ACHIEVING NIRVANA

Everything about the Lexus LS 500h is super luxury, whether they are the door trims or the seats or the comfort or luxury within the four doors of the cars.

The Lexus LS 500h has been around for a while now. We needed a short break from the mundane and decided to drive and experience the super-luxury sedan from Toyota’s luxury arm Lexus. The Lexus LS 500h Hybrid prices start at Rs 1.82 crore onward and by its size and the luxury it offers, anybody buying it is unlikely to drive this car himself; rather he or she would be sitting comfortably ensconced at the rear with their feet stretched out.

And that’s exactly what I did when I had parked the car by the roadside. I experienced the super-luxury space at the rear seat diagonally behind the driver. Before I get into my drive experience, let me tell you more about this rear seat, its functionality and the entire cabin.

The rear armrest provides loads of functions through a touch screen. By touching those buttons on the armrest touch screen one is able to move the front seat, make it tilt and fold to your convenience and then recline your own seat and extend the under-thigh support. Once that is done, you can actually grab a shut-eye while your driver is struggling through the maze of traffic. And if you want to watch a movie you can do so or listen to some soothing music. This Mark Levinson 16-channel 3D surround sound system drives 23 speakers. The 7 Unity speakers, ceiling speakers and QLI (Quantum Logic Immersion) surround technology fill the cabin with uniform sound quality.

SPECIFICATIONS

ENGINE 3,456cc 8GR FXS - Euro 6 - V Type

TRANSMISSION Multi-Stage Hybrid

MAX POWER 295hp@6600 rpm (132 kW for motor-generator)

PEAK TORQUE 350Nm@5100rpm (300Nm for motor-generator)

SUSPENSION AIR + Adaptive Variable Suspension

TYRES 245/45RF20 (Run Flat)

PRICE ₹1.82 crore onwards (ex-showroom Delhi)