AFTER six generations of success in the mid-sized sedan category, the new seventh generation Lexus ES is forging a new, more ambitious path.
It delivers everything traditional Lexus buyers expect, together with qualities that will draw in those who may not have considered the brand before. Stronger styling, more dynamic performance, high-quality interior finishes and the latest safety technology will help recast the image of the ES into one that is new and unexpected.
Long renowned for its comfort, refinement and luxury appointments, the new ES builds on its strengths with an all-new chassis that allows for a more dynamic exterior design and even better driving performance.
It is a further expression of Lexus’ design direction and commitment to crafting vehicles that provide more excitement, emotional connection and passion, helping bring the brand’s vision for its future to a wider audience.
Traditional buyers will find the new ES more spacious, quieter and safer than ever before, while a new generation of customers will be introduced to a sedan with sharpened performance, class-leading safety technology and a level of craftsmanship rarely found in this market segment.
The new generation ES is a true example of the new chapter in Lexus design that has a much stronger emotional quality. The model range features the ES 300h, powered by a new self-charging hybrid system, ES 200, ES 250 and ES 350 petrol engine.
Exterior
In a break with ES models of the past, the seventh-generation design uses a fast roofline that emphasises its lower stance and slippery aerodynamics. The rear end is clean and sharply chiseled. LED tail lamps wrap around the quarter panels to provide a continuous styling line.
Three different 17 and 18-inch wheel designs are available for the standard ES models, with the F Sport versions running on 19-inch wheels
that are similar in appearance to those found on the Lexus LC coupe.
Interior
When designing the look and feel of the ES interior, Kajino’s team started with the Lexus Future Interior con
cept which blends a driver-centric cockpit with a spacious and comfortable area for the front passenger.
The driver’s focus is kept on the road ahead by placing the centre display screen, instrument panel and head-up display in a tight cluster in the driver’s field of view. Adjustments to the steering wheel angle and position and to the brake pedal angle and location provide the driver with a natural driving position.
Front passengers, on the other hand, get a more open and spacious environment that promotes relaxation. Rear-seat passenger comfort has long been a hallmark of the ES and the seventh-generation model prioritises rear package capability despite the sleeker exterior roofline.
Interior colours and materials give the cabin a modern, yet warm look and feel with a handcrafted appearance that luxury buyers expect and will appreciate in this category.
Performance
The engineering team had a clear goal – to transform the image of the ES. It meant turning a sedan known primarily for comfort and quietness into one that is equally capable of delivering class-leading handling and power that you can feel and hear.
The starting point was the new GA-K platform. It is an exceptionally rigid, front-wheel drive chassis that rivals the GA-L rear-wheel drive platform used for the LC coupe and LS sedan in terms of torsional stiffness.
Various grades of high-tensile steel reduce weight compared to previous platforms, while enhancements such as an all-new multi-link rear suspension design, rack-mounted electric power steering and a V-brace behind the rear seat gave the engineers the flexibility to tune the ES with a new-found precision.
The chassis team sought to create a sense of comforting predictability coupled with a feeling of quick response to every movement.
PRICING
Lexus ES 250 EX: R593 300
Lexus EX 300h SE: R843 800
Lexus Port Elizabeth is located at the corner of Willow Road and Circular Drive in Fairview. For more info contact them at 087 359 2749 or go to www.lexusunitrans.co.za.
