Mirage77

May 23, 2007, Lionel Kong
Lexus to unleash a 440bhp monster here
Singapore is the first country outside Japan to get the LS 600h

THE LEXUS LS 460 currently available pretty much blew the socks off anyone who tried it, with a storming 380bhp, 4.6-litre V8 engine and a cabin that felt like the Ritz-Carlton on wheels.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get any wilder, the engineers at Lexus have gone and done it again.

Lexus will be launching the LS 600h here next month. Outside of Japan, Singapore will be the first country in the world to launch the car. Built around the current generation LS, it will have even more advanced features onboard.

It uses a hybrid drivetrain, where electric motors and the internal combustion engine work together to deliver optimal propulsion with reduced emissions.

The nickel metal hydride batteries for the electric motor are recharged while coasting or braking, and the car automatically manages output between the different power sources.

The main power source for the LS 600h is a 5.0-litre V8. When combined with the electric motors, Lexus engineers calculate maximum available power output to be slightly more than 440bhp, but with an average fuel consumption of just 9.5 litres per 100 kilometres.

By comparison, a BMW 760Li uses a 6.0-litre V12 to make that kind of power, and uses an average of 13.6 litres of petrol per 100 kilometres.

A new continuously variable transmission delivers power from the engines to all four wheels. "There is just too much power and torque for two wheels to handle," said Osamu Sadakata, the Lexus engineer responsible for designing the car’s drivetrain. "Traction control can stop the wheels from spinning but that means restricting power. Four-wheel drive allows for optimum use of the engine’s output."

The standard LS 460 is capable of rocketing from 0 to 100km/h in just 5.7 seconds. The new LS 600h has 60bhp more and four wheel drive, so expect it to be an even crazier car in a straight line.

Look out for a full review of the LS 600h in CarBuyer next month!

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