The Lexus LS600h/LS600hL is the flagship model of Toyota. The h in the name is for hybrid, the model marketed in the US is LS600hL, ‘L’ for the long wheelbase body. This super-luxury sedan is the highest priced Lexus to hit the market, priced at £100,000 it propelled Lexus to the super-luxury car market.

LS 600h came with a number of firsts for Lexus and for the auto industry. It is the first production vehicle with low consumption but high efficiency LED headlamps. The car also features a new and somewhat original design from Lexus, whose previous LS models looked more like ‘body doubles’ of Mercedes cars.

The engine is a 5.0-liter V-8 hybrid with an all-new CVT transmission that delivers the performance equivalent to that of 6.0 liter V-12 and all this at lower fuel consumption and reduced emission.

Its total system power is pegged at 438hp with a 0-60mph time at 5.2 seconds. The noise is well contained and the vehicle is silent with almost no engine noise. The combined fuel economy is placed at 21mpg, though like other hybrids, the users find lower fuel economy than the one promised, at around 18-19mpg.

The fact that it is a hybrid is not a straight give-away, the car does not sit much higher above the ground and does not look as if it has driven in from space age. This Nickel metal-hydride battery powered hybrid sits just about an inch above the original LS400. There is merely a ’subtle’ hybrid badge, which would give you a clue that the vehicle is hybrid.

There is a huge assortment of gadgets in the vehicle, and each with a purpose to make the ride more comfortable, reliable and powerful. The gauge cluster is fitted with a new tachometer that tells its user when the engine is running, something which is manually difficult to decide in this vehicle . A power meter keeps track of the performance of the hybrid system. In EV mode, it uses battery power whenever possible, for nearly three minutes at speeds upto 25mph.

The audio system is also commendable. It is a 16-speaker, 450-watt Mark Levinson audio system. LS 600 vehicle also incorporates the Lexus Advanced Parking Guidance system. It supposedly helps to park the car, but is not very efficient and borders on being dubbed cumbersome, this ‘advanced’ technology is not advanced enough to win the battle for a parking space.

LS 600 also features an Advanced Pre-collision system. If the system gauges that a collision may occur, the system sounds an alert and applies the brakes if necessary. A camera mounted on the steering wheel gauges the driver’s response and alertness, in case the driver seems distracted, the system responds more quickly. If a collision is eminent, additional steps like pre-tensioning the seat belts and closing the windows are taken to minimize any chances of injury.

Interiors of this car are beautiful and spacious (and of course, loaded with gadgets). The seats are comfortable. The rear seats have a full infotainment system with foldout footrests. It has a four-zone air conditioning system. The climate control in the rear is fitted with infrared sensors to read lap and upper body temperature for efficient regulation of airflow. What is weird is the fact that only right rear seat has a built in massage function.

It is a wonderful car and justifies being the flagship of Lexus. This car also provides a unique way to go green, the hybrid system does not hinder the performance of the engine while provides the ride with a green touch with nearly 60% less emissions than its rivals, the Mercedes-Benz S600 and the BMW 760 iL. An excellent way to go green without compromising heavily on luxury and power.