Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
THERE'S a quiet confidence at the Toyota headquarters in Bahrain despite the brand taking a battering from the world's press in recent months.
Every recall is scrutinised and placed under the spotlight but it's the price you pay for being number one and overtaking the mighty American motor industry.
Lessons will no doubt have been learned and the Japanese manufacturer is now steadfastly steering a course to the future with its luxury brand Lexus leading the way ... in an extremely quiet and confident manner.
The flagship is the LS600hL - a much-touted hybrid, a glorious green machine which I picked up to test drive as the executive who usually drives it was off the island on a business trip.
Driving the LS600hL begins with a moment of deep silence and the true value of the hydrid powertrain becomes apparent the more you depress the accelerator pedal after starting up.
This car is all about what's under the bonnet ... without taking anything away from the lush leather seating, state-of-the-art entertainment system and limitless leg room.
On the outside it looks just like a top-of-the-range executive saloon should do, and on the inside it oozes class and comfort. Open the rear passenger doors and it's like stepping into Dr Who's Tardis and I still can't work out how the designers have pulled it off.
It had the 'wow' factor as far as my two children, Imogen, 10, and little Stan, seven, were concerned when I picked them up at the gates of St Christopher's School to show them 'daddy's new car' (well, for a few hours). I dusted off their dirty shoe prints so the real driver won't even realise the kids have given it a thorough checking over.
So much space ... but than, at just under BD50,000 I suppose many owners will be chauffeured around and such comfort would be an essential requirement for a VIP.
However, if this was my car to own, I think I'd have to give the driver the day off whenever I wanted to go for a spin.
It is such a breath-taking experience and I foolishly stopped to check the engine was running on one occasion when the electric motor kicked in. Silence really is golden.
This takes me back under the bonnet - seeking to make every aspect of the engine top level, engineers made extensive use of the skills of master craftsmen and the latest technologies. They lengthened the stroke of the 4.6-litre V8 engine to develop a new 5.0-litre V8 engine with works in harmony with the high-output electric motor.
Lexus Hybrid Drive makes maximum use of the power generated by the two different power sources to deliver a new dimension of travel experience.
In addition to its ability to make efficient use of its petrol engine and electric motor by taking the seamless respective strengths of each, the car uses a function, unique to hybrids, known as 'regeneration' to convert kinetic energy during deceleration and braking into electric energy for charging the battery, giving it fuel economy more typically associated with a 3.0-litre engine.
The Hybrid System Indicator enables you to check the status of the system output and energy regeneration which again is fascinating to glimpse at.
And, if you've been out on a long 'business meeting' and on your return home do not want to disturb the good lady indoors, wake the kids or annoy the neighbours, the EV (electric vehicle) drive mode is designed to enhance quietness while driving in residential areas late at night, and to reduce emissions in indoor car parks and garages.
But is going green and driving a fuel-efficient car really that much of a high a priority for today's Gulf executive?
Probably not, but Ayman Shehadeh, Ebrahim K. Kanoo's Toyota/Lexus brand manager believes the LS600hL will weave its way into their hearts, explaining: "It's a car for the technically savvy, the driver with a futuristic outlook who wants the best of everything - performance, the joy of the ride ... and the quietness."
What did I tell you ... quietly confident.
