Lexus LS 600h L

Lexus LS 600HL

Lexus has announced that the LS600h L (a performance hybrid version of it's flag ship sedan)is scheduled to arrive for sale in North America by Spring 2007. It will be the world's first vehicle of any class or category to feature a full hybrid V8 powertrain. The LS 600h L will combine an all new 5.0 litre V8 gas engine with high-output electric motors and a newly designed "large capacity" battery pack. It will provide an estimated combinded 430 horsepower. As a SULEV-rated (Super Low Emissions) vehicle, the LS600h L is estimated to produce just 20 per cent of the pollution that causes smog of conventional V8 power plants. The vehcile will use a 2-stange ECVT transmission.

Owing to the inherent noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) improvements offered by its hybrid powertrain, the LS 600h L is designed to set a new standard for silent running in the prestige-luxury sedan class. The depth and density of cabin quietness in the LS 600h L required extensive re-engineering of accessory motors and switches.

With "quiet-ride" ranking as one of the top five reasons for purchase of prestige-luxury vehicles, especially among current LS owners, the LS 600h L is well-situated in its class and poised to please the exacting luxury-car buyer. Its NVH levels are about half that found in conventional cars, making the hybrid LS one of the quietest automobiles ever built, if not the quietest.

When it hits North American dealers in the spring of 2007, only the long-wheelbase version will be offered.

Specifications

The LS hybrid is expected to carry a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) rating. A SULEV rating means the LS 600h L has nearly 70-percent cleaner emissions than the "cleanest" of its competitors.

Preliminary dimensions are available at the official Lexus website. [1]

Pricing

Price information is not available at this time.

Gas Mileage

The 2008 Lexus LS 600h L hybrid is expected to have a combined city/highway mileage in the low-20 mile per gallon range.

Unique Attributes

Lexus says the car and the Lexus hybrid system set new standards for silent running. In fact, when the sedan is operating under electric power, its crafted cabin is so quiet engineers needed to rework accessory motors and switches to a "sub-quiet" level. It also has the first LED front headlights of any production vehicle

It is speculated that the 600HL will also have a newly developed Advanced Pre-Collision System (APCS), a Lexus first. The APCS not only detects vehicles in its forward path, but can also recognize pedestrians and warn the driver before taking necessary evasive braking and steering actions.

As if this isn't enough, the LS 600h L is also capable of taking the reins when it's time for city parking. An advanced parallel-park-assist function parks the car at the push of a button, requiring just a little brake work from the driver.

External Links

Official Site