Autoblog

Lexus LS 600h L Landaulet for Monaco Royal Wedding blows our minds [w/videos]

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Sedan, Lexus, Luxury

Lexus LS 600h L Landaulet - Click above for high-res image gallery

Staffers here at Autoblog have been fortunate enough to drive cars like the Porsche Panamera and Bentley Continental at our weddings, but it takes a very high-ranking person to get an automaker to build a special vehicle just for the knot-tying ceremonies. His Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco is getting married in just over a week, and when he does, Lexus will have this very special LS 600h L Landaulet waiting to handle chauffeur duty.

Yes, it's being called a Landaulet - you know, like the Maybach - but instead of the rear seat passengers being completely alfresco, there's a transparent bubble roof, in this case, one without any reinforcements or pillars. Lexus says that the roof was built by one of the world's leading transparent component-production companies in France. The entire Landaulet conversion was handled by Belgian coachbuilder Carat Duchatelet in close collaboration with Lexus, and it took just over 2,000 hours to complete. Even the Midnight Blue livery paint is a special touch - it was applied manually using several coats of bespoke, water-based paint.

After checking out the high-res gallery below, hit the jump to see four short videos detailing the LS 600h L Landaulet's production and read over the official press release.

Continue reading Lexus LS 600h L Landaulet for Monaco Royal Wedding blows our minds [w/videos]

Lexus LS 600h L Landaulet for Monaco Royal Wedding blows our minds [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus issues stop-sale, recall on LS 460 and LS 600h

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 24 May 2010 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Lexus, Luxury

True to predictions, The Detroit News is reporting that Lexus has issued a stop sale on its LS 460 and LS 600h (standard and long-wheelbase) luxury sedans due to a problem with the electronic steering system that can temporarily cause the steering wheel to become off-centered. Apparently, the wheel will return to its correct position after about five seconds of misalignment. Toyota issued a recall on Friday, May 21st to address the defect. Click here to see the recall notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Although Toyota has reportedly fixed the problem on new models rolling down the assembly lines in Japan, those recalibrated machines are not expected to hit dealership lots in America until the middle of June. In the meantime, the 3,800 or so owners of affected 2009 and 2010 LS sedans are being urged to avoid turning the steering wheel rapidly after holding it in full lock in the opposite direction.

We would imagine that there are certain scenarios where following such advice may prove difficult to follow, but Toyota is so far reporting that no injuries or accidents have been caused by the issue.

[Source: The Detroit News]

Lexus issues stop-sale, recall on LS 460 and LS 600h originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 24 May 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking for $10k off on a Lexus or Caddy? High-priced hybrids reportedly getting hefty incentives

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Sedan, SUV, Cadillac, Lexus, Luxury

2009 Lexus LS 600h L Pebble Beach Edition - Click above for high-res image gallery

Surprise! Lexus and its parent company, Toyota, are apparently finding that it's not as easy selling $106,000 hybrids as it is for $25,000. The Lexus LS 600h L is certainly an excellent piece of automotive engineering, delivering gobs of horsepower and torque with at least a modicum of efficiency thrown in for good measure.

Still, sales of the LS range are down over 50%, leading the the Japanese auto giant to place a whopping $10,000 cash incentive on its range-topping hybrid model. Moving down the Lexus lineup a notch will net you a $3,000 incentive on the GS 450h. What's more, Edmunds' Auto Observer reports that the company is throwing another $1,000 at any Lexus sales associate that manages to sell one of its pricey hybrids.

Not into expensive hybrid sedans? How 'bout we move to the opposite end of the fuel-saving market and into the driver's seat of a 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid. Signing on the dotted line for General Motors' top-of-the-line 2Mode hybrid 'ute will cost you from about $73,000 to over $87,000... minus a five-digit discount, of course. Such a deal!

Gallery: 2009 Pebble Beach Edition LS 600h L

[Source: Auto Observer]

Looking for $10k off on a Lexus or Caddy? High-priced hybrids reportedly getting hefty incentives originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lexus exceeds LS600h sales target by three hundred percent

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:27:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Sedan, Green, Lexus

Remember when the Lexus LS 600h was on the way, and there was head-scratching aplenty about the $100K+ price and the delay? At the time, Lexus said it only planned to sell 2,000 of the hybrid cruisers per year, and that they already had orders for 1,650 of them. Then the car came out, and in spite of being treated rather unkindly by the motoring press and boasting a less-than-stellar MPG improvement, it has sold 6,093 worldwide through October. The car only went on sale in July.

Lexus calls the car the "progressive person's alternative." The New York Times called the car the "new standard for automotive hyperbole." After only a few months of sales, it is far too early to call -- but it would be interesting to see if Lexus has done the same thing with the LS that Toyota did with the Prius: no matter what you might think of it, it allows people to make a statement.

While Mercedes and Audi are busy working on... something, and hydrogen BMWs shuttle celebs hither, Lexus has a car on lots that lets luxury buyers make the claim, "I care." (Remember, this isn't about what you think of the statement, so keep the comments civil.) Whichever one the buyers are going for -- progressive, hyperbole, statement, or something else -- it appears to be working.

[Source: AutoblogGreen]

Lexus exceeds LS600h sales target by three hundred percent originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York Auto Show: 2008 Lexus LS 600h L

Eric Bryant — Wed, 12 Apr 2006 15:27:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Green, Japan, Technology, Lexus

With obvious intentions of dominating the luxury sedan market, Lexus has infused its updated LS four-door with something that no competitor can provide - a V8 full hybrid drivetrain.

Based on a five-liter direct injection V8 engine, the Lexus Hybrid Drive adds a pair of high-power electric motors and a two-stage "electronic continuously variable transmission" to produce up to 430 HP - said to be equivalent to that of a six-liter V12 (hence the model nomenclature). To make sure that power makes it to the pavement, a standard full-time AWD system routes the power to all four wheels. Fuel economy has not yet been disclosed but is said to be similar to that of mid-sized V6 AWD sedans. The LS 600h L will be certified as a Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV), giving it emissions levels approximately 70% lower than that of the competition.

Adding to the wiz-bang technology credentials is the newly-developed Lexus Advanced Pre-Collision System, or APCS. It uses two forward-facing cameras and millimeter-wave radar to detect a variety of objects in front of the big sedan, and combines this with a third camera mounted on the steering column to monitor the driver's awareness. If the potential for a collision exists and the driver is not paying attention, an audible and visual alarm is activated. If no action is taken, the system will then begin to apply the vehicle's brakes. Additionally, the variable steering ratio is automatically quickened to improve the vehicle's response to evasive maneuvers. The LS 600h L also becomes the first vehicle in the world to make use of LEDs for low-beam forward lighting.

Available only in the long wheelbase configuration in North American, the new LS hybrid will be built at the Tahara assembly plant, where each vehicle will be hand-sanded twice during the painting process.

Lexus Group VP Bob Carter was joined on-stage by Moritaka Yoshida, the Chief Engineer on the LS. The two of them seemed extremely proud of their creation, and rightfully so.

Click through for plenty more pictures.

Continue reading New York Auto Show: 2008 Lexus LS 600h L

New York Auto Show: 2008 Lexus LS 600h L originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 12 Apr 2006 15:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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