet a diesel-hybrid Godly?

The problem here is that this writer saw the "Hybrid" designation on this car and automatically associated it with the Prius. In relation to the Prius, Hell no this car wouldn't make sense, understandably. In relation to this car's actual competition, it absolutely makes sense.

As it turns out, there IS an mpg advantage with the LS600h over the LS460. And why wouldn't there be? It's a slightly tuned 460 engine + a hybrid motor. AWD and other upgraded safety and luxury features do make the car heavier, inevitably as is the case with all other makes in this segment. Argue against this you may, but there is absolutely no denying the fact that the LS600hL ****-->EMITS 70% LESS<--**** than its competitors!!! With reducing emissions being the very goal of hybrids, I'd say this car lives up to its hybrid badges. It also turns out the suspension of the 600h is surprisingly good for a car its size. The private-firm review-loving bunch of you should be happy to note that several such reviews have all confirmed that very statement.




Man, I'm tired...

"...but hybrids dramatically reduce the alarming rate at which we are currently polluting the planet."

This one phrase is where you're wrong. Had you kept it out, I would have agreed, and you would have been very right.

However, this is not the case. I am not a hybrid-hater. Yes, I rant in "flame" wars, but I don't think hybrids are nonsense.

Nor are they going to save the world! I'll just give you one word: battery.

Need I explain?

Yes, you do.

One word: recyclable.

the difference, will, is that nobody in their right mind is claiming that a V12 mercedes is good for the environment. it isn't. it's a decadent car. and so is the LS600h. to claim that it's green may assuage the guilt of the buyer, but it's a hugely un-green car.

S4, you are an idiot. I give you an example my son. Do you remember the hairspray cans with CFC? The stuff put a hole in our ozone layer. These cans have been replaced by a good ole regular air pressurized hairspray...If a can of hairspray could hurt a planet..imagine if you will how much a millions of cars would? Imagine how many millions of tons of smog we would eliminate if entire city of NY yellow cabs go hybrid? Its the little things that makes a giant changes as everything else and you are an idiot for having such a closed mind.

LexusAdmirer, I'm sorry, you are completely wrong. The LS600hL has no performance or handling that is comparable to the S600. 5.5 seconds (http://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=14586) vs 4.5 seconds (mbusa.com). Great for the environment, but the cars are engineered totally differently - neither can REALLY replace the other unless they adopt each other's systems

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.

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

It is marketing.

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.

I LOVE THE TITLE OF THIS ARTICLE.

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.

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

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

You know, if these buyers weren't so selfish and actually cared about the environment, they'd just get it over with and buy a damn Prius, or even a cheap gas car like the Mini. I mean, do they really have to show how rich they are?

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.....

lol.

You must really despise Toyota/Lexus to post this EXACT propaganda in EVERY Lexus thread...

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

Unprecedented!