wordplay: Greg Bloom
When pigs fly and hell freezes over, then words might possibly come close to properly describing perfection. In the case of this month’s ride, I should warn you to bust out your umbrellas (to avoid pork droppings) and have your will executors order you to be bundled nicely post-mortem. From past Lexus samplings, I’ve moved on, only to settle for what was next from another manufacturer, and still I would paint a picture in my head of what small detail may have been missing from the near perfect people mover. This has all changed now. My eleven-day hiatus in LA was complemented by commandeering the top of the line, cream of the crop, most expensive Lexus in production.
For the past 30 years I’ve been visiting my relatives in Santa Monica and West LA, and I’ve only been able to imagine myself in one of the sweetest cars on the road, such as you see more in LA than anywhere. Rockin’ the LS600h L up and down Ocean Ave., through Beverly Hills and around “Hollyweird,” gave me a sense of elitism that could only be felt after purchasing a $120k automobile and having supermodels do double takes when you drive by… music blaring or not. Now, I’m not a guy who gets star struck and certainly don’t want to sport an elitist attitude, so don’t get me wrong. There’s just something that a car like that, in a city like that, can do to a person. Ask Mikey P (former Denver DJ)… we met up and did some field tests on how a couple regular guys would fare in such a scenario out on the town. We hit Cabo Cantina on Sunset one night and Villa Lounge (Villalounge.com) another. Good times were had by all and many first time eyes were fixed, even if for only moments, on the new Bloom-approved, finest ride on the road.
The world’s most advanced Hybrid trumps most other sedans in the power department, while dispersing 70% fewer smog-forming emissions. It has a 5.0 liter 438 hp V8 engine and, at the same time, is a certified Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV), meeting stringent standards for hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions. This “super car” even has an ideal EV Mode, which allows the LS 600h L to run solely on the electric motor, producing low noise and zero emissions, while obviously saving on fuel consumption as well. WHY aren’t all manufacturers further along with this technology?
If it’s luxury and convenience you’re looking for, you’ve hopped in the right ride! The LS600’s large list of luxuries include a rear-seat cool box, power sunshades in the rear, Executive Class Seating with a DVD entertainment system and wireless headsets, power rear-seat reclining massage chair (unbelievable till you try it), voice-activated Hard Disc Drive Navigation System, Bluetooth®, XM Satellite Radio and NavTraffic®. Plus, all 4 seats are power-adjustable, semi-aniline and leather-trimmed, with the Lexus Memory System and heating and cooling controls. Heard enough?
To top it all off, the smartest car on the road is now even smarter. With Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, the LS600 has a preset minimum distance that will always exist between it and the car ahead of it (while in cruise mode). Finally, this bad boy has an advanced Parking Guidance System, which helps you parallel park or back into a space with just a little braking. That’s right! Your hands are in the air and the 600 steers you into either a parallel parking situation or a standard parking space… another one you have to experience to believe.
There are a few kinds of car people in this world. There are those, like our esteemed collector David Fitzgerald (whose amazing affinity is only touched on in this issue), there are the people who buy a car when it’s time to buy one and then there are people who have dough to blow and want the best car they can find, one that does everything they could possibly need and want.
This is that car.
Lexus.com