Lexus Hybrid School

[markatty]

Anybody else get a foldover postcard from Lexus for "good music", "organically grown wines" and "how to maximize your vehicle's fuel efficiency" to be held in NJ on 9/26. It also has a preview of the LS600h.

I can't tell whether this is just a sales program or if Lexus is actually trying to build some good will with RX-400 drivers. (BTW: When I RSVP'd I was on hold for 20 minutes with that irritating woman who comes on every few minutes to tell you how important your call is to them.)

[LexRexBlue]

I received one and thought I might go. However, it is closeby for me. I wondered why it was being held there instead of the dealership which usually introduces cars with a very nice reception. However, I haven't called yet.

[lexus411]

This is from Lexus Corporate. The events they have are always nice. Lexus is looking to give more information to HYbrid customers and gain feedback as well.

[RX400h]

I haven't see anything here in San Diego, but would be interested in attending if offered.

[wayhin]

I got one that hosting in San Francisco Lincoln museum for LS600h

[Rx330driver]

I got one that hosting in San Francisco Lincoln museum for LS600h

omg thats right up my alley. I wasnt invited because i dont own the hybrid, but i really really want to go....

maybe i should just show up anyway and act all confident like i belong there. :D

[LexRexBlue]

I registered for the event held in NJ today. They answered the phone promptly, but would only let me bring one guest.I had wanted to bring 2 people. The man was specific about my data. Interesting.

[RX400h]

I got one that hosting in San Francisco Lincoln museum for LS600h

omg thats right up my alley. I wasnt invited because i dont own the hybrid, but i really really want to go....

maybe i should just show up anyway and act all confident like i belong there. :D

The dead giveaway would be the "RX330" badge on the rear of your vehicle as you pull into the parking lot full of hybrids ............

I can see it now as "Devin" from the old weekly series "Knight Rider" announces...."Guards, would you kindly escort the RX330 owner back to his vehicle?"

[irieblue]

[

I got one that hosting in San Francisco Lincoln museum for LS600h

[

I got one that hosting in San Francisco Lincoln museum for LS600h

I attended the San Francisco Event on Friday (9/15/06), and in true Lexus style, the atmosphere/location was fantastic. Great food, great wine, lots of Lexus employees offering comments and listening to feedback, oh and of course the cars:

06 RX400h,

07 GS 450h, and the star of the night..

08 600hL....

A couple of observations about the GS 450h. The 5 Gen Nav is a huge improvement over the current 4th Gen found in the 06 RX, in fact all the screens look better with the higher resolution. The interior sound level is rated at 34.5 dB (although I don't imagine that's HWY speeds) but with the doors closed, it is extremely quiet. The trunk space is a shocker to me (extremely small) .Lexus has these (think glove campartment without the door) cutaways on either side of the trunk so a golf bag would fit in the trunk. IMHO there is only room for luggage for 2 people, also Fitting todays shopping boxes into the trunk will be a lesson in frustration. The drivers seat ergonomics are great for someone like me (6ft larger frame). It felt like it would be comfortable for a long drive. The overall interior is what I'd expect in their top of the (GS) range. I truly felt at home moving from a RX 400h interior to the GS 450h interior..

600hL

This is an absolutely gorgeous car, The car was open for Lexus guests to thoroughly check out. (The car on display was Silver metallic Gray in color, although Lexus probably has a different name for the paint scheme). This particular car was outfitted with the executive rear seat package, Mark Levinson sound system and rear DVD entertainment system. The ML in this vehicle sounds fantastic, it's in a different league to the ML in my RX 400h. Coupled to the 10 inch DVD screen it makes watching /listening to DVD's unlike anything you would expect in a factory setup, although in all practicality you would disturb the chauffeur/driver if you played the system at the level's it's capable of.

About that rear 'right" seat... It's extremely comfortable and can recline 45 degrees. The ottoman (foot rest) is also electronic, but to get the true at home benefit, you need to adjust the right front passenger seat forward. Did I mention you can control the *right front* seat from that *rear right* seat. It almost seems like Lexus is going after the Maybach crowd with this arrangement.

One negative side effect of having the 45 degree reclining rear seats, is that it eats up a huge portion of the trunk space. i.e The space that the seats recline into is walled off in the trunk. Everyone who saw the trunk was like WOW, that's tiny for a car like this. In reality it seems like the space is only slightly more than in the GS 450h. Mark my word, when the official reviews get under way, reviewers will comment on the reduced trunk space with the executive seating package.

The rear right seat also has a Shiatsu massgae feature, if you have ever been to a Sharper Image store and tried one of their high end massage chairs, that's the type of massage you get from the right rear seat, incredible comes to mind having this available in a car. I have sat in the back of a LS 430 with the ultra luxury package, and that massage does not compare. Unfortunately it's only the right rear seat that gets this feature, not the driver, not the left rear seat, although if you do kick the massage feature up to it's max, you will feel the slight residual on the left seat.

Nav screen: The screen resolution in the 600hL seems improved over the 5 th gen Nav system, I really didn't have time to play with all the features and buttons, suffice to say that there's alot of stuff packed into it. There's also more buttons than you can shake a stick at.

This particular 600hL had the facial recognition camera, but obviously there was no way to check out it's functionality. It was kind of cool how lexus had the car setup, they ran external power to the car so all systems could be live, but it wasn't like they had just left the ignition on. Apparently this car was a special prototype with the goal of letting people experience the creature comforts of the car.

Pricing: Lexus was really cagey (obviously) about the pricing on the 600hL, I did get the standard 92-100K ballpark. But a decked out 600hL could run as high as $125K... The car is expected to land in showrooms between May and June 2007.

If you do get the opportunity to go to a Lexus special event, I urge you to attend, next up for me is to go test drive the GS 450h and the LS 460 at the end of the September.

[irieblue]

One thing I forgot to mention, is that the 600hL nav is slated to come with real time traffic monitoring courtesy of XM satellite's network, which means if you are a Howard Stern fan (Not!) you have to forgo the Sirius Satellite option. In Northern CA, I suppose that's not a bad option since people have been complaining about Sirius's poor coverage .

[Rx330driver]

i cant wait to try to afford one :)

[LexRexBlue]

I just returned from the event in West Orange, NJ. Beautiful setting and great food. The place is owned by the same poeple as The Manor and Highlawn Pavillion. It was great seeing and sitting in and trying the messaging back seat of the new 600h. I was surprised that it was AWD.

They had people to answer questions, too. Mostly, it was in appreciation for the hybrid car owners. The goody bag made out of a recycled billboard was an interesting touch.

Nice evening. One more plus for Lexus.