Lexus LS 600h may return with hybrid V8 punch, report says
This trim was retired in 2016, but it may come back as part of a midcycle refresh.
The Lexus LS might not have the same cultural gravitas as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or the BMW 7 Series , but the LS remains one seriously competent and comfortable full-size sedan. While its biggest, fanciest trim shuffled off into the sunset when the latest generation was released, a new report claims the 600h trim might be due for a comeback after all.
The Lexus LS is due for both upsizing and downsizing: According to Japanese car rag Mag-X, as spotted by Autoblog, a midcycle refresh is on the horizon that will bring some major updates to the LS' powertrain offerings. The LS 600h trim, which disappeared in 2016, will reportedly return with V8 hybrid power. The most recent 600h paired a 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated V8 with an electric motor for a net 439 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque. The result was a buttery-smooth luxury car with some of the quietest on-road demeanor I've ever experienced. It's unclear what the new LS 600h's output will be, and it's also unclear whether or not the new LS 600h will simply borrow the old powertrain without changes.
That's not all, though. The refreshed LS will, according to Mag-X's report, also get a smaller, four-cylinder engine option. Mag-X believes this is to help fill the gap left by the Lexus GS , which was recently discontinued after a decade or so in its current iteration. There's a new special-edition GS on offer for those who want to ride off into the sunset with the 5 Series competitor.
Of course, there's no guarantee that any of this is true, and as is expected, Lexus isn't furthering the conversation at the moment. A representative for Lexus said the company does not comment on future products, including the speculations in Mag-X's report. Thus, we'll have to wait with bated breath for Lexus to determine the right time and place to give us the real details.
