Lexus LS 2007 News

Lexus is debuting its new intelligent park assist system at the Australian International Motor Show, with demonstrations showing how the car can take control and park itself. It is the first time the system is available on a production vehicle in Australia, although the technology has previously been seen overseas in a Toyota Prius. In Australia, the system is currently standard on the recently released Lexus LS460 and it will also be a feature on the soon-to-be-released hybrid, the LS600hL. But saving face doesn't come cheap. The new hybrid will carry around a $250,000 price tag, which also includes reclining ottoman seats in the rear. And the LS460 is already available for about $185,000. The system uses a rear camera and ultrasonic sensors to identify parking spaces; then calculates the correct steering angle to guide you into the chosen spot. Steering is controlled automatically and all the driver needs to worry about is controlling speed by using the brake. Lexus Australia advertising and PR manager Matt Tannock said; one of the key benefits of the self-parking system is customers don't have to worry about damaging their car while parking. And while it is currently only available in the two models, Mr Tannock said customer demand will determine if it becomes an industry standard and even spreads to other manufacturers. “The whole idea of taking your hands off the wheel and reverse parking a vehicle would be understandably different from any normal driving experience,” he said. “Once customers observe the IPA and understand how it can benefit them, there is no doubt demand for such technology will become standard in the future.” And while there is a lot of technology that can be found at the Motor Show in the 500 different models on display, this is the only one where you can see it in action, with demonstrations held every hour for the duration of the show. And it has been attracting plenty of curious onlookers during the week, although some are a little cynical. Fay Sheeley from Victoria was skeptical, saying that if you can not back your vehicle car into a parking spot, you really should not have your licence. Monique Selton, who does the parking demonstrations at the Motor Show for Lexus, said the system was easy to use and very practical. The LS600hL in which the parking technology features, is the world's first petrol-electric V8 hybrid and equals a V12 in performance. And it does so without costing a fortune at the pump. It has the fuel economy of a medium-sized car and its claimed consumption is just 9.3-litres per 100km. The new intelligent park assist technology is on display in the LS600hL at the Lexus stand. Tonight the show focus swings to fashion with the first of three nights of parades. Designer Ruby Smallbone will showing a collection at the Peugeot stand from 6.30pm. The Australian International Motor Show is on until 21 October 2007.   How it works The driver slowly drives past an intended parking space The sonar sensors detect the available space before stopping just beyond the space. Driver shifts into reverse gear and selects the parallel parking option. It calculates both the parking trajectory and required steering angle, while a view of the target car park is projected on to the centre console's touch-screen. The driver then activates the system by releasing the brake pedal and the car begins reversing at a slow speed. The system monitors vehicle speed and automatically controls the electric power steering to guide the vehicle into the parking spot. It automatically controls the steering but the driver controls the speed and stopping of the vehicle using the brake pedal.  

To be launched here later this month, the car was chosen from a list of 28 nominated by journalists from 22 countries including Australia. The announcement was made at the New York International Auto Show. Jurors considered the LS 460 to be “classically luxurious, with modern execution, unquestioned quality and more than ample power”. A green alternative, the LS 600h hybrid will be released later this year. Cars are judged on a number of criteria including styling, quality, performance and safety. The top three contenders were the Lexus, Audi TT and the Mini. The TT won the design award, while Audi's RS4 won the performance car trophy and Mercedes-Benz E320 BLUETEC won the green car award. First winner of the three-year-old award was the Audi A6 in 2005, followed last year by the BMW 3 Series.

Where manufacturers have previously pursued one environmental solution, most are now embracing multiple strategies to the high-profile problem.GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner best summed up the industry's new multi-pronged environmental strategy as energy diversity.He referred to alternate energy sources such as electricity, ethanol, biofuels, compressed natural gas, hydrogen and combinations of these working happily together in the same vehicle.Wagoner says GM will also continue to seek improved efficiency from internal combustion petrol and diesel engines and expand its commitment to electric power.GM will introduce a test fleet of 100 hydrogen-powered Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell vehicles in the US this year and 10 in Europe, he says.Other car companies working on alternate powertrain solutions, such as Kia, also pledged to introduce test fleets, particularly for government evaluation.The first of GM's new energy strategies to be introduced in Australia could be the extension of the Saab Biopower range from the 9-5 to the 9-3 model range, including vehicles running on 100 per cent biofuel.GM has also developed a new cleaner turbo diesel V6 engine which could power the new Holden VE Commodore.Wagoner confirmed that the 184kW 2.9-litre Italian-made engine would be compatible with the VE chassis, but he could not confirm its application in the Australian market. A GM Holden spokesman says the company will consider the engine.Mercedes-Benz has started its push to clean up diesel emissions with a detox system called BlueTec. It is claimed to reduce nitrous-oxides (NOX) from the exhaust by up to 90 per cent compared with previous diesels.The German firm has introduced BlueTec in its upper-luxury E320 sedan in the US market and will follow that up with three more models next year. The E320 and the follow-up R320 people mover, ML320 SUV and GL320 4WD will be released in Europe in 2008 and are expected here later in 2008 or early 2009.Volkswagen showed a Passat and a Polo with the technology, the latter capable of a low 102g of CO2 and greatly reduced NOX.Japanese makers are aggressively pushing hybrids. They are led in this by Lexus, which announced it is making more hybrids combining electric motors with petrol engine models than conventional petrol-fuelled vehicles.Geneva launched the Lexus LS600h luxury saloon that it claims has the power of a V12 with the economy of a V6. It has a V8 petrol engine combined with an electric motor to deliver 327kW. Yet Lexus claims the lavishly-equipped saloon will get an average fuel consumption of only 9.5-l/100km while having a CO2 emission level of less than 220g.Toyota showed a hybrid concept sedan, the Hybrid X, that is more a styling exercise than a mechanical marvel. Then there is the Toyota FT-HS hybrid sports car that combines a 3.5-litre petrol V6 with an electric motor; a car that doesn't ignore performance or style.But while Europe is going diesel and Japan is leaning towards hybrids, there is some blurring of technologies.Honda announced a NOX-depleting system similar to BlueTec and says it will be fitted to its diesel-powered cars. It plans to launch its new diesels within three years, first in the US and later in Europe and Australia.At the same time, Honda says it will make its fuel-cell electric car available to selected buyers by next year, making it likely to be the world's first car maker to make a production fuel cell passenger car.The new Honda, which uses hydrogen gas and air to produce electricity to power electric motors, is based on its long-standing FCX concept vehicle.To keep its feet in all camps, Honda plans to introduce a small-car hybrid that is currently in concept form.The Small Hybrid Sport shows that even hybrids can be fun and sexy.Subaru unveiled its 2-litre turbo-diesel engine that will go into European models later this year but won't come to Australia until at least late 2008. It is Subaru's first diesel and has been devised to improve sales in diesel-crazy Europe.Meanwhile, BMW and DaimlerChrysler have announced they will join forces to create a new hybrid system for the premium car segment.Both companies plan on introducing the new technology into rear-wheel-drive models within the next three years.A BMW spokesman says the technologies will be tailored to fit the specific character of the different vehicles.And, two battery city cars were among the show oddities, including the Zebra which was painted like animal fur.

Nine stars of the Melbourne International Motor Show took a quick spin from City Hall to Federation Square to rev the city up for tomorrow evening's big opening at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre.Led by a beefy Chrysler 300C police car, about $2 million worth of auto exotica cruised down Swanston St.Lord Mayor John So rode James Bond-style in a $360,000 Aston Martin DB9 Volante convertible.Immediately behind him was a Bentley Continental GTC convertible worth $400,000, but even that was trumped moments later by a Ferrari 599 GTB, costing $600,000.Others in the column included a Maserati Quattroporte, the new convertibles from Volkswagen and Volvo, and a top-of-the-range Lexus LS460.Most unusual was the Bonning B3 three-wheeler, the personal project of designer and artist Brad Bonning.But there would be plenty more to see at the show itself, said the extravaganza's director, Russ Tyrie."That's just to give people a taste of what they will see on Friday," Mr Tyrie said."The parade is a great way to bring the show to Melbourne and to give people an idea of what an exciting and dynamic thing the car industry is."The covers will come off quite a few new cars at the show."With some of them it's going to be as much a surprise to us as it will to everyone else."

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.

AUDIThe much-anticipated second generation of the Audi TT Coupe made its public debut at this week's New York International Auto show. Audi Australia spokeswoman Anna Burgdorf says the new TT will be in showrooms here before the end of the year.The new TT features Audi's new magnetic ride-damper system, which uses metal particles suspended in the damper oil and electric current to provide variable damping. The car is also longer and wider than its predecessor while retaining the sleek lines pioneered in the original TT Coupe.DAIMLER CHRYSLERChrysler will unveil the stretched version of its popular 300C sedan. The extended wheelbase adds 150mm to the length while the rear seat environment has been enhanced with illuminated writing tables, more power outlets, footrests and custom-paint colours. Chrysler expects the 300C long wheelbase to attract interest from the limousine industry, as well as retail customers. Its arrival date in Australia is still uncertain.DaimlerChrysler has also showcased the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, claimed by Jeep to be the most spacious ever offered. Also on the stand is the compact Jeep Patriot.The Dodge Caliber will bring the Dodge badge back to Australia and will provide a second passenger stream for Chrysler. It will arrive in Australia for sale mid year. Dodge plans to release a new vehicle in Australia approximately every six months for the next three years.MERCEDESThe mildly face-lifted E-Class with engine revamps will make its way to Australia in September or October. Other vehicles on display include the R-Class, which had its Sydney launch this week and G-Class, due in Australia in November.HONDAThe next generation of the Honda MDX large four-wheel-drive, sold as Acura in the US, is on show as a concept car. It is expected to be a pointer to the production model that will go on sale in the US later this year.Honda is not giving away much about the second-generation MDX model, which it says is designed, developed and will be built in North America. The current MDX started as a left-hand-drive-only model, but after sufficient lobbying, Honda agreed to build right-hand-drive models for Japan and Australia. Honda Australia says it doesn't know if the second-generation MDX will be made in right-hand-drive but hopes it will be.It is keen to keep the prestige MDX in its line-up because the big crossover wagon, which is about the same size as a Ford Territory, added 829 sales to its tally last year.SUZUKIThe Suzuki SX-4 – a joint Suzuki-Fiat enterprise – is set to be released to markets outside Europe in the coming months. Suzuki Australia will not officially commit the car to Australia but privately is understood to be anxious to add it to the marque's limited garage.The latest generation of the large XL-7 will not make it to Australia with a decision having been taken last year to phase the model out of local sales.FERRARILaunched at the Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari's 599 GTB has embarked on its world tour. Described as the company's most powerful V12 production car, the innovative and technologically advanced performance star is expected to make its first appearance in Australia at the Sydney motor show in October.MAZDAMazda has unveiled the CX-9, a seven-seat crossover sport-utility vehicle. Its arrival in Australia is still uncertain, with Mazda assessing the possibility of making the vehicle available in right-hand drive and getting it to market at a competitive price. Also on the stand – and confirmed for Australia – are the mid-sized crossover CX-7 and MazdaSpeed3 (badged as the Mazda3 MPS for Australia).LEXUSThe LS600h, which Lexus claims will be the world's first vehicle to feature a full hybrid V8 engine, has been unveiled in New York.This new version of its flagship will be available in Australia only in long wheelbase, and is due to be launched in the first half of 2007. Lexus claims the car will be economical for such a large body, averaging 14 litres/100km.PONTIACOne highlight of the New York showcars not destined for Australia is the G6 GXP concept car. It features Pontiac's distinctive nose also seen on the US-version of the now-defunct Holden Monaro. This concept car has 19-inch wheels and boasts a 200kW, 3.9-litre V6 engine.Which of these cars excites you?