2010 Lexus LS600HL hybrid car to be launched in the Middle East
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Lexus is set to bring a hybrid model to the Middle East for the first time in 2010 - its LS600HL. The arrival of the 2010 LS600hL in the first quarter of next year sees Lexus following in the footsteps of sister company Toyota, which has been trialling various hybrid vehicles with taxi companies in Dubai. Traditionally, a hybrid badge has been a mark of environmental awareness and there may well be an element of the potential customer for the long-wheelbase Lexus LS600hL that does hold a fondness for the planet. But that’s not the reason most will buy the car in the middle east - if you want to save the world and go green, you don’t buy a car with a 5.0-litre V8 engine, even if it does have a full-electric mode and an Eco setting. The 2010 LS600hL makes no more than a passing reference the environment – instead, it focuses on the performance and efficiency benefits that the Lexus Hybrid Drive technology brings. Said technology combines the V8 with two electric motors and a battery to create an overall output of 438bhp.
Lexus has been selling hybrids elsewhere in the world for years and claims that its drivetrain is the most advanced in the world. It can run in full electric mode, or use a combination of petrol and electric power. Braking or lifting off the accelerator recharges the battery. The power is delivered to a four-wheel drive system via a two-stage, electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT). The use of electric motors means maximum torque is available instantly, giving the big Lexus some serious grunt.
“Consumers are changing the way that they think about luxury vehicles,” said Lexus’ Paul Clark. “They used to be considered strictly indulgences but today increasing numbers of new luxury customers are discovering that they can be indulgent yet still be socially responsible.”
