The wraps have been pulled off of the Lexus ES at the New York motor show. Lexus has revealed that it plans to build the executive saloon in left and right-hand drive configurations to be sold in all major markets globally.
Lexus says it plans to market the ES as a rival to the Mercedes E-class but at a lower price.
The new model will be available as a hybrid for the first time. The Lexus ES 300h is powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson cycle petrol engine. Lexus claims the ES hybrid will cover an average of 48mpg. As with the rest of the Lexus range, it will have four drive modes: Normal, Sport, Eco and EV.
The Lexus ES 350 is powered by a 3.5-litre V6 engine. No diesel engine is offered, which could limit appeal in European markets.
Both cars feature Lexus’ new ‘pinched’ front grille and sweeping headlights. The ES 350 has dual tailpipes, while the ES 300h has a hidden exhaust and a integrated spoiler for improved aerodynamics.
The ES has opposite-wound coil springs on the front, which are said to improve straight line stability. The rear suspension geometry has been revised and improved shock absorbing has been designed to improve ride comfort. High tensile steel and additional bracing and spot welds have increased rigidity while reducing kerbweight by more than 40kg.
Lexus’ Enform system is fitted as standard. It allows connectivity between the ES and a range of internet services such as Bing and Facebook.
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Re: New York motor show: Lexus ES
If you are referring to the LS, to which S-Class are you comparing it to - the W126 or the W140? If it's the W126, that was an excellent car even when it went out of production, but comparing it with the LS is quite unfair - after all, the W126 was 10 years older than the LS...if it's the W140 you're referring to, then in what way was the LS better? And let's not forget that pretty much every S-Class has had some kind of innovation/world-first - the LS and Lexus in general do not really contribute to the automotive industry in that respect.
As for this ES...those headlights look quite similar to a Honda CRZ, the profile in general looks similar to the just-released Toyota Avalon and the rear lights remind me of a previous-gen Hyundai Sonata and the afore-mentioned Toyota...and IMO, the interior is not all that appealing either.
Re: New York motor show: Lexus ES