June 18, 2007

2008 Lexus LS 600h L Hybrid Luxury Sedan: Test Drive


Browse expert reviews and compare info on luxury hybrid sedans at the Recently, I got a weekend’s worth of alone time in an early prototype of Lexus’ upcoming LS 600h L, the world’s first luxury V8 hybrid sedan. We’ve been tracking this vehicle for some time now, since it represents parent company Toyota’s ultimate extension of its hybrid gasoline-electric engine technology up the socioeconomic ladder. That’s a smart play, I think, since the allure of green driving has become so pervasive amongst the rich and powerful that many people of means and influence have been seen driving around Priuses with pride. So one can imagine Toyota’s marketing execs asking the question: “Why are we selling technologically advanced $22,000 cars to wealthy people when we could be selling them $100,000 luxury cars with the same technology?”

And so the Lexus LS 600h L hybrid was born—or, more to the point, is about to be born this summer. This model is, however, sure to surprise a lot of prospective buyers accustomed to hearing about hybrids with gas mileage in the 40- to 60-mpg range. There’s a story of fuel efficiency behind the LS 600h—the story of a V8 engine that has the power of a V12, with the mileage of many V-6 cars. Nevertheless, with an estimated 20 city/22 highway miles per gallon (I got closer to 19 mpg), this vehicle isn’t putting any oil sheiks out of business. But with a sticker price of $102,000, it is probably marketed to them.

To be honest, the best way to evaluate the LS 600h L is not against other hybrids, but against other high-horsepower luxury sedans. Its closest competition comes from the 12-cylinder Mercedes-Benz S600 and BMW 760Li. These are the conveyances of the truly wealthy, with prices starting at $140,000 and $122,600, respectively. Lexus’s hybrid LS looks like a bargain next to these vehicles (leaving the customer with $20,000 to $40,000 to spend on his yearly country-club membership, or maybe a donation to a favorite environmental charity), but in this rarefied section of the automotive market, sticker prices aren’t necessarily the primary motivator. Status, power and luxury are the stock and trade of these vehicles, and if a car can deliver a high level of all these elements and cost less, then it’s relative value is just icing on the cake.

It’s important to note that Lexus doesn’t produce a V12 engine for the U.S. market. So, short of developing an entirely new engine platform, a hybrid-electric V8 was actually the only way for the company to compete against the German V12 sedans. To me, this shows how flexible hybrid technology is: It’s as effective a tool for boosting engine power output as it is for boosting engine efficiency.

On paper, the LS 600h actually falls short of the Mercedes S600, which has a power output of 510 hp, compared to the Lexus’s 438 hp (although measuring horsepower in the LS 600 h is a tricky business, since it effectively has three motors working in combination). It has a 0-60 time of 5.5 seconds, compared to 4.5 seconds for the S600. And the LS 600h L’s gas mileage is marginally—but consistently—higher than the Mercedes, which posts an incredibly wide mileage range from 12 mpg in city traffic to 19 mpg on the highway (the S600 as a few efficiency tricks up its sleeve, as well: It can cut off a bank of cylinders at cruising speed to operate like a straight six engine).

As for a matchup with the BMW 760Li, the specs are almost identical: Both have 438 hp, the BMW’s 0-60 is only 0.2 seconds slower than the Lexus, and BMW’s V-12 has a stated fuel economy of 14 city /22 highway.

In the driver’s seat, however, the Lexus LS 600h L seems to outperform its stats. We haven’t yet had the opportunity to do serious track testing on this vehicle, but we were impressed by its powerful takeoff (thanks to the deliciously torque-y electric motor) and confident handling (thanks to full-time all-wheel drive). Lexus cars have long had a reputation for handling that seemed buttery and soft in comparison to their German counterparts, but the LS 600h L felt downright aggressive. That said, it was definitely the strong, silent type. The hybrid engine was remarkably quiet, even by Lexus standards. If there was a rumble or whine to be heard from either the gasoline or electric motors, you couldn’t tell from inside the vehicle.

I won’t delve too deeply into the technological cockpit gadgetry available on this car, as it would require another full article. Sufficed to say, it comes standard with a navigation and Mark Levinson audio system—which share a 30GB hard drive—and tons of airbags. Plus, you can outfit the 600h L with all the outrageous options that can be tacked onto the standard LS, such as the much-ballyhooed Advanced Parking Guidance System (which can park the car itself in only twice the time it would take to do so yourself) and a reclining, massaging rear seat that would put most business-class airline chairs to shame.

The lesson I take from this car is that the German luxury brands have little to no competitive advantage over Lexus anymore. The super-luxury segment is the closest thing to an arms race that the automotive industry has. And in the battle of the Germans vs. the Japanese, the Lexus LS has matched or exceeded every refinement found in Mercedes’ and BMW’s big sedans. Now Lexus has closed the engine gap by using hybrid technology to turn a V8 into a virtual V12. It’s almost enough to make a wealthy car buyer want to save $20,000 to $40,000. —Glenn Derene