Toyota's Lexus LS600h luxury hybrid sedan launched

Toyota has debuted the Lexus LS600h, the only premium luxury hybrid sedan in the world. The Toyota Lexus LS600h has been pegged as the "Flagship of Lexus," and aims to take over the No. 1 luxury marque car status from German leaders and rivals Mercedes Benz and BMW.

Though Toyota pioneered the hybrid car and led the Lexus bandwagon in the US, it has been unable to break the dominance of German luxury cars. Now, with the Toyota Lexus LS600h, the Japanese carmaker hopes to appeal to the luxury car buyer with an environment conscience.

The car launch was in Tokyo today. Toyota has priced the Lexus LS600h at 9.7 million yen ($80,300), while the LS600hL with a longer wheelbase - first shown at the New York Auto Show - has a base price of 10.25 million yen ($84,850). The Lexus LS600h is Toyota's priciest car being sold outside Japan. On the cost front, it compares with the BMW 7-series and Mercedes S-Class cars.

Like all hybrid cars, the Toyota Lexus LS600h runs on both electricity and gasoline. An onboard computer decides which power source is appropriate at which time through a host of sensors. The batteries are charged when the gasoline engine is working, which then powers the electric motor when the car is in cruise mode.

The Toyota Lexus LS600h can go 12.2 km on a litre of petrol, (28.7 mpg), and speed from zero to 100 km/h (62.5 mph) in 5.5 seconds flat. The new Lexus hybrid has a horsepower of 438 hp.

The Toyota Lexus LS600h has a high-output electric motor and a six-litre V8 engine. With the hybrid technology, the hybrid Lexus has the power, speed and acceleration of a premium sedan, while emitting just half the carbon dioxide as one.

Though many automakers including GM are working on hybrid technologies, Toyota has a clear lead in the field and holds several patents on hybrid technologies. Toyota plans to sell a million hybrids annually after 2010. "The hybrid system is a core technology that can be applied anywhere," Toyota Motor President Katsuaki Watanabe said.

Toyota recently wrested the No.1 carmaker slot from rival General Motors. However, despite its success with the hybrid Prius and the premium Lexus, it was still not seen in the same league as a BMW or a Merc. Part of the reason is pedigree - while Lexus is an 18-year old brand, BMW and Merc has decades of heritage behind them. With the top-end Lexus LS600h, the Japanese carmaker hopes to change all that.

Toyota plans to sell 7,000 units of the hybrid Lexus LS600h globally in the rest of 2007. This includes 4,000 cars in Japan. Exports are likely to kick off next month. Toyota hopes to export the Lexus to over 30 countries. Toyota expects the total Lexus sales volumes at over 500,000 units this year, up from 475,000 units last year. Still, the number is just a one-third of BMW plans to sell in 2007. According to Katsuaki Watanabe, the Lexus LS 600h takes the concept of luxury beyond the conventional parameters and into the 21st century.

Toyota believes that hybrid cars are the future. The carmaker pioneered the Prius ten years back, which was a runaway success. With the Lexus LS600h, Toyota plans to repeat the success. The car is expected to reach showrooms in the US, Europe and Asia next month.

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