Lexus ES: 5th Generation

Here’s a Lexus ES 350 commercial from China with some great footage of the panoramic glass roof:

I’ve said it a thousand times but I can’t resist — that roof is one of my favorite options ever. It takes the ES to a whole other level.

Lexus USA is in the middle of their giant Golden Opportunity summer sales event right now, and have put out this colorful ES commercial:

Cracks me up the way the ES doors open & close to the beat — seems so out of character.

Update: Here’s another commercial from this campaign — this time it’s the IS:

After a minor refresh last year, the Lexus ES 350 is virtually the same for 2011, but for one change — the recommended gasoline rating has dropped to 87-octane:

2011 ES 350 customers will continue to enjoy a smooth and quiet ride as the cost of ownership is reduced.  With the new fuel recommendation of 87-octane gasoline, the ES 350 generates 268 horsepower and has EPA fuel economy estimates of 19 miles per gallon in the city and 27 on the highway.

Re-rating the ES 350 to use regular unleaded brings a power loss of 4hp & 6lb.ft of torque, but the savings at the pump are sure to make up for such a minor decrease. Even more than that, it’s a smart move as more and more cars move into direct competition with Lexus’ best selling sedan.

For the full details on the 2011 ES 350, I’ve included the press release after the jump.

Continue reading this article…

In what is only the latest automotive craziness to come out of the Middle East, I bring you the drifting Lexus ES 350:

I don’t even know if you could call that drifting — more like absolute utter madness.

(Totally off-topic, but Starfire Pearl with panoramic glass roof is probably my favorite ever color/option combo.)

Car & Driver took the Lexus ES 350, Hyundai Genesis, Buick LaCrosse & Ford Taurus Limited out on a golfing trip — here’s what they had to say about the ES 350:

[...]the ES350 is also the lightest car in this group, and good things always happen when you’re slim. For starters, the Lexus, while requiring premium fuel, easily attained the best observed fuel economy. And even though it offers just average horsepower, it was the second-quickest to 60 mph, tied the Genesis for best rolling start to 60 mph, achieved 100 mph the soonest, carried the greatest speed through the quarter-mile, and was the winner in 50-to-70-mph passing potential.

Throttle tip-in is perfect, sightlines are unobstructed (aided by thin A-pillars and a low beltline), and there’s an uncanny rightness about the interface among pedals, steering wheel, shifter, and center stack. Around town, especially, the ES350 felt light, airy, and more agile than its competitors.

Really, this comparison is a hodgepodge and the results are fairly predictable. In the end, the ES 350 placed second behind the Hyundai Genesis — hardly surprising given that the Genesis was released last year to compete against the Lexus GS & BMW 5-series, and car magazines will always prefer the sportier drive.

On the other hand, here’s a comparison that puts the four-year-old ES 350 ahead of two brand-new vehicles — including the LaCrosse which is pointed directly at the ES’ marketshare. In that regard, I’d say the ES 350 put on a good round.

[Source: Car & Driver]

Dan Spanu over at Lindsay Lexus sent me a tip about the new Lexus 350 Black with Saddle Tan interior color option — first off, here’s the official shot from the Lexus USA website:

What these images don’t really show is just how similar this ES interior is to the new LS Sport interior color — Dan was nice enough to take some photos of the real thing:

I’ve seen this color combo in the LS Sport, and it’s a very stylish look, more sophisticated than sporty. Fits very well in the ES.