fyonn
Active Member
As a favour to a friend (actually I'm getting paid) I have to pick up one of six brand new LS600h's tomorrow for a job I've been asked to do.
where do you get those jobs from?
where do you get those jobs from?
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MBManInKen
MB Enthusiast
Yorkshire Mafia - The Ey 'Oop Gang
Better be careful, I hear they do pretty big concrete shoes
.
glojo
Hardcore MB Enthusiast
I'm no fan of the Lexus brand and just cannot see the point of a huge gas guzzling 5ltr petrol engine being coupled up to a hybrid electric fuel saving gadget?
When will we be seeing a V8 diesel in a RHD E or S-class?
John
When will we be seeing a V8 diesel in a RHD E or S-class?
John
I've always liked Lexus and and will probably go back to the Jap brand shortly.
However I think anyone would be crazy to take the hybrid technology. Running round with half a ton of toxic chemicals in the boot which need replacing every few years!!
How is all this crap going to be reccled and how much will it cost?
However I think anyone would be crazy to take the hybrid technology. Running round with half a ton of toxic chemicals in the boot which need replacing every few years!!
How is all this crap going to be reccled and how much will it cost?
MBManInKen
MB Enthusiast
It's a nice illustration of how little actual scientific facts matter in comparison to the spin and the fads.
Hybrids, carbon trading, emissions taxing, they are all nice examples of brainless fads - it gives a lot of people a "feel good" experience, but in actual fact none of these is making anything better.
This ridiculous idea that we'll all go back and live in caves to combat climate change is total nonsense.
We should be investing the money and the efforts in developing the deployable, scalable solutions for carbon capturing and storage (and this is quite possible with current state of science and technology, the hurdles are a lot less than for example when Kennedy announced they would go to the moon). Instead, we keep ourselves happy with all this absolute tosh and measures that will contribute nil to the actual problem of climate change.
Hybrids, carbon trading, emissions taxing, they are all nice examples of brainless fads - it gives a lot of people a "feel good" experience, but in actual fact none of these is making anything better.
This ridiculous idea that we'll all go back and live in caves to combat climate change is total nonsense.
We should be investing the money and the efforts in developing the deployable, scalable solutions for carbon capturing and storage (and this is quite possible with current state of science and technology, the hurdles are a lot less than for example when Kennedy announced they would go to the moon). Instead, we keep ourselves happy with all this absolute tosh and measures that will contribute nil to the actual problem of climate change.
verytalldave
MB Enthusiast
LEXUS 600h rivals S class?
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha..............etc......etc.......
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha..............etc......etc.......
to see just how incredibly rude our North American cousins can let it get if someone dares to say that a Lexus is better than a Mercedes-Benz! By about page 5 temperatures are close to boiling.[/quote]
If someone this side of the Atlantic starts a thread "S-class vs Hyundai Sonata" on that forum it will shurely have them send nuclear missiles...
If someone this side of the Atlantic starts a thread "S-class vs Hyundai Sonata" on that forum it will shurely have them send nuclear missiles...
kikkthecat
MB Enthusiast
I've now driven one and I really dont know what to say. it was quite simply an unnerving experience and I have driven nothing I can compare it to. I must get in an S class soon.
In my W124 coupe I start the engine and can hear it even though at traffic lights I sometimes look at the rev counter to make sure it's still running. I pressed the start button in the Lexus and expected an engine to start but nothing happened, just a light came on that says ready. Put it into drive and it goes, no noise at all, no gearchanges as it also has CVT, just your eyes tell you it's moving. At about 30 Mph the petrol engine started but it was only the display on the dash that told me, my ears didn't notice. 65 Mph on the motorway and it was like sitting in my living room. Oh and the Mark Levinson 19 speaker sound system is stunning, stereo for the radio and CD and 5.1 surround sound for the DVD player. The build quality is outstanding but for something that must be approaching £100K I'd expect nothing else.
Without passengers however we did take it in turns to push them a little bit on the M1 north of Leeds and I have never driven or been in anything that accelerates this quickly, no kickdown, no gearchanges, just the display that tells you both engines are running and it just kept accelerating, but I did at least hear the faint roar of an engine. I thought my E320 was quite fast but it's not, not by a long way.
I'm not the type of driver who goes through Brands Hatch to get to the supermarket or goes to work via the Top Gear test track so getting a car to drift or hammering it round bends to see how it handles means nothing to me, I drive in the real world and usually within the speed limits. I can honestly say in those conditions it was simply the quietest, smoothest and most comfortable car I've ever driven. No doubt when Top Gear starts again Jeremy Clarkson will get in one, try to take a corner at 120 Mph, get the tyres to squeal and the body to roll, induce some serious oversteer and then tell you it's crap. He'll be lying.
A really enjoyable drive but there were just 2 bad bits, one I had to give it back. And two, I consider the Viano reasonably quiet and smooth but when I got back in it I was sure the exhaust and an engine mounting had broken it sounded that loud and rough. It will take me the rest of this week to get used to it again.
In my W124 coupe I start the engine and can hear it even though at traffic lights I sometimes look at the rev counter to make sure it's still running. I pressed the start button in the Lexus and expected an engine to start but nothing happened, just a light came on that says ready. Put it into drive and it goes, no noise at all, no gearchanges as it also has CVT, just your eyes tell you it's moving. At about 30 Mph the petrol engine started but it was only the display on the dash that told me, my ears didn't notice. 65 Mph on the motorway and it was like sitting in my living room. Oh and the Mark Levinson 19 speaker sound system is stunning, stereo for the radio and CD and 5.1 surround sound for the DVD player. The build quality is outstanding but for something that must be approaching £100K I'd expect nothing else.
Without passengers however we did take it in turns to push them a little bit on the M1 north of Leeds and I have never driven or been in anything that accelerates this quickly, no kickdown, no gearchanges, just the display that tells you both engines are running and it just kept accelerating, but I did at least hear the faint roar of an engine. I thought my E320 was quite fast but it's not, not by a long way.
I'm not the type of driver who goes through Brands Hatch to get to the supermarket or goes to work via the Top Gear test track so getting a car to drift or hammering it round bends to see how it handles means nothing to me, I drive in the real world and usually within the speed limits. I can honestly say in those conditions it was simply the quietest, smoothest and most comfortable car I've ever driven. No doubt when Top Gear starts again Jeremy Clarkson will get in one, try to take a corner at 120 Mph, get the tyres to squeal and the body to roll, induce some serious oversteer and then tell you it's crap. He'll be lying.
A really enjoyable drive but there were just 2 bad bits, one I had to give it back. And two, I consider the Viano reasonably quiet and smooth but when I got back in it I was sure the exhaust and an engine mounting had broken it sounded that loud and rough. It will take me the rest of this week to get used to it again.
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Cracking report Ray, thanks! I know what you mean about your own car feeling rough after a day in a Lexus, I had the same problem 14 years ago after having an LS 400 for a day and getting back into my 124 estate. My wife said " they've made our car all rattley"
I had Lexus for a number of years after that.
I have yet to drive the hybrid, but it does sound like it overcomes what I felt was a serious flaw in the LS 460, lack of instant response to throttle because of the 8 speed auto. It does seem a very complex way of overcoming that, despite the errie silent progress at low speed.
You really should try a new S class, it matches the Lexus for silence and has all the best Mercedes virtues and in 320 form costs considerably less to buy and run. In the real world, the most complete car I have driven. I won't go anywhere near 'green' issues!
I had Lexus for a number of years after that.
I have yet to drive the hybrid, but it does sound like it overcomes what I felt was a serious flaw in the LS 460, lack of instant response to throttle because of the 8 speed auto. It does seem a very complex way of overcoming that, despite the errie silent progress at low speed.
You really should try a new S class, it matches the Lexus for silence and has all the best Mercedes virtues and in 320 form costs considerably less to buy and run. In the real world, the most complete car I have driven. I won't go anywhere near 'green' issues!
Dieselman
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Good write up Ray.
What was the fuel economy like?
What was the fuel economy like?
glojo
Hardcore MB Enthusiast
What a cracking, down to earth revue. Thanks for sharing the experience, but I did smile when Mactech claims his car is as quiet as the electric motors of the Lexus? I have NO idea if it is, or it is not, but from Ray's report I somehow doubt it. I am NO fan of the Lexus and I love the S-class so I am NOT criticising the S-class at all.You really should try a new S class, it matches the Lexus for silence and has all the best Mercedes virtues and in 320 form costs considerably less to buy and run. In the real world, the most complete car I have driven. I won't go anywhere near 'green' issues!
Did you check the onboard computer for fuel consumption? Being a hybrid I would like to think it would compare with an S320CDI but I have a sneaky feeling I know which one will in real world motoring be more economical?
Can a car be too quiet?
Thanks again for an excellent review
Regards
John
kikkthecat
MB Enthusiast
For the 6 hours we had them mine was showing an overall figure of 28.4 mpg but up to 30 Mph it didn't use any fuel at all as it was all electric power. Over that it used just the petrol engine so at a guess I'd say on petrol it would be getting maybe 18/20 Mpg balanced by the electric motor using nothing.
As I said earlier, I have nothing to compare this car to as my baseline is a W124 E320 Coupe but 2 of the guys with me were regular S class drivers. They were evenly split with one saying he would take the Mercedes every time and the other saying he preffered the Lexus. Yer pays yer money etc....
If anyone out there wants to loan me a new S class for a few hours I'll be happy to give you my honest opinion as to which is the better car but that of course may not be the same as anyone elses opinion.
I must clarify my silence comment. It should read 'at main road and motorway speeds' which is where most cars make most noise. (and I spend most of my motoring time) I agree there is nothing quite as silent as err....silence
Dieselman
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Surely on the Lexus there must still be road noise, which is more intrusive than the engine on any luxury car, especially petrol.
Exactly my point! That is why I am so choosey about the tyres I use. If I were to spend most of my motoring time in town then I must agree that the Lexus is a haven of peace. My average MPH has been above 50 ever since I bought my S for long distance comuting. The hybrid will work better in urban areas with stop start, but out of town its just plain petrol versus diesel again, with little chance of regenerative power...oops said I wouldn't touch on the green issues.
