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| Launch Report Lexus LS600h |
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The Flagship
Lexus is really hooked on hybrid power. We've seen it in the RH400h SUV and GS450h saloons so far and, in October, they will be joined in the line-up by arguably the daddy of them all, the Lexus LS600h. To be launched in short- and long-wheelbase guises, the more spacious version is intended for chauffeur drive as it's a tad less sporty, and comfort and space in the rear border on the decadent. The shorter one, aimed at the more enthusiastic owner, is decidedly more sporty, featuring automatically adjusting anti-roll bars that sharpen the car's behaviour when pressed through corners. From the outside, larger Lexus models tend to look expensive but a bit short on the distinctiveness that marks out the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Audi and BMW. The LS600h sports impressive, sharp-suited lines which Lexus executives described as "the ultimate expression of L-finesse", but this car is more about what goes on under the skin than on it.
The prestige Japanese manufacturer is obsessed with refinement so it came as no surprise when the car cruised serenely along the autobahn at three-figure speeds. It was odd to see the revcounter needle dive to the stop when the accelerator was lifted, but that's because the engine shuts off and the car relies on its high-output electric motor.
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