This is an example of how Toyota and Honda are winning the technology race as well as market share. The patent estate that these companies are builting make it even tougher for Ford & GM to compete. The technology in this V8 will likely end up in their pickups and SUVs in coming years. A T2B5 diesel hybrid program is probably underway too. It is too bad Toyota have not launched a RAV4 or pickup hybrid instead of this high end boat. Could there be some kind of gentleman's agreement with Ford?

Mark, Toyota recently stated they will never make a diesel hybrid. See link:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/5387334.stm?CFID=10232342&CFTOKEN=48543146

The reason I like this Lexus is that for the value its outstanding. It has taken the intermediate step of hybrid in a more marketable direction that BMW's dual LH2 - gas V12 for the new 760. Although long-term id put my money into the hydrogen highway.

What I'd love to see now is a battery motor that can perform at the same levels as the hybrid -- To Toyota and Honda the invitation is open!!

The LS600h is truly remarkable, they are really pushing the limits of hybrid technology and good on them. btw... I have to say that Honda have done shat in comparison so stop using the two companies in the same breath.

Absolutely gutted about the no diesel-hybrid news, the 90bhp D4-D is a gem, and toyota generally charge about £500 (or less) to fit a diesel over the petrol in corolla etc. That is what? 10 fill-ups to break even over petrol version... makes no sense to me why they wouldn't hybrid it, anyway that is another thread.

This news does for me about what news of GM advances does for you guys.

Until they put such engine efficiency technology in their 4 cylinder engines (they could downsize the current 1.8L to 1.6L and have the same power output or take the 2.4L back to 2.2L with the same power employing these technologies) it has no impact on me or my life.

Sid- many automakers (and everybody else for that matter) make bold statements that they will never do X technology or make X equipment...until they can show a profit from such activities.

Even though I doubt anyone will realise 25mpg in real world L600h driving, nevertheless, this is another SULEV from Lexus with feelings of Schadenfreude for Mercedes, BMW

John,

Honda is focusing mainly on improvements to their small, otherwise 4 cyl engines, which is understandable, because that's Honda's "core" product. Honda started off as a motorcycle maker, and even now, their expertise is limited to 4 cyl engines. Sure, they make some great V6 engines, but they are not *experts* at it, and both Nissan and Toyota beat Honda in V6 engine expertise. And lets not even get into V8s here, seeing as Honda has yet to make a production V8. And no, one-off racing Honda V8s don't count.

Toyota recently announced that on top of their focus on hybrids, they too would be releasing more ethanol cars in Brazil, they would continue their diesel focus in different areas around the world, and most signficantly, that their entire engine and transmission lineup would be overhauled. Has Honda claimed to be working on such a feat? Not to mention, Toyota has hybrid fuel cell buses currently in public use in Japan.

For example, Toyota is well under way in replacing all their V6 models with the new GR series of V6 engines. Toyota's dated V8 gas engines, the UZ series, are being replaced by the new UR series engines. Furthermore, Toyota has developed a new 4 cyl engine that will first appear on the new Corolla, and later other cars. Also take a look at the numerous new transmissions Toyota is putting out, and developing.

Toyota has experience in making V12 as well as diesel engines, mainly through their Hino subsidiary. Honda has no competitive answer whatsoever to Hino's diesel engines.

Honda's current 2.2L diesel sold in Europe was developed mainly by Isuzu, tied to a joint agreement several years back made by Honda and GM. GM in return got Honda's 3.5L V6 to use in the Saturn Vue. Honda did this because they didn't have experience in diesels.

442 horsepower...oh my god I can hear the poles melting.Where is the eco warrior that was gonna hunt down polluters and off them.

This a fantastic showcase of new engine technology and hybrid powertrain. The VVT-iE is a great idea in that much more precise control of variable timing over that of hydraulic mechanism. The two-stage multi-mode port and direct fuel injection system (D4s) is also great in that it allows for maximum efficiency at all speeds thanks to a high compression ration of 11.8! Hopefully eventually, these technologies will trickle down to lower models.
The 25mpg rating is superior to any car in that size and weight range in the uber-luxury market, that get typically 15mpg. This is fantastic, a ~70% improvement in fuel efficiency over the competition. This will open the way for hydrogen fuel with a lot of range using compressed H2 instead of the much less efficient LH2, to compete with the BMW hydrogen 7.

The Prius does not have the innovations listed in this article so once again the technological innovations listed have no impact on my life.

Well, if other people buy the technology and it lowers fuel consumption, emissions, and so forth, it definitely has an impact on your life. I assume the next gen Prius should be much more advanced than the current generation, so you're kind of splitting hairs. They apply their technology across many platforms.

Now please show me where I said Toyota doesn't make an efficient 4-cylinder engine. Reading comprehension is an important skill.

Oh, that's nice. Now we're going there.

Let's quote you, OK?

"Until they put such engine efficiency technology in their 4 cylinder engines... it has no impact on me or my life."

Is Toyota putting "such" engine efficiency technology into their 4 cylinder engines? What do you mean by "such"? Isn't the point that there is high tech being applied to 4 cylinder plants and it results in high fuel mileage? Because that's precisly what Toyota is doing and has been doing for quite some time. Next gen Prius is going to be, what, 94 mpg? This dissatisfies you?

Don't be so petty and start talking about "reading comprehension". Focus on the point of what you're saying and the impacts of what's being described.

You're last line sums it up quite well. FOCUS on the conversation. What is the "such" being discussed? Was this an article on Atkinson cycle engines? Was this an article on general improvements to engines with open endedness as to what technology can be applied? NO and NO.

The article specifically discusses several technologies relating to gasoline engines of which NONE are used in any current Toyota engine.

You can quote all day long but reading comprehension has to do with taking in the context of the entirety of the conversation not just hand picking something and trying to take it out of the context to be examined on its own. So, with that in mind, read the article then read my comment and you will see that it all makes sense as the "such" is implied based on the article.

When they apply this technology into a 4 cylinder it will impact me. While this technology is applied to High end luxury extended platform vehicles it has no impact on me. The number of these vehicles which will be sold amounts to a lowering of fuel consumption equivalent to me not driving my car for a month (compared to a standard V-12 long wheel base model). This technology impacts me as much as heated leather massaging seats do (which I'm sure is an available option on this vehicle).

It is not being "petty" to discuss reading comprehension because mis-communication [especially easy with the lack of additional communication cues such as body language and tone of voice] is quite prevalent with this very impersonal mode of communication.

I suggest using water to wash the sand out as soap and vinegar will kill beneficial bacteria causing you to get a nasty infection.

Sorry, this article does not say "Toyota's next gen Prius" or "Toyota's next gen Camry Hybrid" so while you are literate you are definitely having trouble with digesting the basic material presented before you. If this becomes available on a 4 cylinder engine in 23 months than I will care.

Please show me a single owner of such a vehicle who makes an effort to drive in an efficient manner? Large heavy vehicles with hybrid systems driven in an ordinary fashion have been shown to gain relatively few benefits from hybridization other than severe start-stop bumper to bumper traffic. Please see reviews such as Car and Driver, Road and Track, Consumer Reports, Popular Mechanics, etc. Now you or I may be able to drive in such a manner so as to save fuel but it is very doubtful that the owners of these vehicles will drive in such a manner (especially with the possibility that someone else will be driving given that this is a long wheel base model).

Long wheel base models don't capture a significantly large portion of the market compared to the standard model. Someone who can afford to be driven around is likely to have multiple cars and even those who can afford this vehicle are very unlikely to use it as their sole daily transportation. A 15% reduction in fuel use would be optimistic at best under the expected operational conditions.

...btw once again your failure at reading comprehension prevented you from determining a hyberbole being used facetiously to simply point out that this is not likely to save much fuel at all even if you take the entire fleet of the vehicles sold.

Please continue the petty bickering.  I find it most intriguing.

This is very interesting compared to my previous daily driver, a V6 Taurus SHO.  The SHO had ~200 HP on tap, but only got about 26 MPG on the highway.  The Lexus has more than twice the power, but gets 25 MPG.

If government policy required that performance cars get most of their peak power from batteries, we'd see a large increase in economy over inefficient piston engines loafing at a fraction of peak power.