Interesting thing about the very large 2008 Lexus LS 600h L sedan: During the test week, it received the kind of effusive attention normally generated only by an exotic sports car.
The LS 600h L is the new Lexus flagship, and the company’s designers, engineers and builders have done a transcendent job.
The “h” in the car’s name indicates a hybrid powertrain, and the L is for “long wheelbase.” Overall length is 202.8 inches, and the wheelbase is 121.7 inches. Rear-seat leg room is limo-like; the distance between the front and rear seatbacks is 45.5 inches.
Powered by the first-ever full V8 all-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrain, the LS 600h L has the vitality of a V12 with the fuel economy of a V6. With its 5.0-liter gas engine and two electric motors, it has a combined output of 438 horsepower and a 0-to-60 time of 5.5 seconds. The electric side of the powertrain can produce maximum torque on demand, and the car is enthusiastically torquey at higher speeds — able to go from 50 to 70 mph in 3.5 seconds. Its EPA rating is 20 mpg city, 22 highway. At the end of a week of mixed driving, my mpg average was 22.
The electronically-controlled continuously variable eight-speed transmission has three-stage torque multiplication, and Normal, Power and Snow modes. It has a gated shifter with sequential sport-shift mode.
For all its size and weight (5,049 pounds), the LS 600h L is graceful and maneuverable — not enough to make you forget the mass behind the front seats, but plenty enough that twisty roads are still a pleasure and parking lots are not a pain.
The passenger cabin is like a mobile five-star hotel. Seats are beyond comfortable, the ride is smooth but not floaty, and unwelcome noise all but nonexistent. Fit-and-finish is impeccable; stitching looks hand-done by a surgeon. Designers thought of everything — there’s even a soft, thick, upholstery-matching fabric piece covering the gap between the front seats and center console — that little black-hole area on cars where small items get accidentally dropped and can never be retrieved.
To no one’s surprise, standard interior features are copious. Highlights include a heated steering wheel; 16-way power driver’s seat and 12-way power front-passenger seat, both with heating and cooling; a 30 GB hard disc drive navigation system with voice activation, Bluetooth, steering wheel controls and back-up camera; a 19-speaker 450-watt Mark Levinson Reference Surround Sound audio system; and park assist (the vehicle can literally parallel-park itself).
SmartAccess is another standard feature, which I’m too stupid for. Instead of a key, you have a fancy little fob-like unit. As long as you have it with you, doors lock and unlock automatically. There’s no ignition, just a start/stop button on the dash.
One afternoon I parked the car, got out and the fob gave me warning beeps. On the instrument panel, a warning light was flashing; so was the fasten seatbelt indicator.
There was a small backpack on the passenger seat, and I thought maybe the car was programmed to alert a driver who’s about to leave a child behind. More amazing technology.
But putting the backpack on the floor didn’t stop the warnings.
After a humiliating amount of time, I finally figured it out: I’d forgotten to push the Stop Engine button. The car was still running.
When stopped, the vehicle is in electric-only mode, totally soundless, no engine noise. So, anyone could have made the same mistake. Or not.
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