First of all, our good buddy Autoblog Sam is now writing for Why You Should Buy This Car:
Even though you're rich, stealth-wealth is your thing: you're not just another schmuck in an S-class. Mercilessly powerful, unbelievable technology, cruise ship smooth ride, sublime comfort and modern good looks. The back seat is one of the best in the world. Five powered sunshades. The perverse pleasure you get from knowing that you're getting twice the gas mileage of competing vehicles. Lexus is only selling 2,000 of them in the States per year, which makes 'em rare. You love pushing buttons, all 166 of them. Remote tilting DVD screen. World's best stereo. Killer headlights. Who doesn't want a hybrid limousine?

Why You Shouldn't Buy This Car:
Not green in any way, shape or form, no matter what the badges want you to think. Not as decadent inside as its $100,000+ price would indicate. While using a supplemental electric motor for more power is clever and novel, we'll take an actual V12, thank you. Toyota has a perfectly awesome 5.0-liter V12 sitting inside its epic JDM Century. In fact, bring on the Century! Not to be confused with a driver's car as the steering was shot up at the factory with Novocain and brakes have hair triggers. You just know that the computer could be rejiggered for mo' powa! The trunk is too small. Block-wide turning radius. The ride is so smooth it lulls you to sleep. $117,000 is Audi R8 money, yo. Supposedly, the LS600h L has over 100 servos and motors on board -- that makes us nervous.

Suitability Parameters:
Speed Merchants: Yes
Fashion Victims: Yes
Treehuggers: Yes
Mack Daddies: No
Tuner Crowd: No
Hairdressers: No
Penny Pinchers: No
Euro Snobs: No
Working Stiffs: No
Technogeeks: Yes
Poseurs: Yes
Soccer Moms: No
Nascar Dads: No
Golfing Grandparents: No

Also Consider:
• Mercedes-Benz S600
• BMW 760Li
• Bentley Continental Flying Spur
• A warm bath

Vitals:
• Manufacturer: Lexus
• Model tested: LS600h L
• Model year: 2008
• Base Price: $104,000
• Price as Tested: $117,179
• Engine type: 5.0 Liter DOHC V8 + Permanent magnet electric-drive motor
• Horsepower: 438
• Torque: 385
• Red line: 6,600 RPM
• Transmission: Continuously Variable
• Curb Weight: 5,219 lbs
• LxWxH: 202.8" x 73.8 " x 58.3"
• Wheelbase: 121.7"
• Tires: 245/45R19
• Drive type: AWD
• 0 - 60 mph: 5.4 seconds
• 1/4-mile: 13.8 seconds
• Top speed: 130 MPH (computer limited)
• Fuel economy city/highway: 20/22 MPG
• Jalopnik observed: 20.6 MPG
• NHTSA crash test rating: N/A

[Photography by As an automotive columnist for the Times of London, Jay Leno figured the readers might want to know why he selected the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid as the Green Car of the Year. He begins with "The basic difference between England and America is size" and, well, you can probably fill in the blanks from there. Interestingly, Leno claims that there is a rush on used mega-SUVs in the States, as bass boat owners and those with 14 children fear new ones will soon be outlawed. Exterior Design: ***1/2
First of all, the "Hybrid" badges on the doors are gauche, essentially meaningless and an utter afterthought. Talk about tacked on. And tacky. Lexus, the car costs over $100,000 -- the kind of people that buy the LS600h L don't care what others think. Make that shouldn't care. Most likely, these folks will care the most. So I see the point. And the badgers are still awful. That said, at 0.3 inches longer than an Escalade (202.8 inches overall) this long-wheelbase baby cuts a pretty dapper rug. Ten times better looking than the fuddy-duddy previous gen big Lexus. We love the busy, jeweled headlights and dig the improved upon Bangle-butt. The trapezoidal tail pipes are a bit odd, though.

Interior Design: ***1/2
If we were only talking about the rear-seat the big Hybrid would score 5 stars, maybe more. The harsh light of reality insists that we have to include the front seat, too. At over 100 grand the wood shouldn't look fake, the buttons and switch gear shouldn't be shared with other, lesser models and the leather ought to be much more buttery. Also, there are just too many damn buttons. Either stick 'em all in the touchscreen or it's time to starting thinking about a Toyotafied iDrive. The backseat however, utterly rocks, and we didn't even have the full monty "Executive-Class" seating. It's hard to argue against heated/cooled reclining rear-seats. If you're wondering about how much space the long-wheelbase adds, I put a 6'5" inch friend in the rear and his knees were almost a full foot from the back of my seat.

Acceleration: ****
At more than 2.5 tons, the 438 hp duet of engines has a heavy load to haul and it shows, especially coming off the line. The AWD doesn't help matters any. Still, 5.4 seconds to 60 mph was nearly unheard of for anything with 4-doors just a decade ago and quite respectable today. The LS600h L earns its blue chip once at speed, where burying the throttle converts the car from a nuclear submarine into a torpedo that's been fired from one. 100 mph happens so quickly it's startling. Dangerous to your driver's license, too. Some sad news: even with the traction and stability controls off, you can't do brake stands. We tried. Stupid supercomputer.

Brakes: ****
You'd never guess it, but the Cyber Barge might have the most powerful brakes in the entire world. Stomp on 'em and the car nearly does an endo. Then why only four stars? Because they also happen to be the least progressive brakes in the world. There isn't any pedal feel and woe unto the person who puts their foot into 'em at low speeds, because they will give themselves whiplash.

Ride: *****
Yeah, this big sucka rides nice. Real nice. And with a ten foot wheelbase, it oughta. The air suspension makes the ride feel that much more supple, especially in comfort mode. We went over some of the worst earthquake damaged roads in LA (Stadium Way, anyone?) and the LS600h L just chewed up the smashed expansion joints and spit back butter. Veal fat butter. Please make sure your chauffer loads up on caffeine/amphetamines as all that smoothness (and silent leather) kep