2000 Lexus LS Reviews

Ten years. The average life expectancy of a Hybrid car. The average number of years it would take to break even in fuel savings after investing in a premium diesel engine. And the average number of years that some industry experts expect the current crop of petrol engines with manual transmissions to last before emissions standards render them useless. A sobering statistic, yes, but for years manufacturers have been working around the problem of emissions, pollutants, and waste to produce not only a cleaner, eco-friendly car, but one that does not compromise on performance, luxury or price. Though you would not know that this was the future of motoring from the empty green stands at this year’s show. The place to show off the future tech is, as always, the motor show stand, and this year saw an absence of previous shows’ futuristic displays of alternative fuels. However, there were some exciting models that are not simply concept, but close to, or in, production. Saab brought out its BioPower models, which are specifically designed to run up to 90 per cent ethanol - though the car can run on petrol if an ethanol pump cannot be found. Saab claims the use of ethanol as an environmentally friendly renewable fuel source with low emissions. And the green goodness produced by the crops such as sugar cane from which ethanol is produced can statistically counteract the resulting emissions from both the manufacturing process and the cars that use the fuel. Ethanol’s premium over petrol at the bowser is also supposedly negligible. While BioPower production cars were on display, the show is stolen by the Aero X concept that floored the floor at Geneva. Running a 2.8-litre, twin-turbocharged V6 engine and with a jet-fighter inspired design and cutaway cockpit (even the wheels look like propellors), the 100 per cent ethanol green machine claims no carbon emmissions while producing a supposed 4.9 second 0-100km/h sprint time (it is yet to be taken to a drag strip for official performance testing). Ethanol and performance? Theoretically, no problem… But the biggest selling production alternative is still the petrol-electric hybrid. Honda’s Civic Hybrid and Toyota’s Prius models have the market almost exclusively to themselves, but the luxury genre has entered the greenhouse with Lexus. Toyota has lent its technology to sister company Lexus this year with the GS450h, and more recently, the big RX400h SUV which sits atop the Lexus stand. This uses the combination of front and rear electric motors with a 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine to power the car. When accelerating, the systems work together to give the car a combined 200kW, and capturing the energy usually wasted during deceleration and braking to recharge the electric motor. So no cords or power points necessary. There is a catch - the estimated life of the battery in this type of hybrid is estimated at ten years. As no hybrid has been around that long (the Prius first hit the market in 1997), and Toyota has never replaced a hybrid’s battery as yet, we will have to wait until 2007to see whether we have power, Y2K, or the start of expensive battery replacements. And it will be in 2007that we slap eyes on Lexus’ (and the worlds’) first hybrid V8; the AWD LS600hL limo version of the petrol LS460 seen at this year’s show. Not to be outdone, BMW is scheduling a hydrogen duel-fuel V8 for 2008, which combines the company’s stalwart 4.4-litre petrol engine with liquid hydrogen fuel cells. It is being kept under wraps for the moment, and the fact that hydrogen would cost over $4 a litre here does not make for a clean start in Oz. But while some of this cool tech was never going to make it to Sydney, the anticipated concept-come-production-car, the Peugeot 307CC Hybride diesel, was due to be revealed – and wasn’t. Reliable technology? Hmmm. The 307CC Hybride is a cool concept. The combination of a diesel engine with an electric motor in the cool convertible produces a teeny fuel consumption figure of just 3.7L/100km. Unfortunately, like so many of the fantastic fuel alternative ideas and ideals, the tech is too expensive at present to make a production car viable, and its release is scheduled for 2010. Not to mention the fact that it missed the plane to Sydney from the Paris show, and we had to settle for the new 207 and a half-naked woman on the stand instead (yes, we are mentioning her again – but that particular model was a literal show-stopper). One thing is for sure: environmental concerns are weighing heavy on all car maker's strategic decisions for new models. But at this stage most are still not revealing their long term plans to deal with emissions and fuel efficiency. Who knows what kind of alternative fuels and cars will be on the market in ten years time? And will the old Prius be running, or running out of battery? Either way, it won’t be long before we are all driving with a smug, earth-saving smile of some sort on our faces. Hopefully, the future of green motoring will be cars like the Aero X…

Read related story Patrick Loved the yellow Hummer, I just want one ! Grant The Subaru Tribeca seems an awesome car. Look at its list of standard features for $53000 - leaves an X5 or Territory for dead. OK, the front grille takes a bit of getting used to, power could be up a bit for its weight, but you do get all the usual Subie delights, 5 star safety and quality. Definitely worth a test drive on November 25! Mark Mercedes e280cdei definatly the best Dan The absolute standout was the new BMW 3 series coupe. Can't believe no one else has mentioned it. What a sexy car! Looks much better in the metal than in photos... David Rome The Mazda CX7 is very fresh and the new BT-50 ute looks the goods to take some sales Michael Volvo C70 What a Glamour!! the engineer Mitsubishi TRM 380- bring it on in AWD! Would sell double current! Should have been the original 380 GT. Audi R8 ;-) Captiva <8>-( French Body Art 8-) Bob Rona Gotta Be the Lexus RX 350 Sports Luxury!! Jay The Saab Aero X concept car looks extraordinary. I was pretty impressed with the XR5 Turbo Ford Focus - hopefully if they bring it out in diesel, there would be a lot more interest and sales David Lunn Mazda CX7 John The Mitsui 380 supercharged - grabbed allot of attention (so did the girls in the red dresses); I also like the new Outlander V6 & Astra convertible (or at least my wife did). Lex Biggar Audi R8 william yates dark 4 door mitsi I believe it's a Tommy Mac serise and also shannon's stand the rest well............ Kim I must agree with Bob MX-S ROADSTER COUPE The best by far! Jim Until I hit the Mitsubishi stand the show was a let down for me. Thank you to the Mitsubishi Girls for making the show worthwhile. Julie Definetely the Honda Legend & the Audi RX8. aaron need this so i could have this to have it better then i wont be a laughting stock Nick Definitely the Mitsubishi TRM 380 - because I might be able to afford it and it looks great. Can't wait to test drive it. David Lyons Peugeot 207 Stephen HSV GTS is my current realistic dream car ROBERT DAWSON MX-S ROADSTER COUPE Kris Audi R8 looked absolutely brilliant, that will be a real winner when it lands here. The Audi TT also looked really neat. Other cars to impress were the Volvo C30 and Suzuki SX4 WRC prototype. wazza smith none sasha The Convertible Ford Focus. I simply love it. The new Fairmont Ghia was nice too. I did not like the Camry V6 sorry Avalon, sorry again, Aurion. Now I have gone and twisted my tongue. Anyone know a good tongue doctor <8>-). .... At least I can still type. The Volvo C30 was nice too as was the Land Rover Discovery. The Holden Commodores looked pretty decent although the Captiva did not captivate. Its too tall and skinny. I saw one in a shopping centre car park right next to a Territory and boy did it look like it needed some widening. I was also quite impressed with the Audi R8. The Hummer reminded me too much of the war in Iraq (I am against senseless wars). I also thought the Citroens were cool. Sean Hickey HSV GTS a true sports car at third of the price.I enjoyed the show,love to dream but quite a few people could get a GTS

Alfa Romeo stepped up straight after the Peugeot unveiling of a woman, I mean a car. A 207 apparently.

So now you can have your cake and eat it too, to put it figuratively. In other words, you can have that big, luxury four-wheel drive, without feeling too guilty. Lexus has gone a step further to practically remove that guilty complex by introducing the world's first luxury SUV hybrid. But being green and feeling good about the environment doesn't come cheap. The RX400h is the third member of the RX family and is now the range topper in terms of pricing, with a $94,100 price point, a hefty $10,000 premium on the RX350 Sports luxury. And while it's new to Australia, the RX400h has been available in the US since April last year (selling more than 33,000 vehicles), as well as in Japan. Lexus says the reason for the delay in bringing the vehicle to Australia was largely the result of unique conditions here, and the extra testing required. The RX400h uses the 155kW 3.3-litre, V6 petrol engine, which was used in the previous RX330 model. The new 3.5-litre engine in the RX350 was not available at the time of the development and world launch of this hybrid. The RX400h also uses a 123kW front electric motor and a 50kW rear-axle electric motor, with a combined reading for all three power sources of 200kW. The petrol V6 generates a maximum of 288Nm at 4500rpm, while the electric motors produce 333Nm in the front and 130Nm in the rear. All power is delivered through an electronically controlled, continuously variable transmission - which blends the electric and petrol power. On take-off, the RX400h is very quiet and smooth, using only the front and rear electric motors. But you can hear the petrol engine really kick in when more power is needed. The torque also feels like it takes a while to respond and the brakes are rather spongy, which could be attributed to the regenerative braking system. Once reaching normal driving conditions, however, the system no longer uses the rear electric motor and as with other hybrids, the petrol engine switches off when completely stopped, conserving fuel. The electric motors are available for immediate start up. Lexus claims the hybrid has a fuel consumption of 8.1-litres per 100km and on our test on a combination of busy roads and highway stretches out to Camden, it recorded an average of 8.3-litres per 100km, making it better than some four-cylinder family cars. For example, the Honda Accord Euro claims 9.1L/100km, new Toyota Camry 8.9L/100km and Mazda3 8.6L/100km. Cruising, the RX400h provides seamless driving and feels very smooth, with good handling and comfortable ride. But travelling at constant high speed, you feel like you're doing about 20km/h less than the reading on the speedo. This hybrid doesn't have that thrilling performance of the larger, more powerful engines and won't satisfy everyone. But for those wanting to save some money at the pump, and who don't mind spending the initial premium (or for those who tend to be a little green minded), the RX400h may just be the right cup of tea. The RX400h is also the first mass-production hybrid to power both axles. It has rear-wheel drive capability with an E-Four System (Electric Four Wheel Drive) activating all wheelsonly when it's needed - for instance in situations like low-speed cornering, take-off, acceleration and traction. It gains the Vehicle Dynamics Integrated Management (VDiM) over the RX350, sending more torque to the rear wheels when dangerous situations arise. The RX400h is almost identical to its siblings in the RX range in appearance, with that sophisticated shape and flowing lines, exuding style and flare. In addition, the hybrid has a new, muscular sporting front bumper as well as a large central opening to assist with the cooling of the hybrid system and a larger Lexus badge on the front. It also has a hybrid emblem. The RX400h has the same specification level as the RX350 Sports Luxury. It sits on 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, has LED rear lamps, power seats, air conditioning and leather trim. It also features Bluetooth connectivity, touch-screen satellite navigation, 11-speaker, six-disc sound system and rear-view camera, all as standard. It gains heated seats up front, leather steering wheel and metallic trim on the shifter. Rear spoiler, roof rack, rails and that sporty moonroof, add a more flavour to RX range's classy character. There are lots of elements going on and you can monitor the process on the interior display screen. And forget the traditional tachometer, as the RX400h has a power meter instead. The RX400h has seven airbags, anti-skid brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), vehicle stability control, active traction control and rear-view camera. And while the battery in the hybrid system costs around $3000 to $4000 to replace, Lexus claims it has a life of more than 10 years. It expects sales of around 50 per month, with 200 orders taken, and is available from October 16. FAST FACTS Lexus RX400h Price: $94,100 Engine: 3.3-litre, V6 petrol engine, 155kW@5600rpm, 288Nm@4400rpm, front electric motor, 123kW@4500rpm, 333Nm@0-1500rpm, rear-axle electric motor, 50kW@4610-5120rpm, 130Nm@0-610rpm Transmission: electrically controlled continuously variable transmission Fuel: 60-litre tank, consumption 8.3L/100km (as tested) OTHER HYBRIDS Honda Civic Hybrid Price: $31,990 Body: 4-door sedan Engine: 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder, 85kW@6000rpm, 170Nm@2500rpm Fuel: 4.6L/100km combined claimed Toyota Prius Price: $37,000 Body: 4-door sedan Engine: 1.5-litre petrol; 57kW@5000rpm, 115Nm@4000rpm; electric motor 50kW between 1200 and 1540rpm, max power restricted to 82kW, combined torque 478Nm Fuel: 4.4L/100km combined claimed Lexus GS450h Hybrid Price: $121,990 Body: 4-door sedan Engine: 3.5-litre V6 petrol electric motor, 218kW@6400rpm, (V6) and 147kW (electric), 368Nm@4800rpm (V6) and 275Nm (electric) Fuel: 7.9L/100km combined, claimed

It's hard sell, but Lexus thinks it can convince enough buyers to move into its new 400h. The 400h is the hybrid version of the RX350 and commands a $10,000 premium over the Sports Luxury petrol RX or a tick under $20,000 for the entry Sports RX. So the recommended retail of $94,100 is a fair sting for what is essentially a compact luxury SUV. Despite the cost drawbacks of wanting to go green Lexus says it has three months worth of orders and figures the 400h will account for about 20 per cent (1500 cars) of the RX volume in Australia next year. Since it first went on sale in the US in April last year 33,000 have been sold which accounts for 22 per cent of total RX sales. The 400h is based on the superseded 3.3-litre petrol engine which made way for the 3.5-litre RX350. Lexus says the new engine was unavailable for the world launch last year. The 400h joins Toyota's Prius and the Lexus GS450h sedan and Honda Civic hybrid as the list of petrol/electric vehicles grows in Australia. Next year Lexus will launch the world's first petrol/electric V8 hybrid, the LS600hL. So what are the benefits of having such an SUV wagon? Lower fuel consumption (8.1litres/100km), reasonable performance and vastly lower emissions (192grams/km) which on Lexus's figures is about 58 per cent of those of the nearest similar petrol engine. The hybrid incorporates three electric motors/generators while a compound planetary gear set in the transaxle acts as a power splitting device and electronically controlled continuously variable transmission to drive the front wheels. The front and rear main electric motors are used for normal starts and when more urge is required the third electric motor fires up the petrol engine which works in tandem with the other two electric motors. As in existing hybrid cars, the petrol engine switches off when the vehicle stops while the electric motors are ready for starts. Using the brakes makes the two main electric motors act as generators which help slow the vehicle down and send electric power to the battery. The Electronic Continously Variable Transmission is the essence of the hybrid which links the two 650-volt electric motor/generators and the petrol engine through the planetary gear set. Even the air-conditioning can be powered by electricity when the petrol engine is not functioning, as in stopping at traffic lights. The petrol V6 engine provides 155kW of power and 288Nm of torque while the main front electric motor generates 123kW and 333Nm. The rear electric motor is good for 50kW and 130Nm. The total system (petrol/electric) puts out 200kW with the petrol component driving the car and driving the third motor/generator to charge the battery. Lexus claim the 400h gives the luxury arm of Toyota a point of difference in the showroom. Already the Lexus GS450h powered by a mix of electric power and the 3.5-litre petrol engine is exceeding sales of the diesel BMW 530i and Jaguar S-Type turbo diesel. Lexus says the 400h has the advantage over diesels in that there is no mess at the bowser and there is no need for particulate filters. ON THE ROAD THERE are no compromises with the RX 400h something Lexus knows is vital to the market. Whereas there are compromises with diesel cars in terms of messy, smelly bowsers and soot filter replacement there is no such baggage with hybrids. About the only known hiccup is battery life. The 400h uses three electric motors and while there is no hard and fast evidence, Lexus says the life expectancy is more than 10 years. Lexus is unsure about battery life because it says it hasn't had to replace one. A replacement battery would be around $3000-$4000 but probably would be an issue for a used buyer. Inside the three-binnacle display remains except a power meter replace the tacho on the left. Surprisingly the 400h is a little soft on take off despite the factory claiming 7.6sec for 0-100km/h. There is not as much launch as one would anticipate particularly as take-off is powered by the electric motors which develop maximum torque at stall. And if you mash the accelerator everything starts to get a bit noisy, another surprise when Lexus is known for its refinement. On the drive in suburban Sydney and out to Camden in the south-west, the brake pedal felt a little soft and spongy, perhaps a result of the regenerative set-up of the stoppers. Once the 400h finds its legs and is up and running all is fine. The rolling performance is as good as any Lexus. The RX 400h shares a lot of kit with the RX 350 Sports Luxury version like 18-inch alloys, bluetooth, rear view camera and rear guide assist, touch-screen navigation and a fancy 11-speaker Mark Levinson sound system. What it gains over the RX 350 Sports Luxury is the VDiM (Vehicle Dynamics integrated Management System) which tells the rear electric motor to provide torque to the rear wheels to maintain stability, seat heaters up front, leather steering wheel instead of woodgrain and metallic trim on the shifter and surrounds as well as centre console. On the 70km launch drive with two up fuel consumption was 8.3-litres/100km from a best just below 8-litres to a touch over 8.5-litres. But fuel consumption is not the decisive factor in the buying decision. It is only a part of the picture, emissions and a machine which is seen to be a bit mean around town yet remains green is the essence of why people will ante up almost $100,000 for an electrified Lexus.

Remember Betamax video recorders, those lumbering, top-loading titans of terminal technology? They went from old hat to dead format in the blink of an eye. Now picture the Lexus GS450h, a car that may just be the equivalent of a $121,900 Betamax recorder. Well, that's not entirely fair, because the Lexus will still provide transport and be able to burn reasonably common fuel (albeit of the premium kind), even if Toyota's hybrid drive petrol-electric engine system doesn't turn out to be the dominant technology of the fuel-frugality years we're entering. And while the GS450h is certainly big and heavy, it's not quite as ugly as a Betamax. In fact, the car passed the servo test with honours. One smitten BP worker even described it as beautiful, despite what I argued with him were portly, American proportions and a hunched back. Looks aside, the appeal of this Lexus is billboard-simple to define: “V8 performance with four-cylinder economy”. Sure enough, during a week of varied driving, the GS averaged between an impressive 8.5 and a reasonable 10.1 litres per 100km. But its range, off a 65-litre tank of pricey PULP, was just over 500km. Compare this to the diesel option. Our recent, long-term BMW 530d (packing an in-line, six-cylinder turbo diesel) returned a best figure of 5.7 litres per100km, with a range of 935km off a single tank of farmer's fuel. It was also far more lively to drive, handled in a whole different class — and had a boot. The Lexus looks like it has one, but open the lid and you realise it's an optical illusion. Those big ol' batteries under the rear seat take up all the space. And you can have the Bavarian brute for just $114,500. As far as performance goes, the Lexus may be quick — with a claimed zero-to-100km/h time under six seconds — but doesn't feel like it. The hybrid uses a dual-VVT-i direct-injection, 3.5-litre V6 that produces 216kW, mated to a 147kW permanent-magnet electric motor. Its theoretical combined power output is 253kW. In terms of torque, the petrol motor hits its 368Nm peak at 4800rpm, while the electric one offers 275Nm from the get-go. This means you not only have good off-the-line grunt, but handy overtaking thrust. Indeed, driven enthusiastically, and with all its sport settings switched on, the GS450h will get up and boogie. But the main impression you get is that this is a heavy car rather than a dashing one. That isn't surprising, as the Lexus weighs in on the wrong side of 1800kg. I may not be a rocket scientist, or even a white-coat wearer from the Pond's Institute, but if you're trying to build an economical car of the future, making it lighter than a tank seems wise. The sensation of weight counts against the GS450h on tight, rough roads, where it crashes and shakes, while understeering with its big nose and fighting a tail-shaking battle with the traction control at the rear end. Still, it's a classy-feeling piece of kit and it boasts an excellent interior. The GS is far more at home on good surfaces, tackling smooth sweepers and freeway driving with consummate ease. And it's freakishly quiet. Compared with the pudgy Prius, this hybrid is in a different league. I could actually live with it if I had to, whereas I'd choose public transport (or two feet and a heartbeat) over a Prius. But with a massive Lexus price tag, and not such a large range, you have to wonder who's going to want to buy it off you in a few years — particularly if hybrid technology goes Betamax on you. And while I didn't set out to compare this car to the 5 Series diesel, I couldn't get it out of my mind that the latter is a more realistic, and more enjoyable, way to save on fuel while still looking rich and executorial. The only argument left in the Lexus's favour is that it produces fewer emissions than any diesel or unleaded-fuel car. Much like the Prius, or plastic surgery, people are being asked to spend a hell of a lot of money just to feel good about themselves.

Show organisers have changed the format this year to expand the offerings that they see as competing with a range of cultural activities offered around Sydney. "The Australian Motor Show is the second largest event in New South Wales after the Easter Show," said spokesman Mark Mathot. "We’ve really had to think about how we can maintain a large scale event that appeals to revheads, families, and people from all walks of life," he said. More than $1.5 million has been spent on marketing and promotion of the new show, which is up 15 per cent on last year’s budget. Last year’s pioneering success of webcasting the show will continue again, with eight hours of live car releases shown via the new website at www.australianmotorshow.com. The website is also selling show tickets for the first time, and offering quicker entry to those who prepurchase online. There will also be video interviews with industry commentators, car executives and designers available on the internet. The Great Outdoors The show is also expanding outside the Darling Harbour Exhibition Hall due to more car makers wanting greater space for the show. Forty three individual brands have confirmed attendance, plus a small area dedicated to retail accessories. Outdoor activities will range from events around Darling Harbour and the CBD. "Family Day" is set for November 14 and will feature Australian Idol finalists on a stage sponsored by Mazda. Printed balloons, jugglers, face painting and Geoff Giraffe will also be there with giveaways for young ones. A 4WD track has also been set up outdoors, and Toyota and VW have booked extensive outdoor stands to show certain types of vehicles such as 4WDs and Kombis. Sydney Model Autosports will host model car races of miniature Lamborghini’s, Ferrari’s, Porsche’s and more at lunchtimes in Martin Place. New stuff A new addition inside the Exhibition Hall is the Australian Scooter Federation. The ASF is holding a rally with a demonstration of member’s scooter on a large area in Hall 6. Shannons Unique Vintage cars will also be in Hall 6, plus the Edag concept car and Western Sydney international dragway exhibits. The usual half-a-dozen or so new car launches, concept cars, and prototype production vehicles will feature at the show, although car makers are being tightlipped about those until the day for maximum impact. Key among the new offerings is a week-long fashion parade – designed specifically to entice more women to the show. The motor industry has long had an association with fashion as leading designers often assist with car interiors and vehicle launches. Mercedes also sponsors Australian Fashion Week, recently held in Sydney. The second week of the motor show will feature two fashion parades each day at 6.30pm and 7pm from Monday to Friday. "There will be one designer per car maker for the five day parade," said event organiser Carlene Clarke. "Brands have aligned with designers that they think create fashion which best reflects the values offered with their cars," Clarke said. Audi has hooked up with Herringbone. Lexus has Carla Zampatti. Saab and Nicola Fenetti will be an item. Alfa Romeo and Roberto Pierucci are together, and VW will be joined by Zimmermann. Big issues Amidst the razzle dazzle of new metal and fashion parades, there will be one clear theme emerging from the makers showcasing their newest cars: Fuel technology. It’s the first opportunity that car makers have had to seriously offer cleaner fuel variants, according to Peter Sturrock, CEO of Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI). "Australia this year got an upgrade to a higher standard of diesel fuel that is more aligned with Japan and Europe. "There is significant interest in engine technology and the types of fuel that new cars can now offer and you’ll see cleaner fuel cars being demonstrated by Peugeot, Alfa Romeo, Volvo, Audi, Mazda, Honda, Saab and many others. The cars will have a much more advanced engines, with better performance in terms of driveability, power, speed and fuel consumption – but also with much cleaner emissions," Sturrock said. "It’s the first time these cars will have been shown in Australia. LPG, diesel, biodiesel, ethanol, hybrid petrol-electric…you name it and you will see the largest range of fuel types being brought to market this year. "The show is critical to showcasing these new fuel technologies to show people what each brand is bringing to the Australian market," Sturrock said. Hybrid petrol-electrics have had only modest success in the past five years, but Sturrock said this year’s show will see brands heavily promote these cars. "We’ve seen rapid growth from Toyota, Lexus and Honda with these types of cars," he said. "The hybrids use petrol to accelerate the car, but rely on an electric charge generated by the car’s speed to produce braking. That way you only use half the fuel and that’s something Australians are thinking about a lot at the moment." Sturrock said he still didn’t know what the "hero car" would be at the show, but said this year’s show was particularly important for three new local cars: Holden’s VE Commodore, Toyota’s Camry, plus the six-cylinder Toyota Aurion that is scheduled for release in October. "These three cars make this show significant because of the export opportunities," Sturrock said. "Toyota and Holden are aggressively looking to expand their exports to the Middle East, Asia, South Africa and South America, and this show forms part of the strategy for some of those initiatives."

Lexus Australia had planned to launch the all-new LS460 in November, without a raft of luxury features available in other markets. While the Australian cars would have had the unique eight-speed automatic gearbox, they would have come without active damping, air suspension and the trick variable gear ratio steering standard in most world markets. It is now likely that a full-fruit LS460 will launch alongside the LS600hL - the long-wheelbase V12 hybrid limousine around March. "It is imperative that LS460 and LS600hL both launch with significant feature advantages," Lexus Australia divisional manager Scott Grant says. "The LS460 introduced in Australia must be equal in specification to that in all world markets." If that is the case then the radar-based active cruise control and lane shift warning systems - both of which had been trimmed from the LS460 for the original Australian models - should be back in the mix. Company insiders say the decision to delay the arrival of the car until a fully-specified model is available came "right from the top" of Lexus Australia.

The Lexus SC430, the drop-top coupe from the Japanese luxury brand, has just picked up knee-protection airbags. BMW is touting the night-vision system in its flagship cars and the Honda Legend comes with an active all-wheel-drive system. It all sounds great if you have at least $80,000 in your new-car kick, but there are bigger benefits than a few cashed-up car owners with new bells and whistles. What they are driving today will eventually be fitted to ordinary cars for ordinary showroom shoppers. There was a time when only the most exotic cars had electric windows and mirrors, but now they are common. Parking sensors is still considered a semi-luxury feature, but is standard on the $13,990 Proton Savvy. We should all be keeping an eye on breakthroughs at brands such as Mercedes-Benz, which led the car world into the anti-skid braking era in 1978 - when only planes had the systems. It has recently previewed a range of safety systems that will trickle down to the rest of the car business. Its "Pre-safe" innovation, which senses an impending crash and moves the seats back and pre-sets the airbags and belt tensioners, is one of the best. Mercedes-Benz Australia says Night Vision Assist has been a hit this year, even if it is only available on the super-luxury S-Class - starting price $187,900 - and is pushing ahead with the second generation of its radar cruise system. "More than one-third of our S-Class customers have taken Night Vision Assist. That's about 170 cars since the start of the year," Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman David McCarthy says. But it's not cheap. "It's $4090 on the S-350 and $3590 on the S-500. It's standard on the S-600," he says. But that figure will fall as technology and mass production cut the unit costs. "People recognise the benefits of technology from a safety perspective and it also makes driving less stressful. That's the same whether it is night vision or parking radar or Distronic Plus cruise control," McCarthy says. The latest version of Distronic will be available soon. It intervenes with more braking power if a vehicle ahead slows suddenly and can also bring a Benz to a complete stop and keep pace with stop-start traffic. And what's around the corner? Better radar parking systems, for a start, which tap into the low-speed engineering in the new version of Distronic. Benz is working on more and better airbags, with fuel-cell electric cars also on the program.

"We see it as a segment buster," Grant says. "It competes against nothing because there is nothing like it available." Lexus has dubbed the petrol-electric RX as a "luxury performance hybrid SUV", making it the second new hybrid model after the GS450h to sport a Lexus badge this year. "Final specifications for the car are still under discussion but it will arrive as a true Lexus," Grant insists. "We always strive to get as much specification as possible in a simplistic model line-up at a realistic price point." While conceding some may see it as odd that the RX400h uses the old 3.3-litre V6 from the superceded RX330 rather than the all-new 3.5-litre from the new RX350, Grant says it is fully consistent with Lexus development policy. "These sorts of product discussions are continuous," Grant says. "The next step in this line of hybrid development may be a larger petrol engine but just as easily it could be a smaller, more efficient petrol engine and a more powerful electric motor to increase power output. "It is an open-ended discussion and really there is no set-in-stone policy direction." Rated a SULEV (Super Low Emissions Vehicle) in the US, the RX400h will carry a fuel economy rating for Australia of 8.1 litres per 100km, which is 3.0 litres per 100km more efficient than the all-petrol RX350. The technology is along the same development lines as the GS450h and the luxo-pack LS600h long wheelbase which will go on sale in Australia early next year. The main power source is the 3.3-litre DOHC V6 modified slightly from its RX330 incarnation to produce 155kW. That drive is enhanced by a bank of three electric motors which feed in extra drive when demanded by the car's ECUs. While the full available powers from petrol and electric sources — the 298kW (400hp) that the car is named for — are never available at the same time, the hybrid RX is rated at 200kW with the extra urge obvious at launch and when called on for overtaking. The power split from the electric motors is an additional 123kW to the front wheels from one motor and another 50kW to the rear wheels from a second. The third motor starts the petrol engine (which shuts down at stoplights), regulates the continuously variable transmission's ratios and generates electricity. When called on for maximum acceleration, the RX400h gets away from standstill with V8-like urgency. Lexus Australia claims it will put the 0-100km/h sprint behind in a creditable 7.9 seconds, although figures out of the US suggest closer to 7.3 seconds for the sprint. In common with other Toyota and Lexus hybrids the system collects energy from regenerative braking, storing the harvested electricity in the bank of nickel-metal-hydride batteries hidden away under the floor behind the rear seats. Acceleration is seamless, aided in no small part by the CVT which is in sharp contrast with the rather coarse note of the 3.3-litre engine. The dash layout is in keeping with other hybrids with engaging displays illustrating the ebb and flow of electric energy to and from the drive wheels. In place of a tachometer there is a largely-for-show power-usage display that can be effectively monitored only at the cost of not watching the road. Do hybrids have a future in Australia? carsguide.com.au