Lexus Hybrid LS 600h L Aims for Ultimate Luxury
Although full details have yet to be released, what we can tell you is that the gasoline half of the LS 600h L’s powertrain consists of the new 380 horsepower 4.6-litre V8 with 370 lb-ft of torque, but instead of being mated to the standard eight-speed automatic gearbox, Lexus has paired it to a two-stage CVT gearbox for improved efficiency. Currently, all Toyota and Lexus hybrid products use CVT transmissions. Combined with the high-torque electric motors, the car creates somewhere in the neighborhood of 430 horsepower, which is right on target with the competition’s V12s. Another important note about the drivetrain, and a change from the standard LS 460, is that power is routed through a new all-wheel drive system.
But power and performance are only half the story with the LS 600h L; efficiency and environmental friendliness also play a big part. Where most V12-powered competitors swill premium gasoline non-stop, the LS 600h L’s full hybrid system, with full electric mode (meaning it can run on electric power independent of its gasoline engine) and idle-stop systems, allow it to have a combined city and highway fuel economy rating that’s equal to an average midsize premium luxury sedan with all-wheel drive. This means that the big LS’ ecological footprint is equal to something like an Acura RL or Audi A6 3.2 FSI quattro. This is not to mention that Lexus expects the LS 600h L to receive the Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) rating, making it nearly 70-percent cleaner than the cleanest of its competitors.
While it’s a well-known fact that Lexus cars are quiet and smooth-running machines, the Japanese luxury division claims that its new LS 600h L is one of the quietest vehicles, if not the quietest vehicle ever made. Special attention has been paid to dampen sound and vibration of the hybrid drivetrain’s transition phases, such as switching from gasoline power to electric mode, and starting and stopping the engine when at idle. The NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) levels in the new 600h L are approximately half of what can be found in the average new automobile, which more than edges out the competition for first place; it should give Rolls Royce and Bentley something to think about.