Lexus LF Reviews

The hardtop coupe is set for sales next year. “That will be in Australia by late next year and it is going to be a very important model for us with what we see as almost totally incremental sales,” Roca says.He confirms the as-yet-unnamed and unseen hardtop convertible will not be a replacement for the ageing V8 SC430 boulevard cruiser.“We have been told that the SC will remain as it is until 2011 and there are no plans beyond that as to what will replace it. By 2011 it will be a 10-year-old model . . . and that's too long in the tooth,” he says.According to Roca, the convertible IS will be based squarely off the IS 250 platform with the same 153kW 2.5-litre V6 engine.A facelift version of the IS 250 with new front and rear sheetmetal, reworked lights and external jewellery, as well as a substantially refreshed interior, will head the coming Lexus range changes.The new IS 250 arrives in twin with the IS-F in November, followed by an all-new RX350 in February.“Three months after that will come the RX450h (hybrid) and later in the fourth quarter of the year will come the IS Coupe Convertible,” Roca says.“The IS Coupe is going to be pretty much all incremental sales, and we are expecting the RX volume to increase with the new model because when we launched the original there was no car park of RX owners. We now have a huge car park, and that is a great advantage.”With the new models and an increase in dealerships that will almost double the present 22 outlets to 38 by 2015, Roca is confident of steady sales growth.“Sales of 8200 by the end of this year is where we want to be, then next year around 9000,” he says. “By the end of 2010 we will have put 10,000 sales a year behind us.“It will be through a combination of customer growth and model expansion. It's a bit of both.“What we can't really accurately measure is the effect of the growth of the dealer network with a lot of those new outlets being regional.” 

The LS460 has just been revealed and has jumped to the top of the local Lexus wish list. “It's under discussion for Australia, but there is no decision yet. We want it, but it's a decision that will be made in Japan,” Lexus spokesman Mike Breen says. “We have requested it and we are waiting for confirmation from Toyota Motor Corporation.” The 460 AWD has just been unveiled at the Moscow Motor Show, where Lexus was over-run by luxury-car buyers keen to get something special to combat Russian winter weather. The car is almost identical to the regular LS, apart from an all-wheel-drive system that picks up the mechanical package fitted to the hybrid LS600hL. This uses a Torsen limited-slip differential to split torque between the front and rear axles. “It's another option for a vehicle in that segment of the market. Our competitors have all-wheel drive and we'd like to offer our Lexus customers the option,” Breen says. Several other LS upgrades are being considered for Australia's LS460, including an electric Ottoman that puts a business class-style airline seat into the back of the LS behind the front-seat passenger. It is already popular with LS600hL buyers here. “Other upgrades are being considered, but we have nothing yet to announce,” Breen says.

It's low, a purposeful two-door coupe sitting on big wheels with a sleek body and it promises super performance. But what is the car in our picture - an Aston Martin, Jaguar XK, maybe a Ferrari?Nope. It's from Japan and from a company known for building luxury cars, Lexus.This Lexus LF-A is arguably the first supercar from a Japanese brand since the Ferrari-challenging Honda NSX of 1991-2005, but with a lot more power than the NSX.Lexus has aimed “to build a supercar with world-class performance that is uniquely Lexus”.It features a five-litre, V10 engine developed for high revs. Power output is 370kW and early track testing shows a 320km/h top speed is within reach.The engine is mounted in front of the two-seat passenger compartment but behind the front axle line. LF-A engineers call it a `front-mid” configuration.The transaxle is rear mounted, providing the rear-wheel drive that enthusiasts prefer -and helping the weight distribution. As an aid to even weight distribution over each end of the car, two cooling radiators are mounted in the rear.It means the nose of the car can be kept low and designed for optimum aerodynamics - a science which often is compromised by having airflow into radiators.In this case, large intake ducts are just ahead of the rear wheel on each side of the car and feed air to cool the radiators.Aerodynamics, including the car sticking to the road at high seed, is helped by venturi-effect underbody shape as used on race cars.The rear bodywork has a pair of large grilles as exit vents for hot air from the radiators.The Lexus LF-A bodywork is built of aluminium and carbon-fibre. The rear section has a speed-activated spoiler.Gearshifting will be via paddleshifts.Lexus started with a fixed-top coupe in developing its LF-A, which is now well beyond concept stage but also has created a Roadster convertible as a show car. Both versions are just 122cm tall.Wheels? Try 20in diameter turbine-styled alloys - special 265/35 tyres on the front and 305/30 on the rear. 

The Japanese luxury maestros may have taken their time in risking anything approaching an emotional project but, in the ISF, the company renowned for refinement has produced a performance firecracker.A small sedan stuffed full of five litres of in-your-face V8 punching out 311kW, 505Nm and 0-100km/h sprint times of 4.8 seconds may be difficult to reconcile with the same company that produced the SC430 and called that a sports car — but this time they're serious.“What's important to us about this car is that it gives us a performance car in the range, which is something we've never had before,” Lexus Australia boss John Rocca said at the first Australian drive of the ISF at the Fuji Speedway in Japan last week.“We haven't just put a V8 in this car and shouted job done. We could easily have called it an IS500, but we didn't because this is a thoroughbred built for racing. This is really a car built for the track and adapted to the road.“Whereas in the past we could have been criticised for putting a big engine in a car and calling it a high-performance vehicle, this time that's not the case.“It gives us a totally new customer and sheds an entirely different light on a company that in the past has been criticised for being bland and unemotional. There's nothing bland about this car.”Based on the IS — known to Australians in its V6 IS250 guise and expected down under in October at around $145,000 — the fact that the ISF ever saw light of day is due almost entirely to the passion of a man who spent much of his early time with Lexus divesting the driver of sensory inputs by developing the eerily quiet interior noise levels of the original Lexus limousine, the LS400.Ironically, it was those efforts in refinement that won Yukihiko Yaguchi the kudos in senior management circles that allowed him the leeway in 2002 to play with his own private “skunk works” within the strictly structured Lexus world.“When I started there was no budget ... many people didn't understand what I wanted to do,” Yaguchi recalled. “It was hard.“On the other hand, some top management knew me well from my involvement in ensuring that the LS ran extremely silently. That was a huge achievement so they understood that I was capable of developing something no one ever had before.”Lexus holds firm orders for 38 of the ISFs and Rocca is confident the supply-restricted 120 cars a year available to Australia will do little more than whet the appetite as the car's reputation spreads.Styled to be aggressive without being threatening, the ISF isn't the poster kid for athletic design. With its bonnet swollen to contain the impressive engine, the first impression is of a boxer who's taken one too many on the nose — tough but not necessarily attractive.There's no doubting the power of this car. It's evident from when the first tickle of the throttle lights the wick until the final burble of the exhaust dies away on shutdown.It's not a slap-in-the-back car. Neither is it brutal in the manner of the C63, but rather more refined without being overwhelmed.The dedication to detail and the uncompromising determination to tick all the boxes adds credence to the claim from Lexus that the ISF is a track car transferred to the road rather than the reverse.Under the bonnet, the 5.0-litre V8 has been lovingly built up in the company's “clean room” engine facility. The quad cam multi-valve unit features Yamaha-developed high-flow cylinder heads, variable valve timing with electronic control on the inlet actuation, titanium inlet valves, high-lift camshafts and a full stainless steel dual exhaust.The fuel tank even has a 10-litre sub-tank to ensure constant fuel feed under track loads.Coupled to the eight-speed automatic from the LS460 — again the question is, do you really need that many cogs with the amount of torque the V8 is turning out? — the engine will spin to 6800rpm in what seems like no time at all. The urge to drive the ISF hard is nigh-on irresistible, if only to induce the secondary induction to open up to full roar from around 3600rpm.The active system is hardly unique, but it still makes the hairs on your arms stand on end.Thrown through the Fuji circuit, the ISF retains impeccable poise through a combination of solid engineering — double wishbones up front and a multi-link set-up under the rear, each with high-rate coil springs and upsized stabiliser bars — and the compulsory electronic wizardry.Traction control, stability control, antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and electronic brake assistance are bundled together in the Lexus's Vehicle Dynamic Integrated Management system.Australian cars will also come standard with the pre-collision system and eight airbags.The speed-sensitive steering, adequate in its basic configuration and much more enjoyable in the sharper sports mode, is as good as anything Lexus has ever done and combined with a serious set of Brembo brakes — six-piston grippers on 360mm front discs — imbues a sense of wellbeing.If BMW, Mercedes and Audi thought Lexus was a thorn in the luxury battle, then the premium-performance angst is going to be all the greater.

If Lexus is synonymous with anything it is refinement. Nobody to blame but themselves for that one. Ever since the first Lexus emerged from the back door of the Toyota garage, determined to make its own way in the world the key performance target is `how quiet can we be'.The measure of how good the NVH boys at Lexus really are is in the level of criticism the badge receives for isolating the driver from the rest of the environment. At the pinnacle of that refinement evolution is the super-smooth LS460. Drifting along in its own little cocoon of silence, the LS is the current ultimate expression of no-fuss motoring. A little pricey for the average buyer, but what price such peace and quiet.Trouble is, as Lexus has found, not everybody wants to experience the world from behind layers of laminated glass and sound-deadening foam.For those with only moderately large budgets, Lexus offers the rather more sporty IS range. But what about those who like the idea of luxury — and have the budget to indulge it — but also feel the need for just a little bit of the `rough'. For those particular few there is the GS range, or — to be more precise — the GS460.The range-topper in the latest generation of GS cars has picked up much of what makes the LS a segment-leader but in a guise that promises a more visceral experience.It snorts and snarls a little more than would be acceptable for an LS, hunkers down a little more and transmits a little more of what is going on outside the cabin. But don't be fooled. It's no sporting hero, rather it's a gentleman athlete, and paradoxically, not quite the athlete the LS is. It is what it misses out on in coming to market some $50,000 more affordable — cheaper doesn't seem the right expression — that defines the GS460's ultimate athleticism.While it gets the same 4.6-litre V8 coupled to the same breakthrough eight-speed gearbox packaging the engine into the different body has taken a toll. The need for a different manifold and exhaust has stripped the GS460 of a degree of punch. Power is down 25kW while the torque has been trimmed by 33Nm over the 493Nm in the LS. The upshot is that despite less weight and a more aggressive nature, the GS is a touch less “sporty” than big brother in the Savile Row suit.While the GS can put the 0-100km/h sprint behind in a none-too-tardy 5.8 seconds, the LS can get to the same mark in 5.7s with even less fuss.Punch the GS along and the impression belies the raw figures. The car feels a little more lively, a touch more engaging than the LS.On its variable suspension the GS rides with either a comfortable firmness or a broken-surface absorbing plushness. The sportier ride actually suits the feel of the car better but neither is unpleasant.As with the LS the steering is light and less communicative than a true sports car, yet the car turns in nicely and the suspension does a grand job in controlling the considerable weight shifts at play during enthusiastic pedaling. A switchable stability control takes care of those moments when ambition overtakes ability but such is the giving nature of the system that there is little reason to turn it off outside a track environment.The classy sportsman theme continues inside the cabin, with an oddly pleasing mix of brushed aluminium and wood trim. A soft blue glow from the instrument panel is both easy on the eyes and easy to read. Lexus claims the system to be unique, relying on variable-transparency glass to minimise reflections from the gauge faces and help optimise visibility in all lighting conditions.The GS shares the wonderful Mark Levinson 14-speaker sound system from the LS along with a new arrangement of audio and telephone controls on the steering wheel.The GS460 also features 10 airbags, dual-zone climate control with pollen filter, heated and ventilated front seats with 10-way power adjustment, one-touch power windows, smart entry and start (keyless), Bluetooth mobile phone capability, rear-view camera with eight parking sensors, power moonroof, and active cruise control.The GS460 is an interesting exercise in maximising pioneering and expensive engineering. It takes much of what makes the LS an impressive unit and repackages it to embrace a small but well-heeled segment not ready to shake off the last vestiges of youth — yet not young and foolish enough to want to spend more time than necessary being uncomfortable. 

Imported cars are hardest hit by the new LCT threshold but some of our homegrown brands also suffer.

...preservative-free beer; roasted pork knuckles served with dumplings; the city of Berlin. Stuff like that.It's also home to the compact prestige sedan. In its ideal form, this is powered by a six-cylinder engine and driven via the rear wheels.Since 2005, the Japanese, with their genius for emulation and improvement upon the original design, have also produced a healthy example of the species in the form of the Lexus IS250.Unlike the Germans, whose six-pot models are prohibitively expensive, the V6-only Lexus is priced from just under $55,000 — the cost of a top-end Commodore.There's now an “X”-badged edition of the IS250, giving us the excuse to not only revisit a favourite car but see what its rivals bring to the table for a similar sum.Fans of the Deutsch diesels though we are, we're sticking to petrol choices out of fairness to the Lexus, whose oiler variant isn't available in Australia.  LEXUS IS250 X from $64,790Although this limited edition of 450 begins at $64K, the IS manual's action is awkward. Far better to go with the $67,390 six-speed sequential auto.A major attraction of the Lexus is its standard equipment list. Even the $54,390 Prestige model looks lavish next to the nearest-priced Mercedes or BMW.The limited-edition IS250 — distinguished by X badges in punkish cursive — cops sports suspension; a 14-speaker Mark Levinson stereo system; a sunroof; satnav; a rear-view camera with rear guide assist; a Bluetooth hands-free telephone system; sports pedals; metallic scuff plates;and unique five-spoke, 18-inch alloys.Nice colours, too.Pound for pound, the IS is the best current Lexus and easily the most enjoyable to drive.Its 153kW/252Nm V6, with direct injection and variable valve timing, isoften unfavourably compared to BMW's in-line mills.But, like so much about the IS, it suffices just fine in the real world, ticking over at 2000rpm at the 110km/h limit NSW motorists areprivileged to enjoy.Low-down response when the lever is left in drive isn't the most adroit — due partly to tall gearing and partly to a hefty 1600kg kerb weight — but can be enhanced by leaving the stick in sport and using the steering-wheel paddles.Mildly annoyingly, there's no temporary manual override.Sports-suspended and equipped with low-profile rubber, our test 250 rode tersely but with compliance bested only by the Mercedes.Its touch-screen multimedia set-up (with an excellent reversing camera) left the Bimmer's costly, optional-extra i-Drive for dead.PROS: Highly satisfying RWD dynamics; light but informative steering; four-year-warranty; striking looks; superb value.CONS: Poor rear three-quarter vision; space-saver spare; it'sstrictly a four-seater;foot-operated parking brake. MERCEDES-BENZ C200K AVANTGARDE from $62,820YOU still need $86,000 to buy a C-Class with six pots, but the C200K is no longer a try-hard's car. Using the E-Class's version of the supercharged, 1.8-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine, it achieves respectability if not rapidity.With 135kW and 250Nm (30 more units of each than previously) driven through a five-speed automatic, the C-Class gets to 100km/h from rest in a claimed 8.6 seconds. A similar time to the V6 Lexus, actually.The Merc's response, especially when set insport mode, is backed by dynamics and bodycontrol that are altogether sharper thanin days of yore.The C-Class isn't 3 Series-keen, due in part to its heavier 1490kg kerb weight, but the Mercedes rides our raddled roads with the aplomb of a native son. The BMW doesn't.PROS: That badge; the best ride; the best retained value; the best value C-Class ever.CONS: Options not cheap; tight in the back seats; engine note sounds crook (as opposed to sick).  BMW 323i from $65,000IF we seem to be Bimmer-bashing, we do so with a heavy heart, because the entry model of the Three Series sixes is the driver's choice of this trio. In certain circumstances ...Running a version of the 325i's 2.5-litre in-line six detuned to 140kW/230Nm, it remains a glorious thing — especially when mated to the crisp, six-speed manual. The benchmark ZF auto ($67,600) is still a good thing, though. Unlike the Lexus, the latter will not hold a gear at redline inmanual mode, but it's a good deal more adroit in drive. On smooth surfaces, the 323i has the edge on the others. Butthis is NSW, not Bavaria, and such stretches of bitumen areever more elusive. The run-flat tyres that afflict all but a few current BMWs are a deal-breaker. Do any real damage to your tyre any distance from the metropolis and, sorry, but you're stuck there until a new one can be delivered. That may not happen often, but the tramlining, skittering ride run-flats can provide is a constant. The stylised cabin, which may have seemed cool to the designers, looks austere to anyone shopping across the marques. Only three years after the E90 was released, it already looks dated. As for options, try $1600 for metallic paint.PROS: Inspiring engine, emotionally appealing and still thedriver's choice ...CONS: ... but only in ideal conditions; rotten ride, especially with M sports kit; run-flat tyres; spartan cabin; costly options. 

Part of the reason is that the new eight-seater Lexus is based on the similarly competent Landcruiser, although Lexus claims the LX570 is an even better performer and 'the most capable vehicle it has ever produced.’The benchmark Cruiser is a good starting point on which to build another offroader, although they couldn’t pinpoint exactly how much of the vehicle had been borrowed – about 30 per cent by weight was the final answer.However they did acknowledge that the doors transferred straight over, and since their sculpting cues have to flow into the rest of the body, this leaves you in no doubt about the LX570’s parentage. From not too far a distance, passing traffic could easily imagine they’re seeing the next Cruiser rather than the latest Lexus.However if you go deeper than the skin there are some major differences, the largest of which is the 5.7-litre petrol V8 under the bonnet (a full litre more than its donor stablemate).Mated to a six-speed sequential automatic transmission, the engine develops 270kW of power at 5600rpm (up 100kW) and a hefty 520Nm of torque at 3200rpm on premium fuel. On 91RON you’re likely to get at least a 2kW drop.Lexus says the LX570 will get to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds – no small task for a vehicle weighing in at 2740kg (and no surprise that it will use 14.8L/100km in combined driving, which is reportedly an 8 per cent improvement on the outgoing model).But it also makes for a 3500kg braked towing capacity, plus you can load the Lexus with about 750kg of people and cargo and there’s about 700 litres of space to play with once you drop the third row.While it has pinched the Cruiser’s full-time 4WD system, traction and stability controls, it has now also been given a lockable centre differential that sends 60 per cent of the drive to the rear, and can send up to 70 per cent if needed.A centre-mounted toggle allows you to change between high and low range, and while there is no option of getting the amazing Kinetic Suspension System available on the big Toyota, the front and redesigned rear suspension on the Lexus gives a claimed 15 per cent improvement in wheel stroke, stretching to 23cm for tough terrain. It can also be directed to lower for easier access; kneeling like an obedient camel for people to climb aboard.A crawl function that is switchable between 1, 3 and 5km/h can take over the engine and brakes in extreme situations, leaving you simply steering the Lexus while clambers up and down the route.There are just two models, opening with the $136,000 Prestige which is kitted out with all the usual luxury features, plus extras like a reversing camera, four-zone climate control with 28 outlets, heating and power adjustment to the first and second rows, 10 airbags (including roll-sensing curtains that cover all three rows), 18” alloy wheels (and yes, full-size spare) high-intensity adaptive headlights that essentially go around corners before you do, and a thumping 19-speaker Mark Levinson DVD entertainment system.The $151,700 Sport Luxury gets an extra DVD screen with wireless headphones to keep them happy in the back, front and side cameras with colour wide screen broadcast for better visibility, radar cruise control that can lock onto vehicles in front to adjust your speed and also alert a pre-crash system if it senses a collision is likely.The three rows of leather-clad seating are powered to adjust quickly to a wide variety of arrangements. In addition to sliding, the second row splits 40/20/40 and has a new tumble function that means it’s easier for passengers to get past and into the third row.And that final row is the really clever one, with buttons near the tailgate that can fold and stow the seats into the floor or tip them over onto their backs as 'stadium seating’ under the tailgate for picnics and epic weekend school sport events.Lexus already has orders for 100, and aims to sell about 360 per year — of which about 90 per cent will be the top spec. And they hope a fair proportion will be sales stolen from other makers of what Toyota Chairman Emeritus John Conomos called 'more recent arrivals in the luxury offroader market’ – for which, read the rabbits as being mainly German breeds; Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and even perhaps the big BMW.Lexus says only about 20 per cent of the LX570’s buyers will take it offroad, which is a bit of a shame because they’ll never find out what it can do. And what it can do is tackle pretty well anything you’d expect to be able to conquer in a LandCruiser, but with more bells and whistles as company.Using the crawl control – and the full extent of the wheel travel — we were able to inch our way over a steep set of lumps that would have given us badly cricked backs in a less capable vehicle.It responds well to the steering, and the sport/normal/comfort variable suspension allows you to dial up varying ride and handling characteristics at whim. Sport cuts out a fair amount of body roll on the bitumen, while normal and comfort work for both town and country driving.And there’s no faulting the ability of the smooth and muscular V8 engine, which gave great effort off the line and kept pulling well all through the range. Kick it and it responds with a surge forward – and a satisfying roar of agreement.The switchable ranges work well from the toggle on the centre console, but we managed to completely halt the Lexus by trying to change from low back up to high on the fly – yes, idiotic move on our part. It stressed out the drivetrain, which found a false neutral between the two transfer cases and decided it wanted nothing more to do with us for the next ten minutes while we went through every possible combination of settings and switching-offs to try and bring it back online.Again, it was our error. But it was also a warning to prevent the kids hitting the toggle with a 'what does this do?’.What will keep them out of your hair – and your control panel – is the fantastic Levinson entertainment system, which with great speakers and surround sound offers the kind of crisp quality you’d expect from a home theatre.It all adds up to a great vehicle, but at the end of the day, we couldn’t help wondering why – apart from badge envy – you’d hand over the extra for the LX570 when the top-spec LandCruiser 200 is already so damned good.Lexus says the LX570 'blurs the line between a luxury sedan and a 4WD’ but to some extent it also blurs the line between the Lexus and the luxury-spec Cruiser.

The only difference to the model voted by Carsguide experts as the best of the best in 2007 is that this is the just-released automatic.The little 1.6-litre diesel engine puts out a very nippy 85kW of power and 255Nm of torque to create a well-balanced and surprisingly spritely about-town car. However, the real quality of the car showed out on a day trip to the South Coast recently when the fully-laden car handled with aplomb on the open road.Its road handling and zippy acceleration found plenty of praise at the highway speed limit.We look forward to enjoying its economic six litres per 100km diesel fuel economy, which should keep service station visits to a minimum.The auto costs $23,490 — $2000 more than the manual. Sitting beside the Hyundai is the rather more exclusive Lexus LS460. There has been plenty written about 'soulless' Lexus models and while the LS460 may not light the fires of passion, it most certainly pushes the “I'm feelin' special” buttons.There are some technological advances that bewilder more than bedazzle — the eight-gear automatic is one — and there are others that have simple charm, like the superb Mark Levinson sound system.Rear-view camera, supportive and comfortable leather seats with a huge range of adjustments, ample room and a very acceptable V8 engine all add to the attraction.One of the stranger impressions of the LS460, however, is that it is dissociative — only because the level of cabin refinement and noise, vibration and harshness levels are so good that you really do keep checking the tacho to reassure yourself the car is turned on.At a price of $184,874 plus delivery and on-road costs, the LS460 has plenty to live up to.So far, it is doing a sterling job.A rather more modest but none-the-less interesting member of the garage is the Subaru Tribeca. This vehicle is the 'giant' of the Subaru range.It has seven seats, command-drive position and 3.6-litre boxer engine.But its road manners are more akin to a much smaller car.There is much to like about the Tribeca, including its new inoffensive front-end, but there a few issues have come to notice with regular use.To make the third row of seats usable, even for the little tikes, it is mandatory to slide the second row of seats forward. Now, it's good that those seats can be moved but the end result is that both second- and third-row passengers feel the squeeze.The lack of reach-adjustment on the steering wheel has been a notable problem, but certainly not as much as the radio adjustment buttons that sit proud on the steering-wheel spokes and are prone to channel shifting when the wheel travels to full lock.On that subject, at 11.4m, Tribeca has one of the best turning circles of any car its size on the market. 

Pressure is on to deliver safer, less polluting, more economical, cheaper, better performing, better equipped and longer lasting vehicles.It seems almost unachievable but take a look at the new Lexus LS600hL and you will get some idea of where cars are heading in the near future.This is the techno showpiece from the giant Toyota organisation and as its flagship, the big 600 has a bewildering array of features, some useful, some useless.Is it over the top, suffering from technology overkill? In some respects, yes, but we can't keep our heads in the sand forever.Though completely out of the realm of the average Aussie, at $240,000 the LS600hL is actually good value against its direct competitors from Europe, undercutting them by up to $125,000.And, better yet, useful technology in the 600 will gradually filter down to mainstream cars.Take the hybrid-drive system, for example. The complex “engine” comprising of a 290kW, 5.0-litre petrol V8 and two electric motors delivers a total of 327kW and about 600Nm of torque to push the 2.4 tonne 600 with surprising velocity. Normally, this would dictate a hefty fuel bill but in the 600's case, it is capable of attaining a mere 9.3-litres/100km and generate only 210g/km of carbon dioxide.It has a constant all-wheel drive system and an eight-step constantly variable auto transmission with sequential change mode. This has safety and driveability benefits and gives the big 600 quite a sporty feel, enhanced by variable ratio steering and electronic brake assist.Lexus pushes the 600 and other hybrids in its lineup as guilt-free performance and in this sense, the 600 really delivers.But it is weird when you start up because the petrol engine doesn't run. Instead, initial motion is provided by the electric motors powered by the large battery pack in the back of the car.The petrol engine fires up when the accelerator is pushed beyond a certain threshold or speed goes above 40km/h. It shuts off when the car comes to a standstill.This is only scratching the surface of the 600's technology arsenal. It's one of the first cars to have LED headlights (a set of six) and they are also adaptive they turn with the steering.It has what is called intelligent park assist that almost parks the car automatically and the climate control system inside has body heat sensors to minutely adjust interior temperature.The cruise control uses radar to maintain a distance from vehicles in front and the air suspension adapts to any given type of driving or road conditions.All this is very nice but not really necessary.The massage seat in the back (with ottoman) is useless because there is not enough legroom to stretch out.We still haven't figured out the self parking system. If you can't park, you shouldn't be driving. The vehicle has to be stopped to re-program the satnav a major annoyance because the front passenger could do the job on the move.We must have occasionally performed an incorrect start sequence because the “engine” failed to fire a couple of times. The boot refused to open and all doors except the driver's would not unlock using the key fob.There are 11 airbags including knee bags and 19 speakers; on what rates as possibly the best audio and in-car entertainment system I have experienced.There is no doubt that all the goodies inside the 600 are great to experience but working out how they operate is challenging.Boil this car down to its essence and it is definitely impressive.Performance is strong with 0-100km/h sprint taking 6.3 seconds. It whispers along at warp speed in near silence and slices through the atmosphere at an aerodynamically efficient 0.29Cd.The big, handsome limo acquits itself well in sporty driving mode.The boot is ridiculously small due to the battery pack and we can't begin to explain the level of technology inside the engine apart from saying it has direct fuel injection and variable cam timing.