430 HP Lexus LS 600h

[ddrumman]

I was just browsing the greek paper, looked thru the auto news and what do I find?Same system as the rest of their hybrids. This time with the 5.0 liter V8.Lexus claims that it'll have the performance of exotic V12s with the economy of V6s.I'm not a Lexus fan..... but damn!

[ddrumman]

Its back side.

[maxnix]

Old news. It is a 4.6L V8, and the added mass of the batteries should really help the cornering and braking! But from a standing start, those motors will give it an extra boost until the power is drained.

Top speed is limited to 130 mph, I believe.

[MinisterofDOOM]

It's actually not bad looking at all for a Lexus, especially devoid of the extra headlights that all but ruined the LS430. But I don't understand Lexus's obsession with making huge cars obscenely heavy through the use of needless hybrid motors. It's just stupid. It's the same as Volkswagens old obsession with tiny turbo motors. Just put a real engine in the car, and you won't need electric motors or turbos to help out!

I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it once more:Hybrid cars are a JOKE!

[hannibal]

Toyota has hybrid Camrys, Highlander/RX330, and the Prius. Between the GS and this new LS, they are the first luxury hybrids I know of.

I think theyre making awesome progress. And this new LS actually looks good.

[Nick240sx]

that looks very good, a signifigant improvement over the pre LS. and as for the "pointless" hybri motors, its all sales everyone is gonna want to be assured that they have gas saving cars, which is what will sell this car. lexus is thinking profit not engine size

[Louis Cyphier]

the funny thing is a majority of those cars use a nickel metal hydride battery. Those things are ****ing toxic and horrible, so when they start dying we'll have 1000's of those things leaking in landiflls all over the place.

[DrewQ45]

I've always been a big fan of Toyota and love the way they're pioneering the development of alternative power sources by actually building and marketing the cars. Sure Hybrids are not perfect but the technology is young and improving... hopefully the batteries will become lighter and lighter as time rolls on. Anything that can be done to decrease our dependency on foreign oil has my vote.

[Q45tech]

Those things are ****ing toxic and horrible, so when they start dying we'll have 1000's of those things leaking in landiflls all over the place.

Owners won't be able to sell these cars as they approach battery exhaustion [7yrs/100k]..................or at least for much more than a few thousand.

They won't be able to junk them unless they assume costs of toxic waste recovery.

A perfect plan to align US with Japan's 60k junk your car rule.

Should be a nice market in retrofitting [removing batteries/motors--weight reduction].

[DrewQ45]

the funny thing is a majority of those cars use a nickel metal hydride battery. Those things are ****ing toxic and horrible, so when they start dying we'll have 1000's of those things leaking in landiflls all over the place.

http://www.hybridcars.com/hybr....html

Greener Pastures for Car BatteriesThe carmakers are waiting in the wings. Toyota and Honda place decals with a toll-free number on their hybrid battery packs. Toyota offers a $200 bounty to ensure that every battery comes back to the company. In a press release, Toyota states, "Every part of the battery, from the precious metals to the plastic, plates, steel case and the wiring, is recycled." Honda arranges for the collection of the battery and transfers it to a preferred recycler to follow their prescribed process: disassembling and sorting the materials; shredding the plastic material; recovering and processing the metal; and neutralizing the alkaline material before sending it to a landfill.

Honda, Toyota and the entire auto industry are pumping millions of dollars into research regarding lithium ion batteries for tomorrow's cars. Their primary motivation is to reduce the cost and increase the potency of hybrid batteries. Fortunately, supplanting lead and nickel batteries with rechargeable lithium batteries is also promising from an environmental perspective. Instead of clogging landfills with more toxic chemicals, hybrids—especially future hybrids powered by lithium ion batteries—may represent greener pastures for car batteries.

[ddrumman]

Old news. It is a 4.6L V8, and the added mass of the batteries should really help the cornering and braking! But from a standing start, those motors will give it an extra boost until the power is drained.

Top speed is limited to 130 mph, I believe.

Guess it was new news to me about it being a hybrid. I'd heard something about a 400 hp Lexus but I didn't know specifics. Also I didn't see it at the LA auto show in Jan.

[szh]

Hmmm ... I thought was it was going to be badged as "LS 460" ...

Z

[maxnix]

Hmmm ... I thought was it was going to be badged as "LS 460" ...

Z

That's the non-hybrid model.

[Jesda]

Luxury owners can afford the fuel expense for a proper V8. This is a science experiment.

[BadQ45t]

The looks are taken alot from the new S Class, I saw more than one here in LA the last couple of days and the lines are similar.

No question the LS460 is raising the bar in a big way, the Q is a joke now, even at the dealerships. My dad's partner just got a new M45sport and the dealer had one Q on the lot "just for show" but laughed at the prospect of selling it. He said every once in a blue moon a person comes in looking for a Q, this dealer has sold 2 this year, he sold 12 M's last weekend.

[ddrumman]

Luxury owners can afford the fuel expense for a proper V8. This is a science experiment.

Good point! However what if you're a rich luxury owner that does NOT want to put any more $ than you have to in the oil tycoon's pocket, like that turkey neck $400,000 000.00 severance package deal dude.

[gniknave]

The average LS whatever owner doesn't know his or her engine size to begin with.

[Jesda]

The average LS whatever owner doesn't know his or her engine size to begin with.