Photo: Guido ten Brink / SB-Medien
The outside is a powerful status symbol; the inside is exquisite Takumi craftsmanship, and underneath is some really cool hybrid tech - you can't ignore the all-new 2018 Lexus LS 500h flagship making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show.
The new 500h is that it's got V8 power from a V6. However, it's not designed to keep up with the ultra-powerful twin-turbo hybrids from Mercedes and BMW. Combined output is only 359 PS (264 kW), so it's close to the V8-powered LS 460 of old, but nowhere near the 440 PS monster that was the LC 600h.
Last year, Lexus showed the LC 500h and said it's a preview for all their future projects. They were right, as the hybrid system in the flagship sedan is similar. It combines Toyota's existing two-motor CVT system with a 4-speed automatic, so you won't feel like the engine is connected to the wheel via a rubber band.
Thanks to the so-called "four-stage shifting device" the LS 500h will do 0 to 100 km/h in a very respectable 5.4 seconds. What's more, it can cruise at low rpm and even run in pure electric mode at up to 140 km/h (87 mph). The new lithium battery pack is 20 percent smaller than its predecessor, but Lexus says it's got a higher power density.
Rich people can't be bothered to use a drive mode selector, so the Lexus has something called, Driver's Mind Index, which adjusts gear shifts to suit the driver's behavior. However, the setup is designed to be as smooth as possible, so don't expect to have your head pushed into the headrest.
Notably, the new LS 500h is longer even than the current long-wheelbase LS. The wheelbase increased from 3,090 mm to 3,125 mm. The styling is somewhat typical of the Lexus brand. However, the headlights have a LED signatures that do a double-back turn.
The interior is reminiscent of the GS regarding switches and buttons. The Geneva show car had an amazing burgundy red leather dash and door trim that looks like fish scales, while the seats were black with burgundy stitching. We'd go as far as to say it's more interesting than the BMW 7 Series, certainly more so than Audi's A8.
“Developing such a flagship model required a massive paradigm shift. Rather than being bound by the conventions that had defined luxury cars in the past, we aimed to create a car with innovative, emotional and sensual appeal that would draw customers’ eyes away from other luxury cars and provide entirely new values," Chief Engineer Toshio Asahi explained.
Last year, Lexus showed the LC 500h and said it's a preview for all their future projects. They were right, as the hybrid system in the flagship sedan is similar. It combines Toyota's existing two-motor CVT system with a 4-speed automatic, so you won't feel like the engine is connected to the wheel via a rubber band.
Thanks to the so-called "four-stage shifting device" the LS 500h will do 0 to 100 km/h in a very respectable 5.4 seconds. What's more, it can cruise at low rpm and even run in pure electric mode at up to 140 km/h (87 mph). The new lithium battery pack is 20 percent smaller than its predecessor, but Lexus says it's got a higher power density.
Rich people can't be bothered to use a drive mode selector, so the Lexus has something called, Driver's Mind Index, which adjusts gear shifts to suit the driver's behavior. However, the setup is designed to be as smooth as possible, so don't expect to have your head pushed into the headrest.
Notably, the new LS 500h is longer even than the current long-wheelbase LS. The wheelbase increased from 3,090 mm to 3,125 mm. The styling is somewhat typical of the Lexus brand. However, the headlights have a LED signatures that do a double-back turn.
The interior is reminiscent of the GS regarding switches and buttons. The Geneva show car had an amazing burgundy red leather dash and door trim that looks like fish scales, while the seats were black with burgundy stitching. We'd go as far as to say it's more interesting than the BMW 7 Series, certainly more so than Audi's A8.
“Developing such a flagship model required a massive paradigm shift. Rather than being bound by the conventions that had defined luxury cars in the past, we aimed to create a car with innovative, emotional and sensual appeal that would draw customers’ eyes away from other luxury cars and provide entirely new values," Chief Engineer Toshio Asahi explained.
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