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Winding Road

Japan Report: Our Man In Nihon Attends Lexus’ LS600h Debut

Written By: Peter Nunn

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Japan has become the first market to get the mighty Lexus LS600h and long wheelbase LS600hL hybrid sedans.

In a lavish ceremony, the two cars were introduced to the Japanese press by Toyota president Katsuaki Watanabe, who also confirmed Lexus wants to sell 7000 units by the end of this year: 4000 in Japan, the rest overseas.

With their groundbreaking 5.0-liter hybrid all-wheel drive technology, the two Lexus titans hold down a unique place in Japan’s automotive culture, in more ways than one.

While the “base” LS600h kicks off at ¥9.7 million (some $80,000), the stretched, full-house LS600h with optional separate rear seat package goes all the way up to ¥15.1 million ($125,000, or thereabouts), making it the most costly Japan-made car ever and biggest ticket Lexus until, one imagines, the LF-A super coupe shows up.

Though the LS600h is neither light nor cheap…

(more after the jump)

…it does return 28.7 miles-per-gallon, versus the 21.4 mpg of the normal LS460 in Japan’s fuel cycle. The hybrid system produces a combined 445 brake-horsepower, and the whole idea is 6-liter performance but 3-liter economy and emissions.

And Toyota’s hybrid curve continues to point just one way. Watanabe told the press that Toyota sold 312,000 hybrids worldwide in the last business year. The new target for 2007-2008 is 430,000 units and then 1 million per year by the early 2010s.

To get there, Toyota’s hybrid line-up is set to double from today’s seven to 14 models and Toyota wants to slash the cost of developing/producing hybrids by 50 percent.

Anyone doubt that Toyota won’t get there? Anyone feeling lucky?

ls600h-launch-in-tokyo-2.jpg

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3 Comments

Don May 31st, 2007 4:24 PM Link

$100,000 dollars worth of boring!

jeffD May 31st, 2007 6:32 PM Link

Thank heavens someone is showing the way. I can totally understand why fuel prices are rocketing as the fuel companies know what’s coming down the pike, and they know, maybe in a decade or two, there will be less gas stations that serve just gas, in our life time a gas station will need to supply multitude of fuels. The Fuel companies know that this could be their last good grasp at serious profit -money grabbing- gouging.

In the end it will be known as a self-fulfilling prophecy. We start to think we need alternatives, the fuel companies get worried, and raise fuel prices to make more money to see them through the tough times coming, this causes more re-thinking on fuel, they raise more prices, then we see the enormous profit the groups are making using every little hiccup in the world as an excuse to raise the fuel prices, and then their fear is realised when we all start buying more and more fuel efficient cars, and alternate fueled cars. I wonder if they actually see it that way, or if there trying to slow down fuel consumption by raising the prices to make it last. In the end of course, companies like Toyota will hold station and sell lots of cars. Another fact is fossil fuel is self-regenerating. As we use it, it does, to a small extent, recoup some of the amount that we take out. Just not enough to totally regenerate itself.

JD

John June 2nd, 2007 1:03 AM Link

Don, does the man look exciting?
His ears will burst if he hears noise!
His back will break if the car doesn’t absorb the bump!
His biceps will tear if the steering wheel is to heavy to turn!

This car is made for men like him.
And women.

And in America, where life expectancy is sky high, there are many men and women like him.

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