2008 Lexus LS 600h L First Impressions

The executive green sedan

Phoenix, Arizona - Sometimes, life is just too... perfect. And I mean too perfect. This is exactly how I felt after my first contact with the all-new hybrid limousine from Japanese automaker Lexus, the LS 600h L.

Luxury, luxury, and more luxury.

First, this particular model is based on none other than the LS 460, which offers surreal levels of luxury, technology and performance. You probably know it as the car with the executive rear seats complete with massage settings and a retractable ottoman. Obviously, these are also found in the hybrid variant.

Could there be a more perfect location for a test drive than right in the middle of the Arizona desert, on Toyota's Proving Grounds? On the menu: a 3-lane oval speedway with steep banking. The 16-km track is actually the longest in the U.S., allowing drivers to reach unfathomable speeds. Of course, we were told not to exceed 160 km/h, a limit that some of my colleagues cheated with -- but not me.

And if I say too perfect, it's because this serene hybrid, unlike its gas-powered sister, is only available with extended wheelbase and, by selecting all the high-luxury options, the price skyrockets to no less than $158,700. In "base" trim, the LS 600h L will retail for $132,000.

Road monster
In the unique Arizona landscape, the big Lexus never ceased to showcase its plethora of technological advancements. By combining the gasoline V8 engine with Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive, engineers managed to raise the total output to 438 horsepower while lowering the fuel consumption to 9.8 L/100 km.

Under acceleration, all this power is transferred to the wheels almost intuitively, without the driver (or the chauffeur) ever noticing the slightest hesitation or torque steer. When the driver aggressively dips the throttle, a few vibrations can be felt at around 150 km/h, which is completely normal.

This incredible performance is particularly attributable to the next-generation, 8-speed Super Electronically Controlled Transmission (Super ECT). This automatic gearbox searches for the optimal engine speed based on a series of data that are analyzed by a powerful central computer to determine the load put on each powerplant. The electric motor and the V8 rarely work alternatively; rather, they operate in parallel. As a result, the car goes from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 6.3 seconds and sprints from 80 to 120 km/h in a blistering 4.3 seconds.

A high-caliber performance.