2013 Lexus LS600hL Hybrid - Car and Driver (blog)
The LS has been the premier sedan at Lexus ever since Toyota’s luxury division made its cheeky debut on German autobahns, a not-so-subtle challenge to the Audi-BMW-Mercedes establishment. That was almost a quarter-century ago, and the LS series has since evolved, expanding from the original LS400—a car that fortified its challenge with strong performance and beautiful craftsmanship—to a luxury sedan with multiple personalities. For 2013, there are seven LS variations , depending on how you keep score, with the 600hL continuing to function as the flagship, sumptuously appointed and hybridized to salve the consciences of conspicuous consumers. It’s big, handsome, roomy, hedonistic, crackling with electronics and connectivity, and readily identifiable as a new Lexus offering, thanks to the so-called spindle grille that distinguishes the division’s latest styling ethos. Lexus claims that some 50 percent of the 2013 LS’s structure is new or revised, with upgrades to body-shell rigidity, steering system, suspension, and drivetrains, as well as exterior enhancements. As before, the LS460 lineup, including the new Sport version , is propelled by a naturally aspirated 386-hp, 4. 6-liter V-8 and mated to an eight-speed automatic. The big 600 hybrid combines a long-stroke 5. 0-liter version of the V-8—389 horsepower, 385 lb-ft of torque—augmented by a 221-hp AC electric motor. Source: www.caranddriver.com
