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flag · ship (flag'ship') n. 1 the ship that carries the commander of a fleet or other large naval unit and displays his flag 2 the finest, largest, or newest ship of a steamship line 3 the finest, largest, or most important member or part as of a group, broadcast network, etc.—From Webster's New World Dictionary, Third College Edition

When the word was coined, I'd bet its originator had neither $104,000 luxury sedans nor $46.7 million business jets in mind, but here are two shining and incredibly diverse examples that can claim the honor. Both the new Lexus LS 600h L and Gulfstream G550 are the pinnacle of each manufacturer's lineup, and represent the sophistication, performance and technology that come from doing something very well, over time, in ever-improving iterations.

Both are specialized machines designed to whisk their occupants effortlessly over long distances, and both return amazing performance. The Lexus can court you with class and then crack off a 5.4-second 0–60 run with unexpected ease, like a country-club aristocrat who sets down his pipe, removes his cardigan sweater, then pumps off 30 one-armed pushups. The Gulfstream turns mass quantities of kerosene into more than 30,000 lb. of thrust at takeoff...enough for a steeply banked climb at 7000 feet per minute, compressing our spines and affording a near straight-down view — out the side windows — of the rapidly shrinking Savannah/Hilton Head airport (think Slim Pickens astride the bomb in Dr. Strangelove, only in reverse).

Throttle back a little, though, and it'll take you nonstop from Orlando, Florida, to Seoul, South Korea, at Mach 0.80, as its 6750-nautical-mile range is the best of any business jet. A big thanks to Gulfstream's pilots Hank Gibson and Jaimie Bahamon, by the way. I'll leave the G550's technicalities in the capable, instrument-rated hands of J. Mac McClellan, Editor-in-Chief of Flying magazine, in the accompanying story, while we delve into the LS 600h L's intricacies here.

This latest Lexus pushes the envelope in a couple of ways. One, it's the first production big-league luxury sedan to utilize a hybrid powertrain. And two, it's the first Lexus to command a (gulp!) six-figure price tag, going toe-to-toe with V-8- and V-12-powered variants of the Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7 Series.

Is a hybrid necessarily better in this application? Well, it is smooth. One could almost say vibrationless when its 4-cam 32-valve 5.0-liter V-8 shuts off automatically at most every traffic light, and during very low-speed operation. Gas it (hmm, poor choice of verb) and as much as 389 bhp's worth of internal-combustion power and up to 49 bhp from one of the Lexus' two motor-generators feed through a two-stage planetary-gear continuously variable transmission, then a compactly designed Torsen center differential, and on to each axle with a normal 40/60 front/rear torque split.

Power for the hybrid system is supplied by a 240-cell pack of nickel/metal-hydride batteries with 288 nominal volts, stepped up to 650 volts DC, then converted to alternating current by an inverter to power the motor/generator units. Only one of these provides power to the wheels; the other functions as both a starter for the gasoline engine, and a generator that either recharges the battery pack or supplies drive current directly to the other motor. Interestingly, the battery pack (a vertically aligned slab behind the rear seats) is cooled by the rear a/c unit, and both motors and the inverter are liquid-cooled, serviced by a loop with its own dedicated radiator. The "motive" motor also serves for regenerative braking, partially recharging the battery with energy lost through heat in those "old-fashioned" friction braking systems. Of course, the LS has one of those too, with big vented rotors squeezed by 4-piston front and 2-piston rear calipers.

Phew! Lots of complexity here, yet nothing earth-shakingly different from the Lexus GS 450h. What's remarkable is the detail refinement and how seamlessly it all works together. Get on the brakes and the regen and friction systems don't get into a petty tug-of-war that results in lurchy stops and a grabby pedal feel; it's smooth and progressive from any speed. At cruise, there's not the surging we've seen in past applications as power is continuously routed and rerouted. And depending on how you set a console-mounted switch that alters throttle-valve opening (with Power, Hybrid and Snow positions), the LS 600h L either oozes off the line like warm honey, or goes into "holeshot" mode to stealthily slingshot past the unsuspecting Mustang.

Roll-on acceleration is both strong yet oddly calm at the same time, with the electric motor effectively spackling any depressions in the V-8's torque curve, and then some. A sharp throttle input will send revs to the 4000–5000-rpm range, yet there's none of the disconnected, motorboat feel of conventional CVTs paired with smaller-displacement engines. Kick the selector lever into the far left gate, and the CVT becomes an 8-speed sequential-shift transmission, with a forward push for upshifts and a rearward tug for downshifts.

Twist the Lexus' leather- and wood-trimmed steering wheel, and the 2½-ton sedan responds more nimbly than something with 121.7 in. between its axles really should. Its multilink aluminum suspension uses air springs and shocks with electronically adjustable valving, so like the throttle profile, you can fine-tune its response through another switch with Sport and Comfort modes. We found with its stability system defeated, it could even be coaxed into a little drop-throttle rotation around the skidpad (posting 0.83g) and a no-excuses 63.6-mph run through our 700-ft. slalom.

Engage the stability control, and its micro-processor does all the standard things (reduction of power, braking individual wheel[s] to put the car back on its intended path) plus something more: Through the car's electrically assisted variable-ratio steering rack, it commands minor front-wheel steering inputs. The steering feel itself offers a luxury-appropriate amount of feedback from the road, and the only time you sense the all-wheel drive (at least on dry pavement) is at full lock where what feels like a bit of CV joint lumpiness comes through.

While the LS 600h L tolerates being thrown around, it's much more content doling out a luxurious ride and secure handling while soothing its occupants with highly polished wood and meticulously stitched leather. Of course, room inside is cavernous, the rear seating almost limousine-like, with the leather-wrapped dash, hourglass-shaped center-stack fascia and luminous gauges similar to — yet slightly evolved from — the previous LS. A prominent touch screen handles nav-system duties and most other climate/audio requests (thankfully backed up by "hard" buttons that are large and clearly labeled) and as you might expect, the 19-speaker, 450-watt Mark Levinson sound system is almost as good as sitting directly in the orchestra pit. Its hard drive (shared with the nav system) has storage space for as many as 2000 digital songs. XM satellite radio, naturally, is standard.

To properly explain every standard and optional tech-worthy feature would take this entire magazine, but here are some highlights: The headlight low beams use powerful white LEDs as the light source, the first such application in a passenger car; of course, the headlights also point into corners in synch with the steering. The car is rated as a Super Low Emissions Vehicle (SULEV), in part because of a device, integral with the catalytic converter, that stores unburned cold-start hydrocarbons and burns them when the cat's nice and hot. Options are numerous, and many are safety-related such as the Advanced Pre-Collision System that senses a car or pedestrian ahead, and can apply brakes, cinch the seatbelts and even quicken the steering ratio, anticipating an avoidance maneuver.

What captain of industry would be without the optional Executive Class Seating Package? The right rear seat (a rear console here no doubt separates CEO from COO) makes like a big leather-swathed La-Z-Boy, electrically tilting back and deploying its footrest like a first-class airline seat. There's built-in massage, and a dedicated DVD player and 9-in. screen. And — get this — there are infrared body-temperature sensors mounted in the headliner that scan the heat signatures of the rear-seat occupants (head, lap, torso, etc.) and adjust airflow accordingly.

We'd be remiss for not mentioning the optional, heavily advertised Advanced Parking Guidance System that "parks itself," utilizing the ultrasonic proximity sensors in the bumpers and robotic steering input via the electric-assist motor. Verdict: an interesting novelty and exceptional first-date ice-breaker, but save your money. Using it requires fairly precise initial positioning of the car, and fiddling with a little green rectangle overlaid on the dash image provided by the rear-facing back-up camera. Once you finally get the rectangle aligned in your selected spot by pressing arrows on the screen, the car will self-park, in either parallel mode or backing in between two other cars, kicking out of the mode if you let speed exceed 3 mph.

But getting back to the question we posed earlier: Does a hybrid car make sense in this league? Well, it certainly has the attraction of a magic-carpet powerband. With its squeaky-clean emissions and a comparatively impressive estimated EPA city number of 20 mpg, you can sleep soundly at night and remain on Ed Begley Jr.'s Christmas card list. But you will give up considerable luggage capacity, as the NiMH battery pack reduces trunk volume to 11.7 cu. ft., roughly two-thirds the size of its competitors'.

So it's a personal decision, influenced by how much you love/need/abhor the technology, modulated by the 600h L's powerful good looks and fine-tuned, perhaps, by past allegiance to Toyota/Lexus cars. As flagships go, it's a very impressive piece.

This article was written by a third party, and does not necessarily reflect the viewpoints or opinions of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A, Inc. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., is not responsible for any errors that may be contained therein.

For complete vehicle information, capabilities and limitations, see your local Lexus dealer.

The good: The hybrid system in the 2008 Lexus LS 600h delivers good fuel economy and an excellent emissions rating for this size of car. The stereo system sounds fantastic and comes with a hard-drive music server. Live traffic reporting is integrated with the navigation system for smart destination routing.

The bad: Aesthetically, the car appears refined but it's no real head-turner. Music organization could be a little better.

The bottom line: The 2008 Lexus LS 600h is a classy car with all the tech you could ask for, both under the hood and in the cabin. Its hybrid system gives it a better environmental pedigree than its luxury class competitors, and its driving performance is very good.

The 2008 Lexus LS 600h arrived in our garage amid great expectations from our staff. The non-hybrid 2007 LS 460 L had treated us so well during a trip to Los Angeles that we gave it a rating of 10. Would its more expensive, more high-tech sibling maintain the family honor? In many ways it did, and even more so, but the LS 600h also stumbles inadvertently, as we've changed our rating criteria.

This year we traded in our safety sub-rating, which wasn't something we could honestly test, for a design sub-rating, our one chance to inject some aesthetic opinions into our overall rating. And while the LS 600h is a very handsome, refined-looking car, has easy-to-use cabin electronics, and wonderful interior space, our consensus opinion was that it just doesn't have the beauty to push it over the top. To get a top score in our design sub-rating, a car has to be a real head-turner.

In all other respects, the LS 600h blows away our rating system. Although much more expensive than the LS 460 L, it justifies its price with more power, superior handling, and lower tailpipe emissions. Instead of making the LS 600h merely a hybrid version of the LS 460 L, Lexus added rather than subtracted, increasing the size of the gas engine from 4.6-liters to 5-liters, and coupling that to a 165-kilowatt motor. And all that power gets to the road through an all-wheel-drive system.

Similarly, the LS 600h gets all the cabin gadgets from the LS 460 L then adds a couple more. On the LS 460 L, we were stunned by the audio quality and loved the in-dash hard drive for storing music. The live traffic alerts feature the best integration with a navigation system we've seen on a factory-install. Then there are the cutting-edge features, such as automatic parallel parking and adaptive cruise control.

Test the tech: Man versus machine parking

We're no strangers to competitive parking, having previously put a Mini Cooper S into a curbside space of decreasing size. Because our LS 600h had the Advanced Parking Guidance System, we decided to pit CNET editors Wayne Cunningham and Kevin Massy against it. Our plan: we'd pick a standard parallel parking space and give the editors, and then the car, a shot at completing the task. The car and the editors would be timed, and we would also count the number of maneuvers it took to get in the spot.

We gave the Lexus the first try. Once the car was in reverse, the car's back-up camera displayed the street space to the right of the car, and framed the image in green. The frame indicates that the car has found a space in which it can fit. You can adjust the frame if it hasn't matched the parking space precisely by tweaking the arrows located on the screen. We let the car roll back into the spot, and it automatically turned the steering wheel appropriately to get the back end in, then the front end. When the car notified us that the guidance was done, the car was in the parking space. Our stopwatch said it took 48.6 seconds--but the car was 20 inches from the curb.

Cunningham went second, backing into the same parallel parking spot. The LS 600h also has a park-distance warning, which sounded as Cunningham moved the car too close to one parked behind the spot. Cunningham made one correction forward, ending up 1 inch from the curb in 44.9 seconds. Massy then took the wheel. Once he was finally in the space, he had made a total of two adjustments, getting the car 8 inches from the curb in 44.6 seconds.

Massy got into the parking space in the least amount of time, but had to make the most adjustments. Cunningham was closest to the curb, but was second place in time and number of adjustments. The car took the longest, and was furthest from the curb, but made no adjustments.

Although the car's parking job wasn't technically legal, as it was too far from the curb, the Lexus does get the benefit of the doubt, as we didn't adjust where the car automatically placed its green frame to come closer to the curb. As for how much time the car took to park, that was partially under the control of a human operator. While the car steers itself into a spot, it requires a driver to control the speed. The Lexus does require a maximum speed of a few miles per hour for the system to work, and we tried to stay close to that.

While the parking system isn't perfect, in the right conditions it can work very well, and can save inexperienced parkers big headaches. Along with parallel parking, the car can back into perpendicular parking spaces, a feature that is generally easier to set up than parallel parking.

In the cabin

One thing you notice, or actually don't notice, after a long drive in the LS 600h is any discomfort. After spending many hours in the driver's seat, we found none of the usual aches or stiffness we get from other cars. The suspension and the seats combine to reduce fatigue for the driver. All of the cabin materials, from the leather seats to the Alcantara headliner, have a high-quality feel. Likewise, the switchgear feels solid.

You can control the car's systems through the touchscreen LCD, an interface that may not be as unique as BMW's iDrive or Audi's MMI, but is much more practical. There is also a voice command system that works well for entering destinations, controlling the stereo, and making phone calls. The Lexus voice command system is the second best we've used, just behind the system found in the Honda Accord.

Because the navigation system's data is stored on a hard drive, it works much faster than a DVD-based system. The screen has nice resolution and the maps look very good. Specifically, we noticed that the street names don't appear jagged when they are aligned diagonally. We also like that the points-of-interest database has a phone book's worth of retail locations--you can use it to find any kind of shop. The database also lets you set destinations using the map or nearest freeway entrance.

We really liked the route guidance on the Lexus' navigation system as well. The system displays in a split screen, shows graphics for complex freeway junctions, and generally times its voice guidance well. But the most advanced part of the system is that, in conjunction with the system's live traffic reporting, it will suggest detours when your route takes you through slow traffic or an incident. During normal operation, the live traffic reporting--sent through an XM satellite radio channel--shows how fast traffic is moving on major roads and displays icons for incidents, such as an accident or roadwork.

The navigation system data uses about 20GB of the 30GB hard drive, leaving 10GB left over for music storage. Yes, this car has a built-in music server. When you insert a CD, the car can rip it, storing the music in MP3 format at either 128kbps or 256kbps. At the lower bit rate, Lexus suggests you can store about 2,000 songs. We found that it rips music reasonably fast, and it's very convenient having music stored on the hard drive. The car will only rip standard RedBook CDs, and can't copy tracks from an MP3 CD.

It will, of course, play MP3 CDs in its six-disc, in-dash changer. You can also put DVD audio discs in the changer. Along with that, the car comes prepped for XM satellite radio, and there is an auxiliary audio input. Our only criticism about the stereo is that its music organization tools could be better. For music on the hard drive, you can only navigate by album, rather than by genre or artist, as you can on any MP3 player.

The audio quality from the 19-speaker Mark Levinson system is fantastic, coming close to our all-time favorite THX system in the Lincoln MKZ. The Mark Levinson system uses six sets of two-way tweeter/midrange speakers placed along the sides of the car, one two-way in the dash for center fill, big woofers in each door, and a subwoofer in back. These speakers get 450 watts from 15 channels pumped through them. The separation and clarity are excellent no matter where you're sitting.

The third part of our tech trifecta, Bluetooth phone integration in the LS 600h works very well. We found no problems pairing our phone to the system, and it lets you copy over your phone's address book, which is always a nice feature. Call quality is clear and the voice command system works well. And the car earns extra points for its aesthetically designed, on-screen interface.

The back seat in the LS 600h is a very good place to be, if you have someone else around who can drive. First of all, as they only build the LS 600h on the long wheelbase version of the LS 460, the back seats have huge amounts of leg room. Better yet, the executive seat option gives the right rear-seat massage capability, and includes a leg rest that pops up. A ceiling-mounted DVD screen is also available, with controls in the rear-center console for the back-seat executive.

Under the hood

Lexus brought all its engineering genius to bear on the powerplant for the LS 600h. This massive system is designed to give the power of a V-12 with the fuel consumption and emissions of a V-8. Well, Lexus went a little better on the economy and environmental side, although they did come up a bit short on the power side. During our time with the car, we got 19.4mpg; the car is rated at 20mpg in the city and 22mpg on the highway, using the EPA's new test procedure. That's better than the 18.5mpg we saw in the 4.2-liter Audi A6, and both cars have all-wheel drive.

Lexus accomplishes this magic with a hybrid system, using Toyota's Synergy drive. The gas engine on the car is a 5-liter V-8 that puts out 389 horsepower. This engine will also appear in the Lexus IS-F. But then Lexus has added a 165-kilowatt electric motor to the engine, increasing the horsepower to 438. Some fuel-cell research cars we've seen get plenty of push from a 90-kilowatt motor, but 165 kilowatts is big. These power sources are combined in a special planetary gear system, turning all four wheels. Lexus' newly developed all-wheel-drive system sends 60 percent of the power to the rear wheels by default, but adjusts the ratio from front to back, depending on where the power is needed.

Like other cars using the Toyota Synergy hybrid system, the LS 600h has a continuously variable transmission. This type of transmission doesn't actually shift gears, instead delivering power with an infinitely changeable ratio. This transmission lets the LS 600h smoothly accelerate. It's a big car, and its hybrid battery pack adds weight, so its 0mph-to-60mph time is around 5.5 seconds, somewhat short of its V-12 powered luxury competitors. On the flip side, the LS 600h actually qualifies as a SULEV from the California Air Resources Board, an emissions rating that few cars achieve, especially not ones that go this fast. The LS 600h drives like a hybrid, starting under electric power until the engine is needed. There's a button to put it in EV mode, where it will drive under electric power alone until it absolutely needs to start recharging its batteries.

In practice, the LS 600h feels fast and handles very well. It has three-way switches on the center console that let you set the engine to deliver more torque, in Power mode, and set the suspension to Sport for a more rigid ride. With these settings, and the transmission in Sport mode, the LS 600h can attack corners with minimal body roll, no wheel slip, and excellent throttle response. For more sedate driving, you can set the torque to normal and move the suspension to Comfort. There's even a button to raise the air suspension to maximum height, for negotiating speed bumps or steep ramps.

While we enjoyed driving the LS 600h down Highway 84, which winds over coastal hills from Interstate 280 to Highway 1, we also used the adaptive cruise control for effortless cruising on the freeway. With this system, we set our speed and our following distance, and let the car control the accelerator and brake as it tracked the car in front. We initially felt trepidation using this system, but after a while we grew to trust it.

Lexus has also introduced a new safety feature, a driver monitoring system, as an option for the LS 600h. We didn't have it installed on our car, but we have seen it on other LS 600h press cars. It's a camera mounted on the steering column that watches the driver's face. If it thinks you're not looking at the road and an obstacle is up ahead, it will flash a warning.

In sum

Our 2008 Lexus LS 600h was a base model, priced around $104,000. Lexus priced the LS 600h substantially higher than the LS 460 L, positioning it as a new flagship model to compete with the Mercedes-Benz S-class. We came away very impressed with the LS 600h, feeling it offered similar handling and better fuel economy than the Mercedes-Benz S550 we tested last year. Because of the touch-screen LCD and the voice command system, its cabin gadgets are easier to use than those from BMW, Audi, or Mercedes-Benz.

Lexus doesn't expect to sell too many of these cars per year, but the company might be in for a surprise. For people throwing this kind of money around, the LS 600h could present a compelling argument as a luxury car. That is, unless the badge means more to a prospective buyer than how the car works.

This article was written by a third party, and does not necessarily reflect the viewpoints or opinions of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A, Inc. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., is not responsible for any errors that may be contained therein.

For complete vehicle information, capabilities and limitations, see your local Lexus dealer.

Lexus looks to shake things up in the premium luxury segment with the world's first full hybrid with a V8.

Do you recall the TV ads with champagne glasses stacked in a pyramid on the hood of a car with the engine running?

The glasses never quivered, but they sent a shock wave through the automotive luxury market. The year was 1989 and the car was the 1990 model Lexus LS 400, the first entrant from Toyota's new luxury division.

A departure from the European notion of luxury sedans, the flagship LS was created for the American market and has impressed buyers from the very beginning with its remarkable quality, attention to detail and levels of comfort, convenience and performance.

And, of course, Lexus dealerships have become renowned for giving customers the kind of coddling they probably receive in all the other areas of life.

It is often said that lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place. However, not content to rest on its market success, Lexus once again created tremors throughout the luxury car arena last year with the introduction of the 2007 LS 460.

This fourth-generation LS edition not only blends new levels of sophistication, luxury refinements, performance and contemporary styling, a long-wheelbase model breaches a stronghold held by its European competitors. This model lifts the LS into the "premium luxury" segment, defined by Lexus as vehicles starting at or above the $70,000 mark.

And if that's not enough, this June, Lexus shakes things up even more with the arrival of the LS 600h L. This long wheelbase version of the LS 460, the only version offered in the U.S., is the third production model to use Lexus Hybrid Drive, following the successful launch of the RX 400h and GS 450h.

Rarified Atmosphere
The luxury hybrid elevates Lexus into the rarified atmosphere of prestige motor cars costing more than a $100,000. With a MSRP starting at $104,000, a fully optioned LS 600h L will sticker close to $125,000 suggested retail.

As with the Lexus RX and GS hybrid models, the 600h's "600" suffix refers not to the cubic capacity of the engine but to a relative power output. In this case, it's comparable to that of a 6.0-liter V12 normally aspirated engine.

Clearly, Lexus is targeting the Mercedes-Benz S600, Audi's A8 L W12 and BMW's 760Li extended wheelbase sedans, all graced with elite 12-cylinder engines.

The new hybrid sedan compares quite favorably to the Audi and BMW rivals. The new 389-horsepower 5.0-liter direct injection V8, when paired with the hybrid system's electric motor, produces a combined output of 438 horses. The Mercedes S600 resides in an entirely different motoring world, with twin turbochargers churning out 510 horsepower from its V12.

In Lexus tradition, the LS hybrid is politically green and technically ingenious while delivering unexpected performance: It is expected to carry a Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) rating, have the latest EPA fuel efficiency of 20 mpg city and 22 mpg highway and yet, can scoot from zero to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds.

World's First "Full Hybrid" V8 Powertrain
Lexus introduced a first-drive of the LS 600h L for the media at the Toyota Arizona Proving Ground, an hour's drive northwest of Phoenix. The nearly 12,000 acre facility contains a ten-mile oval track and numerous areas for performance and safety evaluation tests.

The LS 600h L is the world's first vehicle of any type to be powered by a "full hybrid" V8 powertrain. Full hybrid means the car can be powered by the gas engine only, the electric motor only, or both at the same time.

Unlike its gasoline-only cousins, the LS 460 and LS 460 L, both of which are rear-wheel-driven, the new hybrid limousine is an all-wheel-drive configuration. During normal driving conditions, power is split 40 percent front/60 percent rear. If the road becomes dicey, it is capable of a near 50/50 split.

An all-new dual-stage continuously variable transmission (CVT) with a sequential shift mode allows manual selection of eight different stages of acceleration response. It also features the selectable modes of the company's conventional models: "power" and "snow" in addition to a "hybrid" mode.

"It is fair to say that there is nothing on the road, or on the drawing board, which comes close to delivering such a formerly contradictory combination of jaw-dropping engine performance, fuel efficiency and clean emissions," said Bob Carter, Lexus Division group vice president and general manager.

Techno-luxury
When it rolls into showrooms, the LS 600h L will be one of the most technologically dense cars you can buy. There's a power rear-ceiling-mounted 3.0 VGA 9-inch entertainment screen. Occupants' body heat is measured with infrared sensors to adjust the cabin temperature while ceiling climate diffusers gently distributes air movement.

The amply sized LS 600h L—provided it has the right options—parks itself. Pull up to a space, select reverse and the car steers automatically into the gap, using sensors and a rear-view camera. All the driver needs to do is modulate the brakes.

And if all that isn't enough for your luxury needs, this hybrid pleasure cruiser also includes a stunning 19-speaker Mark Levinson audio system, voice-activated hard disk drive (HDD) satellite navigation with Bluetooth technology and XM real-time traffic system.

Techno-safety
Lexus continues to improve their VDIM stability system. It's an engineering masterpiece that integrates and manages stability control, electronic controlled anti-lock brakes, electronic brake force distribution and engine torque via an electronically controlled throttle. The system anticipates the onset of a vehicle skid or slide while cornering and helps correct the situation that is transparent to the driver.

Another world first for the 600h L is the Driver Monitor System.* It uses a camera mounted on the steering column to monitor the orientation of the driver's head. If it determines the driver is looking away from the road ahead at the same time as a collision threat is detected, the system will sound a warning chime and gently apply the brakes.

To assist the driver in maneuvering around the obstacle, the system reprograms the steering ratio, increasing the intensity and quickness of the steering response.

While all of this is going on, passenger restraints are automatically cinched up, quite snugly I discovered, and the brake system is prepared for full force response.

If potential buyers had the opportunity to test these safety marvels as we did at the proving grounds, most would sign on the dotted line immediately.

The three previous generation LS sedans were often chided for a lack of expressive styling. Those remarks can be discarded—the long wheelbase 600h is a classic work of elegance and sophistication. It may be big, but it is sleek with complex, yet smooth flowing lines.

Torque Arrives in a Rush
Lurking under the finely chiseled hood, the all-new, jewel-smooth V8 and hybrid wizardry is totally concealed by an engine bay cover. Press hard on the go pedal, however, and the presence of the combo electric motor-gasoline engine is immediately known. Torque arrives in a rush, but the application to all four wheels seems almost graceful.

Drive a little too hard into a corner and there is a nicely controlled understeer. If you are an accomplished driver, the traction management system now has an off position, allowing the tail to sneak out.

No traces of mechanical nastiness could be detected through either the steering wheel or the pedals. Shifts move from gear to gear so unobtrusively that the tach needle sometimes provided the only clue anything happened.

The car is superbly bolted together and is as quiet as a pharaoh's tomb, whether driving 35 mph on city streets, 70 mph on Interstates or 130 mph on the proving ground test track. Only the harshest of railroad crossings can disturb the Zen-like calmness.

But really, most owners will drive, or have someone drive, the 600h L in a sensible manner and will be rewarded with what I think is the most serene motoring ride on the planet.

Since the day-long stint at the proving ground was exclusive to safety skid pad tests and performance evaluations on the oval track, I scheduled some time the following morning to try out the hybrid system during real-time traffic congestion.

I drove some 60 miles on clogged stop-and-go city streets and freeways in Phoenix. No matter how gently I pressed the accelerator pedal, the car would only operate for a few brief seconds and at no more than 5 mph with the electric-only mode.

I even pulled into two large parking lots and pushed the EV switch, a function that Lexus says "reverts the power to full electric mode for short distance, slow driving situations such as parking garages." Same results.

In fairness to Lexus, the car was a pre-production vehicle and the inability to operate under electric power only was surely an anomaly that wouldn't occur on production models.

Chairman of the Board Equipped
As its flagship, Lexus left no need unfulfilled or wish ungranted to driver and passengers of the new hybrid sedan. There seems to be acres of leather and wood, which is sequentially matched, by the way. Seats can be heated or cooled, moved up or down and back and forth, adjusted for lumbar support and reclined.

For the ultimate in comfort and coddling, the 600h L offers a rear seating option best described as the "Ultimate Barcalounger." With a remote control, one can stretch back, raise an ottoman to desired height and then enjoy a massage that can ease the day's tension of any chairman of the board.

Attention to detail on the new hybrid is staggering. A skilled technician checks every engine to ensure it meets Lexus's standards for aural quality. During the paint process, each car is hand sanded—twice. Genuine leather on the steering wheel is buffed for three hours to create a supple touch.

In engineering and designing the 600h L, Lexus set out to build a car that delivers the highest level of performance and technology, and the truest expression of luxury and efficiency of vehicle they had ever created. Combining these qualities usually results in compromise, for example, more power means higher fuel consumption.

But thanks to the innovative engineering and advanced hybrid power technology deployed by Lexus, the LS 600h L defines a new standard for the ultra-luxury segment. And, more green luster was added to the company's highly polished image.

* Only available on the LS 600h L Neiman Marcus Launch Edition as part of the Advanced Pre-Collision System (APCS).

©2007 MSN.com. This article originally appeared on the MSN Autos Web site (http://autos.msn.com) and is reproduced here by permission. This article was written by a third party, and does not necessarily reflect the viewpoints or opinions of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A, Inc. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., is not responsible for any errors that may be contained therein.

For complete vehicle information, capabilities and limitations, see your local Lexus dealer.