On Tuesday, in Milan, Italy Lexus handed over the keys to an NX 300 to Mr Aldo Pirronello, the 1 millionth person to choose a premium car powered by a combination of gas and electric motors since Lexus introduced hybrids to its range in April 2005.

Hybrid power is seen as a key short-to-medium-term solution within the automotive industry for cutting dependency on fossil fuels and for lowering exhaust emissions while alternative powertrain technologies, including full electric and hydrogen fuel cell systems, come on line.

California may be the Toyota Prius capital of the world, but when it comes to premium hybrids, Europe is Lexus's biggest market. Nearly two-thirds of all Lexus cars sold on the continent are hybrid and that percentage jumps to 95% when only Western Europe is considered.

Of the part he played in helping Lexus hit the 1 million hybrid mark, Mr Pirronello said: "This is my first Lexus. I chose this brand because I really value it. I was surprised to hear that I was the buyer of the 1,000,000th hybrid Lexus, and I am honored to celebrate this important milestone with Lexus!"

Lexus cars aren't just becoming more eco-friendly, they're also on top for reliability.