Toyota – currently, the world’s biggest carmaker, selling well over 10 million vehicles worldwide every year, has targeted virtually every segment in passenger cars, SUVs and trucks. Kiichiro Toyoda started the world's largest carmaker in 1933—after inheriting his father's weaving loom business—to coincide with the Japanese government's proposal for their own automotive industry with the Toyoda Model A1. Since then, the company has produced several great cars including the 2000GT sports car and its best-selling Corolla – spanning 12 generations. But luxury motoring for Japan was still only available from overseas. Toyota's president—Eiji Toyoda—was about to change this in 1983. Lexus: Japan’s Revolution In ‘Luxury’ Eiji Toyoda’s Aim For The Best Bring A TrailerInitiating project “Flagship Number 1” in 1983, Eiji’s aim was to produce a world-class luxury sedan to rival those of Mercedes-Benz. With no set budget, time constraints, or existing platforms/parts to use, the Chief Engineer for the project—Ichiro Suzuki—started from the ground up. Design work for the Japanese Mercedes-Benz began in 1985 with initial sketches featuring a sports car profile, but the decision was made to opt for an upright three-box design in 1986. At the same time, Toyoda’s new premium sedan wore the new Lexus badge to differentiate itself over Toyota. With 450 vehicle prototypes and over 900 engine prototypes built, along with eight design reviews, the patented "LS" concept was approved in 1987, and the production-ready model debuted in January 1989 with sales commencing on September 1, 1989, for the US market. The Benchmark Bring A TrailerThe LS targeted Mercedes' S-Class dominance in the US—making the German firm the benchmark Toyoda was aiming for. The LS aimed to outperform the S-Class in quietness, ride, comfort, and drivetrain by adopting the same "over-engineering" approach as the German brand. Lexus' reliability standard set a standard of its own—consistently ranking higher than the German marque in independent studies—and offered it at better value. The Standalone Brand Success Today Bring A TrailerThis success set the foundations for what Lexus is today. Since the LS launched in 1989, Lexus has rapidly expanded its model portfolio from a single model into a current 10+ car lineup and has become a universally recognized brand. Beyond this, the brand has made several Hollywood appearances in films like Tom Cruise's Minority Report, Men in Black International, and the 2017 sci-fi film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. Big Beasts The Power That Lurks Within Bring A TrailerFame on the big screen is great, but where Lexus found its winning streak, aside from its overall overengineering, was from its engines. Big, powerful, refined, and quiet, and with the introduction of hybrid technology—cleaner as well. Self-charging hybrid technology allowed smooth, linear and instant acceleration where the power flow was automatically managed between the engine and electric motors in near-silence. Their UZ and UR V8 units have been renowned as being the smoothest and most powerful of them all—and synonymous with the "sleeper" class. The Rise Of Sleepers Bring A TrailerSleepers or "Q-cars" are understated and unassuming—hiding their true high-performance capabilities underneath. A "wolf in sheep's clothing," in other words. And they've grown in popularity because of their versatility, element of surprise, lower insurance costs, and avoidance of unwanted attention. But most importantly, they have gathered respect within the enthusiast community, emphasizing “mechanical substance over visual flashy-ness.”German sleepers like Audi's S6 and S8, and Alpina's B3 have often been favorites among enthusiasts and gained the most recognition thanks to their superior quality, premium look and feel, and advanced engineering—leaving Lexus and its products in their wake. However, Lexus’ LS was more than just a ‘luxury sedan’. LS: Toyoda’s Inadvertent Sleeping Hero Bring A TrailerDespite Toyoda’s original aim to make the LS a world-class luxury sedan, it also became a leading sleeper for the brand. Its 1UZ-FE/3UZ-FE V8 engines were over-engineered for durability. They offered large amounts of torque and reliability—hitting well over 200,000 miles and used in performance projects. But the later 2UR-FSE unit, which powered the fourth-generation LS600h, featured the world's first V8 hybrid setup—a recipe that would be adopted by performance makers today in the shift to electrification. A World's First—Followed By All Bring A TrailerBeing the world’s first, the V8 hybrid system used in the LS600 was the most technically advanced engine built by Lexus in 2007. It produced 433 horsepower with 218 horsepower of those being generated by the electric motors alone. The latest valve timing technology was used on the intake and exhaust valves at the time to improve torque. By doing so, the engine's electric motors—operating on a 650-volt architecture—allowed for maximum torque to be generated immediately on startup—giving the 600h impressive acceleration off the line and improved the engine's power under high throttle.Under full acceleration, the engine and electric motors worked together with the battery to supply the extra power boost that helped the LS600h accelerate to 62 mph in 5.4 seconds and to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. Thanks to the engine, it was the only one in its class to achieve 30.4 mpg and 219 g/km of carbon dioxide emissions.Bring A Trailer At the time, the LS600h’s Chief Engineer, Osamu Sadakata said: The LS600h’s hybrid system provides the customer with a previously unimaginable level of excitement and experience, befitting a flagship. The LS600h is made possible by Lexus’s state-of-the-art technology and embodies the evolution of the premium car to confidently accommodate changes in customers’ lifestyles and values, while meeting society’s demands for safe and environmentally friendly product designs.This setup has been widely adopted by manufacturers today—shifting towards hybrid or fully electric powertrains and adopting a V8 hybrid setup for their performance-based products. Ferrari’s SF90 Stradale, Mercedes’ C63 AMG S E Performance and Porsche’s Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid owe themselves to the LS600h. Even BMW’s LMDh 4.0-liter V8 hybrid engine used in world endurance racing owes its success to Lexus.Bring A TrailerThe LS's smaller V8 Hybrid outperformed in power and acceleration against its German rivals, but this provided scope for aftermarket power boosts from piggyback tuning modules to increase power near to 500 horsepower. Unlike software remaps, piggyback modules are reversible plug-in devices designed to trick the ECU into running higher boost or more fuel to increase the vehicle’s horsepower and torque. PowerMAX Tuners is one manufacturer in St. Pete, Florida, that offers a chip tuning module for the LS to push the power up by 40 horsepower, improve fuel economy, and improve the throttle response through a piggyback plug-in device through the car's OBD port. Lexus LS600h Specs Fallen Values—But Will Always Be Valued Bring A TrailerUsed values for the LS600h are under $8,000 today. An early 2008 model with over 200,000 miles recently featured in the Edmund classifieds for $6,775. But these sophisticated V8 leviathans are reaching 20 years old, so looking out for good ones should be at the top of your list if you're thinking of choosing one. The biggest mechanical gremlin is its Hybrid system. Check to make sure all maintenance – both essential and regular – has been carried out. While it's generally durable, watch out for battery degradation on high-mileage examples. Problems with the battery will be indicated with a “Check Hybrid System” on the dashboard.Overheating to the battery’s cooling system results in failed battery modules within the complex battery pack. Watch out for air suspension, which can leak on high-mileage examples, as well as the suspension control arms wearing out due to the vehicle's weight. Therefore, all the usual checks for cars of this age are a must, and the lack of regular maintenance and no evidence of documented repairs to show for it means one to walk away from. Despite the fallen values, the LS600h will always be valued by us as a sleeping hero. The Newcomers Lexus mediaAlthough the LS600h is our underrated sleeping hero from Lexus, can any of the brand’s newcomers take over this crown in the future? What about the latest generation IS 500 F Sport? It’s currently on sale offering supercar pace from its naturally-aspirated 427 hp V8 with a subtle, no-fuss exterior. And then there is also the brand’s sporty LBX Morizo RR. It’s their high-performance variant of their smallest SUV sold in Europe – the LBX, but there is no word on whether Lexus will consider bringing it to the US.
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