Lexus LS600hL: An environmentally friendly car

Although the general focus today is on conservation of energy and doing things the ‘green' way, I must say that I am not a big fan of it. Especially when it comes to cars, because I just think that we have much more important problems to fix globally than making good hot rods ‘green'. Sure it would not make any difference to most of us if a 1.3-litre engine sedan was suddenly running on rechargeable batteries, but hey, batteries are still not good enough to replace our great V8 engines. Besides, what's the whole point if you end up paying a much higher price on the car just because it can supplement your engine with a battery?

Don't get me wrong, I do care about the environment. I believe that we should do our part to contribute to the sustenance of our planet, but you can't ask a petrolhead to live with a battery-powered car. That's an awful lot to ask. What we need to focus on is making our big engines use fuel more efficiently. Use more ‘flex fuel'. Reduce emissions. Make internal combustion a status symbol over lead batteries.

Without doubt, it's still a good thing that big brands are looking at integrating environment-friendly systems into their big cars. The Lexus LS600hL is one such car. Backed by the reliability and trust of the brand, this car combines a large V8 with battery-operated electric motors that supplement the engine during high output requirements and work alone without the engine at lower speeds. In fact, it's a full hybrid. A full hybrid which is capable of relying on electric power alone without the aid of the engine up to certain speeds and distances in addition to being able to assist the engine to deliver higher power outputs in combination. Mild hybrids in contrast to full hybrid vehicles require the engine to be turned on at all times and function only as an assist to the engine. Full hybrids can start up without turning on the engine, while mild hybrids start up by starting the engine.

The LS series of Lexus makes up its luxury range of sedans. It's not a track car, neither is it sporty like the GS series. It's extremely quiet and it makes a lot of sense to make it a hybrid. Most drivers wouldn't notice the difference and the financially well-off owners can simultaneously do their part to conserve our planet's resources. A well-thought-out strategy, if you ask me.

A plethora of features

Besides the state-of-the-art hybrid system, the hybrid LS is quitefeature-rich on the inside. To start with, the two rear passenger seatsare fully reclinable massage chairs and the long wheel base contributes to the spaciousness of the rear seating area. Multiple climate zones for each passenger along with a 19-speaker multichannel sound system ensures that the passengers travel in maximum comfort while the computer in the hood figures out whether to use the battery or fuel or both. Other features include advanced parking assistance which on a car this big is quite a necessity, an adaptive cruise control system, very smooth and functional electric power steering and advanced safety systems such as the pre-crash brake assistance and seat belt tensioners. That's a lot of entertainment and peace of mind for your money.

The LS600hL features a hybrid drive system made up of an all-wheel-drive electronically controlled variable transmission which is extremely smooth and quiet. The stability control for this advanced system is called ‘Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management' which through the electronic throttle controls the electronic brake system, the vehicle stability control, the ABS, the electronic brake force distribution and the engine torque. That's a lot of sophistication. I'm sure the Japanese have figured out how to best keep the electronics in their cars reliable, but electronic clutter is a way of justifying the price.

The LS600hL is available in a four-seater as well as a five-seater version which makes sense as many would want three seats at the rear, especially when used as a family car. The price tag for the four-seater is Dh469,000 and for the five-seater it's Dh460,000.

A pleasure to drive

The 5-litre V8 engine of the LS600hL produces 389bhp@6,400rpm and 530Nm of torque@4,000 rpm. The electric motor is capable of producing 221hp and 310Nm of torque.

A maximum output of 483bhp is possible when both the engine and electric motor are coupled and can propel the large sedan from a 0-100km/h in around 6.3 seconds. Normal stop-and-go running canbe done by the electric motors alone and the engine comes to life automatically above speeds of40km/h after which both the engine and motor work together. Braking switches off the engine and the motors capture the energy which is used to charge the batteries that power them. This eliminatesthe need to plug in and separatelycharge the batteries. Technicality aside, the LS600hL was quite pleasant to drive. Like most luxury sedans, the drive feel is smooth and silent to the maximum extent possible. The steering feels right for this kind of vehicle and its size.

The all-wheel drive hybrid system does a good job keeping this long beast stable on corners, especially with the 483 horses available to the wheels. The power delivery, although high, feels well controlled and sudden acceleration is also managed with the finesse expected from a luxury sedan. The semi-aniline leather seats provide the right kind of feel for this class of vehicle. On the whole, I am happy with the driving experience. I sometimes think it's contradictory to integrate a large gas-guzzling V8 with an electric motor and call it a hybrid, but what else can you do with a giant luxury sedan to make it considerate to the environment?

Although I am not very keen on owning a hybrid for myself just yet, it's comforting to know that big brands are focusing on the luxury segment and small electric vehicles first before the unavoidable move to eventually making our beloved sports cars hybrids as well.