SITTING in a Lexus LS 600h in the company car park, I felt a bit of a twit.
For more than five minutes I'd been attempting to start the luxury limo by pressing any combination of buttons and pedals.
But absolutely nothing happened and the hybrid petrol/electric engine remained as silent as Charlie Chaplin in a library.
Then, after a few more frustrating minutes, I finally had my Eureka! moment.
I pressed the 'Start' button again, moved the automatic stick into D for drive, pressed my foot down on the accelerator - and this time glided away without a sound.
A few seconds later and the petrol engine burst into life. I was finally motoring. This is what getting accustomed to life in a hybrid car is all about.
It was an inauspicious start, but the following days of driving joy more than made up for it.
This is the luxury car that tries to protect the planet by switching between petrol-guzzling engine to 650v electric battery from start, in slow-moving traffic or while coasting.
Its CO2 emissions of 219g/km are indeed very decent for its class, although they remain higher than some similar sized vehicles, including BMW's diesel-powered 7 Series.
Still, every little helps and it would be churlish to criticise a company for making efforts on the green front.
But environmental credentials aside, the flagship Lexus LS 600h LWB should be winning all manner of awards, as it is one of the classiest cars on the road today.
The futuristic superlimo, which went on sale in October, is huge in size and weighs more than two tonnes.
But the four-wheel drive goes like a rocket, with a blistering 0-62mph time of 6.3 seconds provided by 389bhp from the hybrid engine.
Yet despite those stats, the car can still return very decent consumption figures of around 30mpg.
Driving this Lexus was pure pleasure and I found the powerful automatic super smooth and surprisingly nifty for such a big vehicle.
Inside the cabin it was luxury throughout, with leather seats, fluffy woollen mats and a superb in-car entertainment system including DVD player and a nineteen speaker hi-fi.
The impressive safety kit also includes a clever 'pre-crash system' which can detect collision hazards both on the road ahead and from the rear, while the car also boasts the world's first application of LED technology for low beam headlight illumination.
Of course, all this does not come cheap. The range starts at a wallet-busting £81,400 but reaches £83,645 for my long wheel base model.
For the extra cash you receive a 'rear seat relaxation package' - which offers you a massage in your seat.
I never got the chance to sit back and relax, but my wife did and said it was worth every penny.
But despite the relatively high prices motorists are continuing to opt for hybrids which now account for virtually a third of all new Lexus models.
If the hybrids really are the future of motoring, then count me in.
FAST FACTS
Lexus LS 600h 5.0 V8 LWB
Price: £83,645
Mechanical: 389bhp, 4,969cc, 8cyl petrol/hybrid engine driving four wheels via automatic gearbox
Max speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 6.3 secs
Combined mpg: 30.4
Insurance group: 20
CO2 emissions: 219g/km
BiK rating: 30%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 12yrs anti-rust