Lexus official supplier of His Serene Highness the Prince of Monaco
Lexus official supplier of His Serene Highness the Prince of Monaco
Through its Foundation established in 2006, His Serene Highness Prince Albert II is committed to protecting the environment by supporting already more than 150 diverse and innovative projects around the world.
The Prince has recently defined the strategy of the Principality on sustainable mobility for the next ten years and, due to the unique reputation of hybrid technology company in the environment, has granted a royal authorization Lexus as Supplier Official of His Serene Highness the Sovereign Prince of Monaco.
Lexus unveiled the LS 600h L hybrid exclusive Landaulet
- It will be used on the occasion of the marriage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco
- The 100% hybrid technology of Lexus LS 600h will have the converted L perform on July 2, the largest part of the way around the Principality in zero emission mode
- It has a transparent roof makes a piece using technologies of the aerospace industry
Lexus LS exclusive L Landaulet * Fully 600h hybrid, equipped with a transparent piece polycarbonate roof will serve as the official car for the marriage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco and Ms. Charlene Wittstock Saturday, July 2 2011.
Hybrid system equipped Lexus LS 600h L Prince Albert offers all the performance and comfort you expect from a flagship model of Lexus, and generates far less CO2 emissions, NOx and particles than any comparable car.
"Lexus is very proud to present this exceptional full hybrid vehicle to His Serene Highness the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, stated Andy Pfeiffenberger, Vice President of Lexus Europe. Lexus's commitment to innovation and sustainable mobility fits perfectly to the brand that bears interest His Serene Highness the promotion of sustainable development and protection of the environment. "
The high-tech conversion was undertaken by Belgian coachbuilder Carat renames Duchatelet, in close collaboration with Lexus engineers based in Brussels. This conversion need 2,000 hours. The fundamental objective of the project was to ensure that a finite preserve the level of quality and technology inherent in every Lexus, whilst preserving all the attributes of performance, safety and dynamic behavior of the LS 600h L of car origin.
"We have 40 years of experience in the manufacture of armored vehicles and extensions intended to heads of states, royal families and great personalities of the world, explained Benoit Ceulemans, Executive Director, Development of the company, Carat Duchatelet. However, this project marks our history a milestone: the first time we are publicly associated to such a prestigious project and also a memorable event. "
The conversion process began with shoots computer aided design calculations, simulations and three-dimensional modeling. Strengthening the body has made extensive use of modern materials that are honeycomb structures, Kevlar and carbon fiber in order to maintain the rigidity of the chassis and its resistance to twisting after the removal of the roof and its amounts.
Hardening of parts manufactured using composite materials requires very high temperatures. These components were literally 'cooked' has the same bare frame in a special oven. Therefore, it was first necessary to completely disassemble the vehicle, and it was removed some 20,000 Elements: mechanical parts, electronic components, equipment and interior upholstery. Reassembly takes place under the watchful eye of Lexus engineers to ensure full respect of the characteristics and performance of the original vehicle.
Painting and polishing was a major step before reassembly. The LS 600h L is the ceremony dressed in a particularly elegant Midnight Blue livery, which was applied by hand in several layers using a painting water specially studied and environmentally.
The transparent roof was a real challenge, both in its design - a large single piece with no reinforcements or amounts - than manufacturing, for which Lexus has got the cooperation of a supplier specializing in similar equipment for the aerospace industry. Demontable the roof was built in France by one of the world's leading specialists in the production of transparent elements. This highly specialized company mainly realized complex organs extremely sophisticated technical features, including windshield verrieres helicopters and fighter planes.
The roof is thus constitutes a slight unibody polycarbonate 8 mm thick and weighing only a mere 26 kilograms. Fixed to the body by two intermediate rooms, it offers a perfect visibility both inside as outside the vehicle.
Before starting the manufacture of transparent roof, a template honeycomb and carbon fiber was used to validate shape, structural integrity and a perfect fit body - the tolerances being less than a millimeter . Once the design is complete, the extreme precision of production was entrusted to machine tools robotised who plant the final verriere by a process fully automated.
Last phase of conversion of this exceptional LS 600h L, re-assembly and finishing have occupied a team of ten people (in collaboration with Lexus engineers) for more than two weeks full-time, so that the vehicle offers all respects a level optimal quality and distinction.
On the wedding day, the LS 600h L Landaulet will allow married perform around the Principality after the ceremony. The itinerary will lead the first royal couple's Palace, located on the Rock to the port, then lead the Boulevard Albert 1er until the Eglise Sainte-Devote or - as tradition dictates - Princess there let her bridal bouquet to the waiting Monegasque couple. For the most part of the journey, the vehicle will roll a zero emission mode using its electric motor only, giving a testimony in favor of environmental eloquent Lexus Hybrid System.
Once the festivities COMPLETED, this unique Lexus Landaulet will copy sets in the Media Centre and the Oceanographic Museum, where he recalled this exceptional event to visitors.
* The Landaulet is a car possessing a convertible roof over the rear seats, the front seats being roofed or not.
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