As far as I know, the Honda Insight was the first hybrid to hit the Us Auto Market in 1999. I bought my Insight one year later. Toyota trailed a tad behind with the Prius. It's additional room for the driver and passengers, plus safty features made the Prius the most sucessful and well known hybrid in the US Market.

Originally from Detroit (land of the auto industry), I lived 7 years in Beverly Hills were some of the most prestigeous cars were displayed all over, parked or in midst the hectic LA traffic. At first, when I would valet next to a Bently or Lamborghini, people would run out very interested by the technology of my tiny Honda Insight. After going throug 18 recalls, and waiting on a 6 month list for the environmental factors, I felt I humbly earned the compliments on being ahead of the game. Also, to see my tiny car parked alongside all the six figure cars, felt as though I was helping to bring awareness to supported since my early days canvassing door to door for Greenpeace.

As years past, it appeared people were less interested in the technology and more in saving money. The monotony of onging questions (having utterly no reason as to why I bought the car) became nearly a daily disturbance. "Is that then one of those hybrids?" Does that car really save on gas, how much?" " How many miles per gallon do you get?" My answers were simplistic and direct, and I felt any reason to encourage purchase of a hybrid or non gasoline vehicle a good reason. My car got around 65mpg. I could drive from LA to Vegas and back , run a few days of errands and then fill up".Thier eyebrows would raise. "I heard you get a couple thousand off your taxes too, is that annualy?" (No, only the year you purchase it.) "I heard you can drive as a single passenger in the carpool lane?" (True.But by the time I applied for the tacky yellow sticker for the side and back of my car, they had exceded their carpool hybrid limit. Shucks!) "I heard that you don't have to pay parking meters?!?" (This may or not be true. I had a friend that would get ticketed, and go to court to show she owned a hybrid, and said the tickets were then waived. For me, I'd rather use my hours to serve the community and enviroment in other ways.) The final question was usually, the "sticker price". As soon as most heard I paid nearly 30K for a Honda, the discussion was over, and most back at the gas pumps.

Therefore, I was first bombarded by car enthusiasts, first to saavy as to the technology this little Honda had to offer in an ever expanding, art, science and design, industry that evolves as quickly as I see the fashion industry. Then, I was bombarded by what I call "the disposable Wallmart Fast food mentality; how little does one have to invest, to get the maximum gain in return, with little or no commitment. Through both "phases" the actual reason I bought the car,the environmental purposes, seemed almost obsolete to most. Unless, of course, I parked out front of Whole Foods Market, or any other eco-trendy atmosphere.

It made sense, since the Toyota Prius created such a stir of success, that Lexus (owned by Toyota) produce the first "Luxury Hybrid" released to the US market in 2005. For me, it was helped merge opposing interests and put the focus back on the emissions and our environment. Presenting most artfully and scientifically quality over quantity, Lexus put a vaste amount of time and care into refining the RX 400h. They kept in line with environmental concerns, while not compromising luxury and comfort. Detials, such as non renewable tree sources for the woodgrain on the dashboard, were with a "greener alternative". Seeimingly, they aimed to make everyone happy! The RX 400h said the hybrid version averaged 28 mpg. The RX 330 averaged at that same time around 21 mpg. Lexus also attempted to reclassify the RX 400h "SUV" with the very sweet acronym "LUV". (Luxury Utility Vehicle.)

Quite misfortunately, there was little Love given the new LUV Vehicle. Most environmentalists were not all that pleased with the first Luxury hybrid, and the ideal of such seemed an oxymoron! "Eco-militants could not see more in the RX 400h than a "Hummer with a trendy disguise". The mission statement from most was to "downsize". The majority of drivers commuting to work did not "carpool"! And for those that did, to save gas, there were more single SUV drivers hogging the carpool lanes in California!

Car enthusiasts were not happy missing their wood trim and other details, with a 4 figure price hike just to save 7 miles per gallon! In 2005, most of the US was still stuck in the "Supersize Me" mentality where bigger is better. And most, including California's Governer was not supporting a change in that thought process.

Speaking as a design saavy, tree hugging, nut and bark eating activist, if one were to drive the average 15,000 miles per year in the RX 400 vs. the RX 330 in the year 2005, roughly it would have saved our planet 180 gallons of gas! Do you think that is no big deal? That 180 gallons of gas, would have fueled my Honda Insight for ONE ENTIRE YEAR, since I drive an average of 10,500 per year. Think about that!

In speaking to people over the past...oh 8 years, I have heard so many times how "ugly" most hybrids were, or if they could just come out with a luxury hybrid, they would buy one. When I mention that Lexus has three models on the market to fit everyone's needs. I hear a gasp, as in "Lexus makes a hybrid"? Therefore, Yes, the ad campaigns new ad campaigns are necessary!"

The three cars currently offered are the Lexus LS 600h, a "Prestige Hybrid Luxury Sedan", with 5.0 Liter V8 engine, 438 horsepower, allowing the car to go from 0-60 in just 5.5 seconds, is AWD, and averages 22 miles per gallon. The Lexus GS 450h RWD, "Performance Hybrid Sedan" has a 3.5 liter V6 engine, 340 horsepower, and will go from 0-60 in 5.2 seconds. and averages 25 mpg. The 2008 RX 400h, with FWD, has a 3.3 liter V6 engine, 268 horsepower, the "LUV" mobile can still take one from 0-60 in 7.3 seconds, and offers around 27 mpg. Finally, and perhaps of greatest importance, these vehices are all Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles. (SULEV)

So have I traded in my Honda Insight yet? No. I believe that Lexus has done well in satisfing the craving for both groundbreaking performance and breathtaking style, and adding a level of eco consciousness. By doing this, I feel they paved the way, and showed consumer awareness, and helped challenge the US and European automakers.

This year's, auto shows were quite an exhilirating ride through an array of many alternatives to gasoline. German automakers showcased the Blu-Tech versions of their luxury sedans and crossovers. There were natural gas, hydrogen, biodesil, and completely electric cars. Also a "new class" of cars coming out of Semi Valley, CA with 3 wheels therefore falling into the mortorcycle classification despite they seat two to four passengers and are completely enclosed. An example, the aptera, may not appear the safest of cars, nor is the final model complete and on the market (yet!) but claims to get over 100 mpg. Of course for you die hard automobile lovers with little or no room for compromise, you love historic lineage as much as I do Couture Houses, want the status of luxury, comfort, speed, and class, the Porsche 911 GT2 is specified to be the fasted Porsche ever made, reaching 204 mph, and using an average of 22.6 miles of gasoline. Perhaps there is a way at inching closer and in merging the best of both worlds, while saving the one we live on

But for now, the fact that Lexus is spending multimillions in launching new ad campaigns targetted merging man made luxury with nature, I feel they definitley making heavy grooves for future pathways, and have their have their GPS satelites aimed in positive directions for our future generations.

Sincerely,

Genevieve Gallen (model, stylist, and yogini)

Note: all spelling, grammarical errors and run on, run off sentences and topics just prove I am a natural blonde. Bare with me, the message still stands. ;)