Next-Generation Lexus ES Sedan Revealed!

Front end is rather busy, IMO, but it looks nice overall. Not liking how the chrome "whiskers" go up the hood, north of the grill.

Are we now going back to vertical slats in the grill? LC, LS and UX all debut with mesh, but this ES seems to debut with vertical slats? The very bottom of the grill looks to have some mesh type of pattern, so maybe it's a 3D effect and from that angle, all we can really see is the vertical element?

Since first seeing this spy shot of the base model ... I have been trying to visualize what this grille design looks like. I agree with @Gecko ... it looks busy, and especially ugly in camouflage ... like a pirana's mouth. Though hard to tell from the angle of the leaked image, the grille appears dark ... almost blacked out. Why create a busy pattern only to darken it away? Fractal is LS elegant ... but busy is ... well, ... not.

The shape of the spindle is audacious enough ... The F-Sport mesh grille design looks good. But I was hoping for a simple elegant grille design for the base model. Hopefully we shall soon see ... in a couple weeks? ...

View attachment 2798

Since first seeing this spy shot of the base model ... I have been trying to visualize what this grille design looks like. I agree with @Gecko ... it looks busy, and especially ugly in camouflage ... like a pirana's mouth. Though hard to tell from the angle of the leaked image, the grille appears dark ... almost blacked out. Why create a busy pattern only to darken it away? Fractal is LS elegant ... but busy is ... well, ... not.

The shape of the spindle is audacious enough ... The F-Sport mesh grille design looks good. But I was hoping for a simple elegant grille design for the base model. Hopefully we shall soon see ... in a couple weeks? ...

View attachment 2798

spwolf

@krew nice article and compare with LS... also pic was posted on instagram, by name i would say US dealer employee.

YIKES

Gecko

Are we now going back to vertical slats in the grill? LC, LS and UX all debut with mesh, but this ES seems to debut with vertical slats? The very bottom of the grill looks to have some mesh type of pattern, so maybe it's a 3D effect and from that angle, all we can really see is the vertical element?

I would bet the vertical slats on the ES are to avoid completely cannibalizing the LS design -- there needs to be some differentiator between the two vehicles. Also, remember how Lexus really played up the design of the LS front grille, talking about it taking six months to develop? No way they were going to paste that on the ES front end.

I bet the vertical pattern minimizes the boldness of the ES spindle grille, and is meant to soften the look. ES F SPORT can use the standard F SPORT pattern no problem.

spwolf

@krew nice article and compare with LS... also pic was posted on instagram, by name i would say US dealer employee.

YIKES

Gecko

Are we now going back to vertical slats in the grill? LC, LS and UX all debut with mesh, but this ES seems to debut with vertical slats? The very bottom of the grill looks to have some mesh type of pattern, so maybe it's a 3D effect and from that angle, all we can really see is the vertical element?

I would bet the vertical slats on the ES are to avoid completely cannibalizing the LS design -- there needs to be some differentiator between the two vehicles. Also, remember how Lexus really played up the design of the LS front grille, talking about it taking six months to develop? No way they were going to paste that on the ES front end.

I bet the vertical pattern minimizes the boldness of the ES spindle grille, and is meant to soften the look. ES F SPORT can use the standard F SPORT pattern no problem.

Gecko

The version you posted looks to be the standard car. Here is F Sport:

damn, so even regular version has dark wheels... i guess there will have several different models, one that will also bee sportier but not F-Sport and then F-Sport as well. Europe has Sport models quite often, which are just wheels and trim, so less than F-Sport.

Gecko

The version you posted looks to be the standard car. Here is F Sport:

damn, so even regular version has dark wheels... i guess there will have several different models, one that will also bee sportier but not F-Sport and then F-Sport as well. Europe has Sport models quite often, which are just wheels and trim, so less than F-Sport.

spwolf

damn, so even regular version has dark wheels... i guess there will have several different models, one that will also bee sportier but not F-Sport and then F-Sport as well. Europe has Sport models quite often, which are just wheels and trim, so less than F-Sport.

I doubt it. My assumption is that those wheels are sprayed black as part of the camo... Toyota and Lexus have been doing this lately with some prototypes.

I assume the standard car will have normal polished/silver wheels, F Sport will probably have the smoked chrome and perhaps there will be a different finish option like there is for LS - hyper or something?

Black wheels would be a turnoff for many ES buyers.

spwolf

damn, so even regular version has dark wheels... i guess there will have several different models, one that will also bee sportier but not F-Sport and then F-Sport as well. Europe has Sport models quite often, which are just wheels and trim, so less than F-Sport.

I doubt it. My assumption is that those wheels are sprayed black as part of the camo... Toyota and Lexus have been doing this lately with some prototypes.

I assume the standard car will have normal polished/silver wheels, F Sport will probably have the smoked chrome and perhaps there will be a different finish option like there is for LS - hyper or something?

Black wheels would be a turnoff for many ES buyers.

Gecko

I doubt it. My assumption is that those wheels are sprayed black as part of the camo... Toyota and Lexus have been doing this lately with some prototypes.

I assume the standard car will have normal polished/silver wheels, F Sport will probably have the smoked chrome and perhaps there will be a different finish option like there is for LS - hyper or something?

Black wheels would be a turnoff for many ES buyers.

Black wheels are very popular in Europe... so I bet these will feature... it is similar to RX Sport wheels:

Gecko

I doubt it. My assumption is that those wheels are sprayed black as part of the camo... Toyota and Lexus have been doing this lately with some prototypes.

I assume the standard car will have normal polished/silver wheels, F Sport will probably have the smoked chrome and perhaps there will be a different finish option like there is for LS - hyper or something?

Black wheels would be a turnoff for many ES buyers.

Black wheels are very popular in Europe... so I bet these will feature... it is similar to RX Sport wheels:

those look the same?

those look the same?

The leaked photo also has base model headlights. In the camouflaged ES there appears to be more attractive likely triple LED headlights like the LS.

The leaked photo also has base model headlights. In the camouflaged ES there appears to be more attractive likely triple LED headlights like the LS.

spwolf

@krew nice article and compare with LS... also pic was posted on instagram, by name i would say US dealer employee.

I believe that is the reflection of a palm tree and a partly cloudy/mostly sunny blue sky on the hood ... any palm trees in Japan? ... South Carolina, yes ... Florida, yes ... California, yes ... where else? Middle East?

spwolf

@krew nice article and compare with LS... also pic was posted on instagram, by name i would say US dealer employee.

I believe that is the reflection of a palm tree and a partly cloudy/mostly sunny blue sky on the hood ... any palm trees in Japan? ... South Carolina, yes ... Florida, yes ... California, yes ... where else? Middle East?

RAL

I believe that is the reflection of a palm tree and a partly cloudy/mostly sunny blue sky on the hood ... any palm trees in Japan? ... South Carolina, yes ... Florida, yes ... California, yes ... where else? Middle East?

it is nowhere else but USA :). As I said, photo has leaked on instagram account, and from quick view it looked like US employee. I did not want to post a screenshot since he is likely already in big trouble since all the chinese sites made screenshot of the post that shows the name, etc.

RAL

I believe that is the reflection of a palm tree and a partly cloudy/mostly sunny blue sky on the hood ... any palm trees in Japan? ... South Carolina, yes ... Florida, yes ... California, yes ... where else? Middle East?

it is nowhere else but USA :). As I said, photo has leaked on instagram account, and from quick view it looked like US employee. I did not want to post a screenshot since he is likely already in big trouble since all the chinese sites made screenshot of the post that shows the name, etc.

So random with the grills...RC base has vertical slants, now ES? Looks good, clearly a base with those projector lamps....

So random with the grills...RC base has vertical slants, now ES? Looks good, clearly a base with those projector lamps....

if this guy leaked the front of the ES, might as well took more pictures of all the angle? The consequence would be the same anyways. lol.

if this guy leaked the front of the ES, might as well took more pictures of all the angle? The consequence would be the same anyways. lol.

Thanks @Gecko !

Yeah! ... simple and elegant ... my doubts were unfounded! This grille really compliments/enhances the spindle shape!

Thanks @Gecko !

Yeah! ... simple and elegant ... my doubts were unfounded! This grille really compliments/enhances the spindle shape!

Agree... it looks very nice in that shot. Excited to see more of the car!

Agree... it looks very nice in that shot. Excited to see more of the car!

I hope we do get the mini LS, that would elevate's ES brand poisoning to a whole new level.