Paul McCartney's Lexus LS600H delivered by plane
Filed under: Green Culture, Hybrid, Lexus, Green Daily, UK
Click the Lexus LS600h for a high res gallery
It must be nice to be Sir Paul McCartney. Lexus offered to give the über-famous Beatles front-man a brand new car. He settled on an LS600H, the hybrid flagship of the Lexus brand. According to a source familiar with the matter, Paul "ordered the hybrid limo because it helps to reduce emissions." Those emissions took a giant leap forward before Sir Paul even got behind the wheel, as the vehicle was delivered by plane. The estimated carbon footprint of the trip comes to 38,050kg, which, for perspective, is ten times what it would have been if the Lexus had been delivered by boat. Put another way, according to Co2balance.com Director Mike Rigby, "That is the equivalent of driving the car around the world six times." Even the air freight shipping company was surprised, with a spokesman quoted as saying, "Obviously we were happy for the business but everyone was shocked. The carbon footprint must be enormous." McCartney is reportedly rather unhappy about the chosen method for delivery. Thanks for the tip, Pat!
[Source: New Car Net, The Telegraph]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-15-2008 @ 3:36PM
meme said...
The big automakers really can't shake this "cars are all about image" paradigm, can they?
It probably didn't even cross the minds of those arranging shipment that someone who'd want a hybrid would care about the carbon footprint of getting it there (or in manufacturing it, for that matter)
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5-15-2008 @ 4:46PM
RickM said...
I wonder if Pat Rigby is any relation to Eleanor...
"Beatles front man?" Puh-lease. John Lennon and George Harrison are rolling in their graves.
Seriously, though... every "green" car should come with a statement about the carbon footprint of its manufacture and shipping. How much of the presumed benefit of driving this thing was nullified by making it and flying it to Sir Paul?
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5-15-2008 @ 4:47PM
RickM said...
oops, I should have said Mike Rigby. Don't know who Pat is!
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5-15-2008 @ 5:00PM
D. See said...
I love the irony: Lexus gives a car to one of the wealthiest men in the world. Like Sir Paul really needs a handout......
Funny how the wealthiest folks always get the freebies (Yeah, I know; "cheap" promotion for Lexus. I understand the concept....)
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5-15-2008 @ 6:39PM
Babaroberto said...
baby you can fly my car if you wanna be a scar and baby i drub you
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5-16-2008 @ 7:40AM
scott.brownlee said...
Come on guys - the plane would have flown anyway, just with a few more Samsung TVs on board. The net global increase in Co2 is zero. The net global increase in Green BS in massive.
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5-16-2008 @ 3:54PM
DD said...
Lets look at the math on the carbon footprint ...
One fuel efficient car shipped by air is like driving the car around the world 6 times.
Shipping by boat would be one-tenth the footprint.
Conclusion, vehicles shipped from Japan have a carbon footprint penalty of six-tenth of a trip arount the world just to get to the US.
Question: Can this be initial penalty be offset throughout the driving life of the vehicle?
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