Lexus LF Reviews

Opulence is a word used by soap companies, perfumeries and appears early on in the Lexus PR tome. It's appropriate - everything about this brand has been about taking aim at and surpassing the more established marques.The LS 600hL - the largest Lexus sedan ever to roll off the company's production line - has equalled and beaten them in many respects.It's a large vehicle, impressive and imposing at first sight, with a high waistline and broad stance.It sits on wide, 19in wheels with bespoke Dunlop tyres and plenty of street presence. The 5150mm long 600hL is 120mm longer than its LS 460 sibling, and all the extra length increases the wheelbase to 3090mm.To say the 600hL has good rear passenger room is like saying the Sultan of Brunei is comfortably well off; there's enough room for a seven-footer, broad of shoulder, to sit. His head is close to the roof but the fact that he could stay there for a journey is a feat in itself.The journey could be undertaken with serenity; combine a 290kW/520Nm five-litre V8 with a 650V electric motor producing 165kW and 300Nm of almost instant torque; and the 2430kg of luxury limo can move away from standstill in a hurry.Lexus quotes a combined power figure of 327kW comparable to a six-litre V8, which is where the 600 in the badge comes from. But it wont wake its passengers, unless the pedal is floored. Full bore, the LS 600hL can cover the zero to 100km/h sprint in 6.3 seconds and the standing 400m in 14.3 seconds, numbers that fell right when I was behind the wheel.With the multi-link air suspension, variable gear ratio steering and super-smooth transmission in sport mode, the big limo can hustle through bends with good body control and remarkable poise. Quick changes of direction are not its forte, but drop back the pace a notch or two and the 600hL can cover ground quickly. The performance comes with less of sting at the pump, with the test car using fuel at a rate of 12.3 litres/100km from mainly suburban work, although the Lexus claims it is capable of 9.3 litres/100km.Lexus also claims an exhaust emission level of 219g/km, which might not sound impressive until you compare it with some of its petrol V8 competition, which rack up numbers beyond 300g/km.The drive is sent through an eight-step electronic continuously variable transmission (ECVT), a new gear-drive transfer system and a Torsen mechanical limited-slip centre differential to apportion drive 40 per cent to the front and 60 per cent to the rear, with the ability to vary the split according to conditions.The big limo can also creep around at low speed in EV mode, which works up to 40km/h on electric power only.The car uses its transmission as a generator, which combines with a conventional raking system to recover energy and store it in the battery.It's the smoothest example of system yet, easily making a seamless transition and allowing the driver to brake cleanly without rough spots in deceleration.But this car is about occupant comfort and there is no shortage of equipment to look after passengers.The quad-zone climate-control system has a body-temperature-sensor network that combines with a stack of other sensors and vents - more than 20 outlets - to keep the temp at the set level, which can be controlled from the front or rear.Left-hand rear passengers in the four-seater get a reclining ottoman, reclining backrest, massage function, an adjustable seat base and the world-first in-seat airbag to keep the relaxed occupant safe in an accident.Rear-seat passengers also get a DVD screen, but if your rear occupants favour Tom and Jerry instead of more adult viewing, the soundtrack can't be isolated to the rear infra-red headphones.If Jaguar and Holden can do it, surely the Lexus boffins can.Tom and Jerry never sounded so good, thanks to the Mark Levinson surround system, which offers more than 400W from 19 speakers to produce impeccable sound at serious volume.The Lexus engineers have included LED low-beams, a world first, they claim, as is the Intelligent Park Assist (IPA) system, a first for this segment and for any vehicle in Australia.Although not as nimble as some of its competition, there's so much technology for driving and for occupant comfort that it's hard to ignore the big Lexus.Throw in the green credentials, its quality and reliability and the 600hL impresses even more.The serene, unfussed progress offered by the Lexus leviathan could almost (in a Lotto winner's way) be considered value for money. Almost. SnapshotSmall torqueLexus LS 600hLPrice: $240,000Engine: Hybrid petrol-electric, five-litre quad-cam, 32-valve V8, with electric generator, motor and battery system.Power: 290kW at 6400rpm.Torque: 520Nm at 4000rpm.Transmission: ECVT with Torsen limited-slip centre differential and electronic virtual rear limited-slip differential. All-wheel drive.Performance: 0-100km/h 6.3 seconds, 0-400m 14.3 seconds, top speed 250 km/h (governed).Fuel consumption: Claimed 9.3 litres/100km, on test 12.3 litres/100km. Tank capacity 84 litres.Emissions: 219g/km.Suspension: Multi-link front and rear, air suspension with Adaptive Variable Suspension (AVS).Brakes: 357mm ventilated front discs, 335mm ventilated rear discs, four-piston aluminium front calipers, two-piston aluminium rear calipers; Electronically Controlled Braking (ECB), ABS with Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Traction Control (TRC), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Vehicle Dynamics integrated Management (VDiM).Dimensions: Length 5150mm, width 1875mm, height 1480mm, wheelbase 3090mm, track fr/rr 1610mm, weight 2430kg, luggage capacity 330 litres.Wheels: 19in alloys.Class competitionMercedes-Benz S 500: $274,974.BMW 750Li: $239,000.Audi A8 4.2 FSI LWB: $219,600.Jaguar XJ Super V8 LWB:  $234,900. 

The Toyota LandCruiser arrives in Lexus form with a heap of extra equipment including an impressive 10 airbags.Although Australian pricing and specifications have not yet been confirmed, expect luxury features such as four-zone climate control, power sliding second-row split seating, navigation system with Bluetooth, nine-speaker premium sound, and power third-row seating, rear-seat entertainment system and 19-speaker Mark Levinson audio system.At the core of the beast is the 5.7-litre V-8 engine pumps out 284kW of power, 84kW more than Toyota's older 4.7-litre V-8.Torque has also increased, from 444Nm to 602Nm.It is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with sequential shifting and a Torsen limited slip differential for the full-time four-wheel drive.Towing capacity increases from 2948kg to 3855kg.Off-road features include adaptable suspension with quicker responses and finer adjustment, Crawl Control and active height control that lowers the chassis about 5cm for easier entry and exit, and raises it at lower speeds, lowering it again at higher speeds to help out in tarmac aerodynamics and fuel-efficiency.

SOUL singer and Australian Idol judge Marcia Hines loves to drive.  Which is lucky for her as she racks up the kilometres between her two homes in Sydney and Newcastle. Boston-born Hines, who landed on our shores aged 16 to star in the controversial-at-the-time musical Hair, learned to drive in Australia and proudly displayed her P-plates on her first car, a 1963 white Mercedes-Benz 300SEL.  She has come a long way since then and can now be spotted roaring up and down the freeway in her silver hybrid Lexus belting out tunes from her latest CD, Life. What was your first car?A 1963 Mercedes Benz 300SEL. It was white with red interior. She was called Sally-Sue.  I learnt to drive here in Australia. I kept this car for 11 years.What do you drive now? A silver hybrid Lexus 430 called Shimmer.  I believe your car is like an extension of your home. Sometimes it can get pretty skanky in there. There's always bottles of water on the floor and if I have to give someone a lift, I'm always pushing things off the front seat. The front seat is kind of like my bedside table. The great thing about the Lexus is it has lots of great gizmos.Do you have a favourite drive and who would you take?My favourite drive is going home and I'd take my husband. I work in Sydney and I live just outside Newcastle, so I really like that drive home, the F3. It's pretty nice. I have a wireless mobile phone so I do a lot of business while I'm driving. I do that legally. You see those people driving around with mobile phones up to the ear -- you're flirting with danger, honey. How far would you drive in an average year?I drive a lot. But I love it. I have a driver in Sydney and certain places when I'm interstate, but I like driving myself. I wouldn't have a clue how many kilometres I drive each year. We live in a vast, vast country so I probably don't drive as far as some -- like truckies. God bless the truckies who have to put up with us drivers. I respect them because they're the gatekeepers of the road. Do you have a favourite motoring memory?Driving the Great Ocean Rd in Victoria.  I remember how breathtaking that was. But some of my greatest memories of being on the road were on tour. I used to have a tour bus called ``the Bitch''. It was an acronym for Brisbane International Coach Hire. She was black and we lived on it. It had a kitchen and we had somebody to cook for us. We had a professional driver and we could watch movies. We had a great sound system and I had my own boudoir up the back, so if the boys got on my nerves I'd just go and have a lie down and pull the curtains. What would you buy if money was no object?The Lexus up from mine that parks itself. I don't have a problem with parking -- I'm a good parker thank you. Or the other car I look at and think what a sexy thing is the Aston Martin. What music is playing in your car?Me. I've got my new CD Life in there. I've got to learn all my stuff. It's a new album so I have to study me. How much is too much for a new car?One man's trash is another man's treasure. Some dream of driving a certain car all their life and if you can afford it, knock yourself out. What should be done to make driving safer?We should be far more considerate. The only real communication we have with another driver is our indicators -- use them.Are you sponsored by a car company?No, but Lexus do take good care of me.

The road-car lap record at the Nurburgring race circuit in Germany has been claimed by Lexus. It is not an official claim, but the coming LF/A supercar is said by company insiders to have bettered the mark set by Porsche with its turbocharged GT2.The existing mark was 7 min. 25 sec, set by former world rally champion Walter Rohrl in a GT2, and Lexus insiders say the LF/A managed 7.24.The Lexus mark easily beats the previous Japanese star, the new Nissan GT-R, by about 12 seconds.But, as there is no official timing at Nurburgring — which is used by most major carmakers for testing because of its long and demanding layout — no one is really sure.Porsche still claims the outright mark for a production car with its Carrera GT, a supercar in the Ferrari class, though its rivals tend not to include it when claiming kudos for their cars. And it denied claims at the Tokyo Motor Show in October that the GT-R had bettered its GT2 lap time.Lexus is now pushing hard with the LF/A, which has been delayed since it was first previewed at the Tokyo Motor Show two years ago.One source close to Lexus says the test mule has a 4.8-litre V10 engine co-developed with Yamaha, and pumping an incredible 420kW. Spinning to 9000 revs, the engine uses Formula One technology and is installed mid-ships in the LF/A, but just ahead of the cabin.The rear-drive LF-A's performance and handling are said to be closer to that of a racing car than anything Toyota has built before.With a slippery drag co-efficient of only 0.26, against most production cars in the 0.29-0.30 range, the LF-A is rumoured to have a top exceeding 330km/h.The car is expected on the road in 2009 and Lexus Australia is holding firm orders in the hope that it will get cars for local owners.

The right car and a bit of fear can do a great job of clearing a congested road, even in a city as crowded as Tokyo.There is an unwritten law about making space for big black or white limousines — usually a Mercedes-Benz S-Class or a Lexus LS — when you see them pushing their way through traffic.If you see one of these cars blocking a driveway or parked on a corner, it's best to drive on by.That is what the locals do — because Mr Average really does not want to cross paths with whoever might be inside the luxury Lexus or blitzer Benz.It's the same for me. I like my life. One time, crawling along at 15km/h in heavy city traffic, I spot three black S-Class limos in my rear-view mirror and watch as they thread their way through the congestion.Their precision at maintaining single-file formation and their ability to block both lanes by straddling the centre white lines is as eye-popping as it is educational.Yet no one gets upset. No one honks a horn. No one thinks about calling the police.When members of Japanese criminal society yakuza are on the move, you let them go.But why do they choose the cars they do and what is their car culture?The best idea was to sit with someone from the yakuza and ask, but that is something a Japanese writer would never even consider.Why? Because Japanese think it's too direct or even rude to ask such a question.But a foreigner, even one with fluent Japanese after 20 years in the country, has more licence.There are still rules and you can plead ignorance, but you have to be aware that if you cross paths with this underworld society you had better know when you can ask questions and when to shut up and move on.After many weeks of tip-toeing around potential cross-cultural minefields and careful diplomacy to locate a possible candidate, one yakuza boss finally agreed because, as I understood it, he was intrigued with the foreign media.Fighting back the urge to ask him whether he'd seen Michael Douglas's yakuza movie Black Rain, or if he watched the TV series The Sopranos, we agreed to meet in a park in Tokyo.I could tell you the exact location, but then I'd have to kill you. Just kidding.We spoke about cars, brands, status and driving, and his candid replies were unexpected.These guys were not packing weapons, of course, because in Japan the yakuza don't normally carry guns.Even so, the extent of their politeness and concentration on my questions was a surprise.“So, why do you drive an S-Class Mercedes?” I ask.As expected, the boss talks about Mercedes' strong build quality, as well as the car's power and high status levels.“The S-Class has plenty of power, looks good on the road and has a lot of luxury inside. Nothing really comes close, except maybe a Lexus LS,” he said.After one obvious question and a straightforward answer, I push my luck a little.“So why do you use tinted windows?”Without any hint of irritation, he answers: “Because we like our privacy. It also pays when certain people (our rivals) cannot see inside our car.”I query: “But why choose left-hand drive?”He says: “They don't come in right-hand drive, so we settle for left.”That may have been the case 10 years ago in Japan, but now you can get an S-Class in right and left-hand drive.Still, these well-dressed gents will stay with left-hand drive because it commands more status — or generates more fear — and that is very effective at clearing a crowded road.Feeling comfortable with the interview, I ask how they practise for the tight formation driving I witnessed.“I'm not quite sure what you're talking about,” he said, and I realise I am pushing my luck and have used enough of his time.Bowing profusely, I thank the yakuza and humbly excuse myself.Japan is a country of extremes and that is reflected on the road.On the surface, people seem very polite and courteous. And most are.Even road rage is far less of a problem than in many Western countries.Japan is a land steeped in traditional and unwritten rules, and you have to know your place.If you're going to drive in Japan's mega-cities you need to be aware of an underworld organisation that lives a parallel existence to mainstream society.One day it might confront you, so knowing how to respond — or not — is one way to remain on the streets.As the yakuza boss says: “You have to know your place and show the right level of respect. Otherwise things can get out of hand, and quickly.”

A hectic 2007 proved to be lucrative for the car industry with a plethora of new cars launched and more than a million sales throughout the year. And there's no indication that it will be slowing down in 2008.AUDI The new A4, to rival the 3 Series and C-Class is expected here about April, while July will see the hot sports wagon, the RS6 Avant and the A3 Cabrio. Extra A5 variants will follow. BMWBMW has a busy year ahead, starting with the 320d and 335i touring this month. The 1 Series Coupe will go on sale around April, followed by the convertible in May-June. But its big one for the year will be the new X6 Sports Activity Coupe, arriving between July and September. It comes with three engine variants, all twin-turbo, an in-line six, a 3.0-litre diesel and a 300kW 4.4-litre V8. Pricing is expected to start at just under $100,000. And the X5 scores a new engine in February, with the first variable twin turbo diesel offered in the range. CHRYSLER/JEEPJanuary will be a busy month for Chrysler, with the Sebring Cabrio and Grand Voyager people mover both arriving in Australia. The Jeep Cherokee will also get a total makeover. CITROENBased on the C4 Picasso, but bigger and better equipped, Citroen will introduce the Berlingo van between July and September, with a mainly diesel range. This will make room in the line-up for the new Nemo small van mid-year. The C5 will also get a new V6 diesel engine.FERRARIDeliveries of the exquisite F430 Scuderia, priced at about $550,000, will start mid year. Only about 40 will come to Australia and New Zealand. FIAT The reincarnation of the 1960s Bambino will arrive in March, but Fiat has already sold the first four months' supply. The new Fiat 500 will have three engine choices, a 1.2-litre petrol, a 75kW 1.4-litre petrol engine or a 56kW 1.3-litre turbo diesel. Pricing is expected to start from $22,000. The new Ritmo will join the Fiat 500 in March with pricing from $30,000. FORD One of the biggest launches for the year will be the new Falcon. Ford will release details of the new model in February and it's expected to be followed by an unveiling at the Melbourne motor show in the same month, with the official launch around May.FPV FPV will start the year with a new model, the hot turbo Territory, known as the F6 X model. It's the first non-Falcon model from FPV, with 270kW and 550Nm. The FPV Falcon range will also arrive this year. HOLDEN/CADILLACWith Ford's big year planned, you can't expect Holden to keep quiet. But so far, Holden has only announced it is expecting the VE Sportwagon, due in the first half of the year. GM-Holden is also introducing Cadillac with the first model due late in 2008. HONDA Honda will start the year with the new Accord model, due to be launched in February. The small Jazz is also getting an update after the middle of the year. Details on the new generation will be released closer to the launch. The Accord Euro is also expected to arrive later this year. HYUNDAI No big launches just yet, although an upgraded Sonata is expected mid year. JAGUARJaguar's major release for the year will be the new XF in June, with pricing expected to start from $105,000. It will be available in a V6 diesel, as well as a V6 and V8 petrol. KIAPreviewed at the Sydney motor show last year, Kia will launch its new seven-seater Rondo crossover in February. It is expected to start from as low as the mid-$20,000 mark. LEXUSNew for Lexus will be the LX570 around April or May, followed by the IS-F towards the end of the year. Details still to come. MAZDAThe second-generation Mazda6 will go on sale at the end of February with pricing from less than $30,000. It will be powered by a 2.5-litre, four cylinder engine, with 125kW and 226Nm.MERCEDES-BENZThe first arrival for Mercedes-Benz is expected to be the C 63 AMG in mid March. It will be followed by the S 320CDI, priced at $189,874 and the C-Class wagon, which will carry a $3000 premium over the sedan, coming in just under $60,000. MINIAnother new version of a 1960s cult car is also headed our way, with the Mini Clubman launched in February. The modern successor of the Morris Mini Traveller, the Austin Mini Countryman and the Mini Clubman Estate won't get into showrooms until March or April. Pricing will start in the mid-$30,000 area. MITSUBISHIMitsubishi will release two turbocharged Lancers this year. The top-level Lancer Evo X GSR will be here in April and sell for about $58,000. The 2.0-litre four cylinder turbo engine pumps out 200kW and 422Nm. Joining it will be the detuned version in the Ralliart all-wheel drive, at about $40,000. NISSANNissan's first addition for the year will be the all-wheel-drive wagon, the Dualis. Starting at $28,990 and stretching to $35,990, it's powered by a 102kW, 2.0-litre engine. PEUGEOTThe big launch for Peugeot will be the 308 replacing the 307 range, which will start with the 308 hatch in February in both petrol and diesel guises. The touring will follow in June or July, with the 308cc model a prospect for late 2008 or early 2009. PROTONProton has announced the Persona, based on the Gen2 hatch platform, will make its debut at the Melbourne motor show in late February, going on sale in March. It will be priced around the mid-teens. The Gen2 will also get engine updates and minor styling changes. RENAULTThe all-new Laguna will go on sale mid-year with a 2.0-litre diesel engine. SAABJune sees the arrival of the Turbo X AWD. SSANGYONGThe South Korean company will go completely diesel in 2008, with no more petrol engines on offer in Australia. SMARTThe new Fortwo arrives in Australia in February. The one-model brand will get both the 52kW and 62kW models, in hatch and cabrio, being bigger than the current models. SUBARUThe star WRX STi comes in February with a 2.5-litre turbocharged engine, although pricing is still to come. The third generation Forester arrives in March. SUZUKIFebruary's proving to be a busy month, with Suzuki also launching its Grand Vitara diesel. TOYOTAAfter a big year in 2007, Toyota is expecting a quiet year, with only the TRD Hilux due to be launched in April-June. VOLKSWAGENVolkswagen will kick off the year with the SUV, the Touareg R50, to be released in April. It's powered by a 258kW V10 TDI engine. The Tiguan also arrives about October.  VOLVOThe recently launched XC70 arrives in showrooms this month, joined by the C30 diesel also in January. It's priced at $43,950. A base model C30 will also enter the line-up, at $34,450. A 3.0-litre six-cylinder engined V70 will arrive in March. 

But the Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gift Book is no ordinary catalogue. Every year the upmarket American store assembles a list of the most exclusive gifts that money, and quite a lot of it, can buy.Tradition holds that each list includes a car, usually a limited edition produced only for the gift book.In case you’re still stumped for what to get that hard-to-buy-for person, this year’s custom wheels are the hand-polished 19” forged alloys at each corner of the 2008 Lexus IS-F Special Build.Powered by a 5.0-litre V8 that will get you to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds, the Lexus features the world’s first eight-speed direct shift gearbox, obsidian black paint, perforated black leather upholstery with white stitching, white leather accents on the special steering wheel, Mark Levinson state-of-the-art CD/DVD surround sound audio system, a thorough serving of limited edition badges, accessories and fripperies.All that for a mere US$68,000, which at the current exchange rate is not a bad deal. But you’ll have to be fast. Only 50 have been built, and there’s probably already a long queue of ridiculously over-indulged and under-fed blonde heiresses waiting to snap them up.In previous years, Neiman Marcus cars sold out quickly. The 100 $85,000 Cadillac XLRs in the 2003 catalogue were gone in just 14 minutes, although the 30 $125,000 Maserati Quattroporte from the 2004 list took three hours, perhaps patriotism made the Caddy more attractive than the Italian job. After all, Italy was a bit churlish in not sending its troops to help chase Saddam around the desert.But if you’ve missed out on the car, fret not. The list has other delights, and there’s bound to be something to suit everybody, if everybody has a five or six-figure spare change stash.Just $35,000 will see a 30-metre dragon topiary created in your garden from 15 indigenous plants, complete with blown-glass eyes and gold-leafed horns, claws, teeth, and fins.Get the latest bling tone with the Vertu Signature phone in 18ct rose gold set with seven carats of pink and white diamonds and featuring a speed-dial 24-hour global concierge service. Made to order for $73,000.If size matters to you, check out the 305 uncut diamond necklace. Edition of one. And it’s among the largest natural diamonds ever unearthed. A master jeweller will design and craft the stone into a necklace for you, but if you’ve forked over the $1,000,000 starter price for the rock itself you can probably have them build it into anything you command. The world’s biggest knuckle duster perhaps.Or you could have them swap it for the stone set into the gearstick of the $1,400,000 Gem Triton 1000 submarine; although that means it will no longer match the underwater joyrider’s gem-set keyring.But if you’d rather be upwardly mobile than sink into the depths, Neiman Marcus is offering the $80,000 Papalotzin Ultralight used by conservationist Vico Guiterez in his documentary; following the migration of the endangered monarch butterfly from Canada to Mexico. For $80,000 you get the machine, plus the chance to repeat the journey with the butterflies next year.If you’re looking for a more personal gift, New York artist Vik Muniz will paint your portrait in chocolate sauce for $110,000, and frame it suitably for presentation to your sweet-toothed lover.Chocolate sauce not quite cultural enough for you? Then you’re probably looking at this year’s price topper; a performance by the world-famous Kirov Orchestra for you and 499 of your close friends. With uber-maestro Valery Gergiev at the helm and the fiery Lola Astonova punishing a Steinway Concert Grand, the 10-piece orchestra will present the Nutcracker Suite, Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto and another Tchaikovsky piece of your choice. The bill is a a paltry $1,590,000; but you get to keep the autographed piano. 

A sought-after Holy Grail it came so tantalisingly close to reaching last year.For the industry, it will be a moment of triumph — but even more so for one manufacturer than any other.Toyota, which entered the local market with its quirky little cars taking on the might of General Motors and Ford, will have sold around 70,000 more cars than any other manufacturer.For Toyota's divisional manager of national marketing, Peter Webster, the most satisfying element of all was that in October Toyota outsold Ford and Holden combined for the first time.You could forgive Webster for leaping in the air and shouting “Oh What a Feeling”.Dominating 23 per cent of the market does not happen by accident and Webster says that marketing, more than any other factor, is the reason.“Our job is to create the optimum environment for a sale to take place,” he says.“So the brand image and the way consumers see Toyota is very much drawn by the marketing messages we put in the marketplace.“This is a sales-focused company and I absolutely see the marketing department's role is to pave the way.”Webster believes that consistency has been central to the success of the Toyota brand in the local market — not just at an umbrella brand level, but throughout its range of vehicles.“Unlike many of the other brands, we have stuck with one key marketing slogan if you like, or marketing undertone which has been `Oh What a Feeling',” he said.“That was a campaign that was launched back in about 1988 and is still relevant today, and I think the thing that put us in such good stead is that `Oh What a Feeling' is supposed to represent the overwhelming sense of satisfaction you have when you own and drive a Toyota.”It is a message that has become a part of the vernacular — the elusive desire of any great marketing message.“I still remember when Australia won the 2000 Olympics bid that photo that I think was on the front page of every newspaper the next day was John Fahey jumping out of his seat and the headline said `Oh What a Feeling', so it's in the landscape, it's in the spoken word.“I think if you look at any other brand, that consistency of message has made a big impact on the way Toyota has come to market since the early 1990s.”But beneath the banner the company has also made sure there have been single stand-out statements to represent each of its models. Hilux is presented as unbreakable, LandCruiser as king of the road.“Our strength from a marketing perspective is our range. Our weakness from a marketing perspective is how do you present a broad range to individual consumers?“So we have fundamentally worked on a philosophy that you demonstrate to customers the single-word attribute of that car. While the Hilux is unbreakable, the reason it gives that `Oh What a Feeling' was that `unbreakable' was the particular key thought we believed was applicable when the car was launched. So each vehicle has its own individual key thought.”While most consumers would see the marketing messages aimed squarely at them, Webster admits that more than half of it is in fact aimed at talking to Toyota's own people. “Every single person who has worked in the Toyota marketing department for the 17 years that I have been here, every single advertising agency that we employ regardless of what sort of marketing discipline they are focused on, understands one statement we have made to everybody and that is 52 per cent of our advertising is directed at the dealer network,” he says.“What the dealers see in the marketing sometimes reflects how they need to act in terms of representing the brand. You can't even explain the difference a motivated dealer makes to the success of a car franchise and we spend an inordinate amount of time communicating our messages with our dealer network.“We often see advertising and marketing departments who are focused on the work that they are doing but not on actually communicating it to their relevant supplier base or their retail base.“Every person in the Toyota marketing department has a little card that sits on their desk that says `I'm in the communications business' and that's really a reminder to them to say `I know what I'm doing but how do I make other people both internally and also the dealer network know what we are doing?”'By the close of play on New Year's Eve, Webster expects to have sold around 238,000 vehicles under the Toyota banner as well as a further 8000 Lexus vehicles. It's a figure that gives what has become a very Australian company — key sponsor of the AFL — almost a quarter of the entire market.

The NRMA Insurance reversing visibility index shows 12 vehicles, including the Toyota Corolla and Holden Commodore, fail to receive any stars in testing.The test, established because of the deaths of 17 children killed by reversing cars in driveways, measures how well a driver can see out of the back of the vehicle.Of the 12 vehicles with a zero rating, five fit into the small-to-medium segment.The result has prompted the NRMA to call on manufacturers to consider installing reversing camera technology in all cars, not just bigger vehicles.“Without a camera, blind space can range from 3m to 15m,” NRMA Insurance road safety manager Pam Leicester said.“That's a large range for children to be hidden from a driver's view.” With an average of one child run over in their own driveway every week, Ms Leicester said it was time to start focusing on improving visibility in all models.“There has been a focus on four-wheel-drives and reversing but as our results show, that's an issue for all types of vehicles right down to small cars,” Ms Leicester said.“This is a real concern because many of these vehicles have hazardous reversing blind areas, usually caused by high rear window lines and boots.”Vehicles that received a zero rating included the Holden Commodore (Epica and Viva), the Hyundai i30, Mitsubishi's Lancer and 380, Toyota's Corolla, Prado and RAV4, the Honda Civic and the Odyssey, as well as the Hummer H3.Overall, however, the results have improved from last year with more manufacturers adopting reversing cameras.This is especially the case in the four-wheel-drive and luxury segments. Only five vehicles offered reversing cameras either standard or as an option last year.The technology was available on 15 vehicles this year. They gained either a 4 1/2 or 5-star rating.Ms Leicester said they were particularly impressed with the new Toyota Kluger, which has a reversing camera as standard on all models.The top performers given a five-star rating were the BMW X5, Ford Territory, Honda Legend, Lexus GS430, IS250 and LS460, and the Toyota Kluger; all offering a camera as standard or as an option.“We encourage all manufacturers to start thinking about putting reverse cameras in their vehicles,” Ms Leicester said.“At the time of manufacture, it's a very small cost.”Ms Leicester said after-market reversing cameras also could improve visibility and were available for between $200 and $300. How they rated NRMA insurance reversing visibility indexBest: BMW x5, Ford Territory, Honda, Legend, Lexus GS430, Lexus IS250, Lexus LS460, Toyota KlugerWorst: Holden Commodore, Honda Civic, Honda Odyssey, Hyundai i30, Mitsubishi Lancer, Toyota Prado, Toyota Corolla 

One stretches to near full length in the rear of the limo, an ottoman propping extended legs while the vertebrae are manipulated by a cunning practitioner of shiatsu. Then a wailing sound assails the ears ...This would be all too Hugh Grant, except the noise is not a Highway Patrol siren. Or the Vice Squad. Though it is The Police.That's the 1980s popsters, of all things to pick. The nasal whine of the vocalist is surround sounding through 11 speakers from a DVD screen that's dropped from the inner roof.And the masseuse is not some flower of the orient, but a mechanical function built into the optional-with-ottoman left rear seat of the new Lexus LS 600hL.And that's about the only option in a car whose decadent lushness contrasts utterly with frugal fuel use and a carbon dioxide emission rating that wouldn't disgrace a V6.The LS 600hL is the world's first V8 all-wheel-drive hybrid.It can reach 100km/h from standing in 6.3 seconds, but will use as little as 9.3-litres of 95 RON petrol per 100km.Its globulous, 2.4 tonne kerb weight can be clawed through a tight bend with surety via a Torsen all-paw system, leaving a fairly petite carbon footprint of 219 grams per kilometre.All this and it just about parks itself too.While the LS 600hL undercuts by more than $100,000 certain German LWB limos, it still costs $240,000 for the full-specced four seater as described above or $233,000 for the five pew model.All right already, so that's light years beyond the likes of you and I.So too, for that matter, is the $120K GS 400h released 18 months back and even the $94K RX 400h SUV that followed.Where all this does impact on us is in Toyota's luxury arm making hybrid performance vehicles their domain.While the Europeans adhere to ever-cleaner diesels — and BMW spruik their Hydrogen 7 to the mega-rich and famous — the Lexus petrol-electric gambit will surely devolve to the compact executive class.So what chance a hybrid of the IS to compete against the 3 Series and C-Class?“Very possible, absolutely,” the 600hL's chief engineer and my fellow backseat passenger Osamu Sakata assured Carsguide as he ratcheted up the shiatsu setting to intense.For now, the bombastic halo exercise that is the most expensive Lexus to date serves to provide glimpses of our motoring future.The easiest to see are the first application of LED low-beam headlights — near daylight bright, it's claimed. One you hope you'll never have to see is the anti-submarining in-seat airbag in the four seat model.Then there's the Intelligent Park Assist (IPA) system, which is sending a thrill through the geeky and the ability-shy.IPA uses a rear camera and ultrasonic sensors to identify a parking space and calculates the correct steering angle to guide the big bugger in without curbing the 19-inch rims or bending fenders.For a decent part of the exercise your only involvement is pressure on the gas pedal.The side and rear window blinds are push button. A body heat sensor (I'm not making this up) automatically controls the climate. The grab handles and bin doors are damped so they shut at uniform rate. Which is nice. SNAPSHOT LEXUS LS 600hLPrice: $233,000 (five seat); $240,000 (full spec)Engine: 5L/V8 hybrid; 290kW/520NmEconomy: 9.3L/100km0-100km/h: 6.3 seconds  THE KEY RIVAL THEY FORGOT TO MENTIONLexus compares its LS 460hL flagship against a list of leviathans such as BMW's $346,000 760Li and even the Bentley Arnage.Insofar as these fat-capacity petrol-guzzlers are towards thetop of their respective makers' ranges, that's a reasonable suggestion.Lexus just happens to flog them in terms of value and green credentials.A car Lexus failed to mention was another biggish, V8 AWD — one that uses a hi-tech diesel engine to accomplish its ends.At $210,000, Audi's A8 4.2 TDIquattro undercuts the LS600hL on price. It alsohas better acceleration(5.9 seconds to 100km/h over 6.3) and competitive fuel economy (9.4L/100km to 9.3).The first eight-cylinder diesel in this class, the A8 has twin turbos and intercoolers to deliver 650Nm of turbine-like thrust.If the hybrid system is eco-friendlier in city traffic, the TDI comes into its own on the open road, proving that performance and prestige are compatible with diesel, too.There's 11 airbags, Pre-Collision Safety System, Active-radar Cruise Control, Adaptive Variable Suspension and Vehicle Dynamic integrated Management (VDiM) system. And a sunroof. So you get the lot. Lock and stock as standard. Leave the option gouging to the Germans.And leave the hybrid engines to theJapanese.This latest Lexus petrol-electric combo is another modern marvel, shifting a game it has almost to itself to another level.A 5.0-litre version of the 4.6 quad-cam V8 used in the much huzzah-ed LS 460 is combined with a new dual-stage transmission incorporating the electric drive system for a combined output of 290kW and 520Nm from 4000rpm. The 650-volt electric drive motor delivers 165kW/300Nm, with all those lovely Newtons available from zero revs.The hybrid system blends the two power sources according to operating conditions to provide a maximum 327kW. That's about the output of 6.0 petrol — hence the designation.A switchable EV mode2 allows 40km/h on electric power only. Indeed the car stops its petrol engine whenever possible (when the car's stationary, for example) to save fuel and reduce emissions and noise.It says much of the intended buyer that the Lexus minders saw that we spent as much time in the back as behind the wheel. On the basis of our limited and mostly straight line exposure, any of the myriad cars that Lexus pits itself against are more involving drives.That said, with the sport suspensions selected and the eight-speed manual mode of the CVT engaged, the V8 emits the heartfelt growl and something approaching the overtaking ability of the lesser, conventional LS.Unlike the latter, it's afflicted with a hybrid's tiny boot (albeit with full size spare), all those clever gubbins chewing up the golf club space.While your captain of industry might accept that it's not easy being green, he mightn't take so kindly to a lack of implements to use on the green.Still, at least the Lexus will massage more than the ego.