A Difficult Pill To Swallow: Is The LS600h Green Enough?

Well then what is the purpose of the Hybrid in the class?

1. No performance increase
2. No REAL gas mileage increase (ok 1 or 2 mpg)
3. Since it burns almost the same amount of gas then it can't be polluting that much less.
4. And it cost significantly more.

When a automotive green publication asks exactly the same question then we all tend to agree.

My advice save the money and just get a LS460 (a great car) and donate $10K to an eco-friendly charity. Both your wallet and the environment will be better off.

Let's see how long it takes him to post the same thread again.

Tomorrow it will be time for another IS-F thread about how the bodykit looks tacky.

THIS IS NOT NEWS.

The LS600 doesnt get impressive gas mileage, that has been established, move on.

Buy something else if you dont like it. It's that simple.

" the CO2 emmision depends solely on the mileage!"
WHAT????????
You are clueless when it comes to science so i suggest you stop yapping.

The 760 outperformed the "normal" 7-Series for four years until 2006 when the 750 replaced the 745. The Lexus LS600h NEVER outperformed the LS460, it's just a gargantuan waste of $27000. Either way, I'm pretty sure the new 7-Series due out in seven months, powered by a twin turbo V8 w/ 400hp and 450lb-ft in base entry level trim, will outperform both the 760 and the LS600h. And it'll offer all-wheel drive within a year of launch without forcing you to pay $27k extra for it (and without costing you 1/3 of the trunk in the process). I don't know if BMW is planning a 760 replacement, but they're raising the bar substantially with the base 7-Series, so it'll be pretty exciting if they do.

riiiiight, because the $120k 760Li has no refinement whatsoever. None I say!

Anyway, back to reality. Oh, you do know that engine serves as the basis for the Rolls Royce, right? Who cares though, right? I mean, it's not like Rolls Royces are known for refinement. Oh wait, they are...

Spellchecker, didn't you ever learn you're not supposed to start a sentence with "because"? If you're going to correct people, at least be correct yourself.

Spellchecker001,

You are hilarious!

Its just like when the BABE lost the HR record to Hank Aaron,some people just can't stand to see their brand LOSE,sorry bmw and mercedes your glory days are gone.

how do you come to that analogy? anybody who knows anything about cars would prefer a 760Li, A8 W12, or an S600.

Only women and diehard Toyota customers are impressed by the LS600hL.

Spellchecker001

A8 W12

"A8L W12"

I'm surprised that the AutoBlog Green writer acknowledged that the additional cost of the hybrid is not worth it and would rather have a clean diesel V8, an engine that apparently is already available.
Nice car and I like the fact that they are offering an alternative with the hybrid. But to me, it's not enough especially at the cost of entry.

how about you give me all the luxury/refinement AND the power AND the fuel economy? Because that's what a diesel gives you. Case in point, the absolute spanking the Audi A8L diesel V8 gave the LS600h. You can put all those gizmos and gadgets and luxury tidbits into ANY car, it's not like having a diesel engine precludes them. When it came to performance the A8 blew the LS's doors off. And it got 50% better fuel economy. All for $30k less. And as an added bonus, Audi even throws in the 30% of your trunk that you lose with the LS600h. OUCH.

when was the last time refinement was in the same sentence as diesel?

when there was a "not" in between

spoken like someone who has obviously never driven or been in the new crop of diesels.

You're going to be in for a very rude awakening later this year when BMW, MB, and Audi bring over their newest diesels. When was the last time someone used "refined" and "diesel" in a sentence without the word "not" in between them? Why, that would be "every day for the past several years, including writeups from U.S. enthusiast magazines that got to test the cars we weren't getting". Wait and see my friend, there's a revolution coming.

@ XeroK00L,

What are you? 14?
Don't let "fanboyism" get in the way of logical thinking.

@ LexusKindaGuy12,

Quite often, just not in the U.S. -- yet.

here we go again.....

you fogot:

"its awd". have a comment for this one?

the A8 is also AWD, and the diesel V8 version of the car destroyed the 600h in a comparison test. Absolutely killed it. $30k less, 30% larger trunk, quicker, better handling, and a ridiculous 50% better fuel economy.

Yeah, lots of downsides there. I can totally understand why someone would buy the hybrid over the diesel.

Spellchecker001...hahahahahahah oh my bad. Hahahahahah

Kan WEe bahn spellchker.

I think this is the 3rd time an article like this has been posted, please find something else to post about. I think you post this article every few weeks to get the fan boys in an uproar and generate traffic. :(

me > *

Dis ride be pure hotness yo! Dem dat hate kant preciate

(Just wanted to give the new autospies spellchecker something to do)

dizam

You'd have to be completely nuts to pay one hundred thousand dollars for that piece of trash.

My goodness :-?

Huu76 needs some serious help if the thinks the LS600h is actually cleaner and more fuel efficient than some German diesels.

The LS600h has been proven to have virtually ZERO environmental benefits. ZERO. NONE. Every review about the car questions its existence and slams it when it comes to performance and fuel economy.

There is nothing green or environmentally friendly about an LS600h. Nothing.

Is it green enough? I would say so. It's cleaner and more efficient than the competition, but it's no Prius. Then again, I think that Lexus has hybrids for more power rather than efficiency.

What competition? It's slower than the twelve-cylinder sedans and less efficient than the eight-cylinder sedans.

The S-Class, BMW 760i, and the A8 are the competition. And the fact that it's slower isn't that important. Speed isn't everything. Plus, it's faster than those V8 cars.

It can only keep up with the S550, 750i and A8 4.2, as most sources haven't achieved Lexus's quoted time.

What are you talking about, speed isn't everything in the twelve-cylinder class? So what DOES it have if it's such a great competitor? A leather dash???

If you had the brains, you'd figure out that driving an LS460 or LS600h has nothing to do with being environmentally friendly. That goes for all cars in this class.

Wish it didn't have standard AWD and L wheel base, it would've been much faster.

this is only on North America. you can get the 600H in short wheelbase in japan and other countries

to answer the question: NO.

and anyone who argues that a 5,000 pound car that gets 20mpg is 'green' is operating at the height of moral relativism.

well without a doubt, THIS 5000 lb car IS GREENER than any other 5000 lb car! ;)

and that IS the whole point, isn't it.

no one, even at toyota, will argue the LS600hL is anywhere in the same green league as a Prius.

but it IS GREENER than any like sized luxobarge.

xyz and obama:

thanks for making my point! moral relativism...

This is aimed at XYZZ. A little discussion we had in the "Lexus Prius" thread...


"the 3.5 toyota v6, which puts of 268 hp. all the euro v6s have hp in just the 230 - 260 range, and have to resort to turbos or TWIN turbos to surpass this NATURALLY ASPIRATED high output toy v6."


You have got to be kidding me. You're highlighting the Toyota Camry V6 as "special" because it makes 268-horsepower and no European V6 can match it? That's some funny sh*t right there. Seriously how old are you?

Tell me something, is the Camry V6 even sold in Japan? Europe? No. It's sold in North America, the Middle East and Australia. These are places where there is a demand for powerful engines. Big deal. Toyota created this engine for those markets. The European V6 engines are primarily created for Europe and a global market which means they have to be balanced in terms of power output, emissions etc.

Bottom line, I couldn't care less about your Camry V6. If the Camry was really supposed to be a "normal family sedan" it wouldn't need an overpowered, gas-guzzling V6 engine anyway. Incredible how full of crap Toyota marketing is with their claims of being a "green company".




"yes and many are made by toyota and honda too. why did Lotus choose to install a TOYOTA 1.8 Four in the Elise. dumping the euro made 4 used previously?"


Maybe you should drive a BMW 1.8 4-cylinder? Or the new Mercedes 1.8-l Supercharged 4-cylinder with TwinPulse, because those are some of the finest, most refined 4-cylinders I have ever experienced. Heck, even the Peugeot 206cc I drove last summer in Europe had a wonderful 4-cylinder engine under the hood.

Honda in my book makes much better 4-cylinders than Toyota. In fact I sampled the current Camry in 4-cylinder form and I was not impressed with the refinement. The car wasn't slow but the refinement was terrible. It felt like a 4-cylinder engine from the '80s. I am not kidding. Toyota 4-cylinder engines are durable, but refienement wise they've been nothing to brag about. And I should know, because I've also owned quite a few Toyota's in the '80s and early '90s.

And who cares if Lotus picked the Toyota 1.8-l engine? Should I give a damn that Tatra in India uses Mercedes-Benz engines? Or Ssangyong? The Toyota 1.8-l engine was picked primarily because it was one of the few 4-cylinder engines that could fit in the Lotus Elise engine bay. Look it up.




"bottom line STILL remains: there are poseurs/cheapskate BADGE WHORES who like to bask in the "prestige" of certain brands but get the SMALLEST/CHEAPEST RUNNING engine offered in that "prestige brand." i wonder how many of these folk get passed by on the Autobahn by "mere" toyotas!? LOL!"


First of all, it is my understanding that Toyota doesn't even have any powerful engines in Europe (no V6's). The majority of their sales come from the Aygo, Yaris, Auris and possibly the Corolla with a few Avensis and a handful of SUV's or pickups. None of these cars, exce

As far as European non-turboed sixes with more than 268 hp - the 330i in Europe has 270 hp, the CLS 350CGI has 300 hp, as does the new SL350 and SLK350. The Passat 3.6 R36 has 300 hp, and the Cayenne 3.6 has 286 hp, Q7 3.6 has 278 hp, the Porsche Boxster S 3.4 has 295 hp, the 911 3.6 has 325 hp, the 3.8 has 355 hp.

Now shall we find the powerful 6 cylinders Toyota sells in Europe?
Well we have the GS350 with 300 hp, The RX350 with 270 hp, the IS250 with 204 hp, the Land Cruiser (Like the Lexus GX in the US) 4.0 V6 with 245 hp, the...ummmm....

It's basically a 25k premium for AWD, fewer emissions and better stop-and-go city MPG.

If you like a cushy Lexus and want AWD and drive in a busy city.

...You get a GS350 AWD.

Are you kidding? The new EVO can't keep up with a BMW 335i. I really like the looks, but it's a step backwards in performance.

Because they weigh less!

The mitsubishi evo X wrc can keep up with any lambo youtube that and top gear!!!!and you'll see the result