Lexus ES Prototype Spotted in Vegas

Bulldog 1

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So I'm on my way to the Las Vegas Convention Center for the SEMA Show last week and I roll up next to a naked ES350 with a Michigan manufacturer plate on it while stick in traffic.
It was missing all of its Lexus badges, caps were missing on the bumpers, caps on wheels were gone.
Some kind of a Lexus ES350 mule?
 

CIF

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So I'm on my way to the Las Vegas Convention Center for the SEMA Show last week and I roll up next to a naked ES350 with a Michigan manufacturer plate on it while stick in traffic.
It was missing all of its Lexus badges, caps were missing on the bumpers, caps on wheels were gone.
Some kind of a Lexus ES350 mule?

Definitely sounds like a mule. Question is, mule for what?
 

Lexus Cohen

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So I'm on my way to the Las Vegas Convention Center for the SEMA Show last week and I roll up next to a naked ES350 with a Michigan manufacturer plate on it while stick in traffic.
It was missing all of its Lexus badges, caps were missing on the bumpers, caps on wheels were gone.
Some kind of a Lexus ES350 mule?

Definitely sounds like a mule. Question is, mule for what?
Definitely ES200t.
 

krew

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krew
15-11-17-lexus-es-200t-testing-400x200.jpg


A debadged Lexus ES prototype has been spotted in Colorado by TFL Car, who believe it to be a high-altitude test of the sedan with a 2.0L turbo engine.
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Trexus

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It would great if Lexus expands the ES line:

ES 200/200t
ES 300h
ES 350

Way into the future an ES fuel cell variant?
 
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It wouldn't surprise me if it was the 2.0 Turbo. They seem to be putting it in everything! We just got the RC 200T in at the dealer yesterday. I've heard rumors of a CT 200T as well. Or a similar models to the CT with the turbo in it
 

Trexus

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It wouldn't surprise me if it was the 2.0 Turbo. They seem to be putting it in everything! We just got the RC 200T in at the dealer yesterday. I've heard rumors of a CT 200T as well. Or a similar models to the CT with the turbo in it

That would be so awesome if Lexus were to expand the CT line with a CT 200t. I'm sure it would generate lots of sales and the price point would be lower than the CT 200h. Lexus should also go up market with a CT 300h. The CT 300h wouldn't generate lots of sales but enthusiasts would appreciate the increase in hp with the mpg's and F sport all CT variants...
 

Lexus Cohen

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It wouldn't surprise me if it was the 2.0 Turbo. They seem to be putting it in everything! We just got the RC 200T in at the dealer yesterday. I've heard rumors of a CT 200T as well. Or a similar models to the CT with the turbo in it

That would be so awesome if Lexus were to expand the CT line with a CT 200t. I'm sure it would generate lots of sales and the price point would be lower than the CT 200h. Lexus should also go up market with a CT 300h. The CT 300h wouldn't generate lots of sales but enthusiasts would appreciate the increase in hp with the mpg's and F sport all CT variants...
NX300t and CT300t.
 
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It wouldn't surprise me if it was the 2.0 Turbo. They seem to be putting it in everything! We just got the RC 200T in at the dealer yesterday. I've heard rumors of a CT 200T as well. Or a similar models to the CT with the turbo in it

That would be so awesome if Lexus were to expand the CT line with a CT 200t. I'm sure it would generate lots of sales and the price point would be lower than the CT 200h. Lexus should also go up market with a CT 300h. The CT 300h wouldn't generate lots of sales but enthusiasts would appreciate the increase in hp with the mpg's and F sport all CT variants...
A CT300h would be cool but I don't see them getting anymore power from the 2.5l and the engine bay is pretty small to add anything else. I would really enjoy an extended CT line.
 
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NX300t and CT300t.
I don't see a NX300T or CT300T happening. Both engine bays are relatively small for a V6. And the point of the turbo is to have smaller displacement but not loose power. Even though there has been more performance focus I don't see them developing either a bigger I4 or a smaller V6.
 

corradoMR2

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I'm on the fence with the 2L Turbo in general.

Coming from almost 1 year of ownership with this engine in the NX, I can say it's good on gas and has a strong pull, BUT, it's not as smooth/refined as any Lexus V6 (vibrations felt) and power delivery is laggy especially from a start. Good or bad, this engine is a necessary reality in the today's world of stricter environmental/emissions compliance so no surprises to see it expanding in more Lexus models. Expect this engine (or slight alterations of it) to go mainstream in next gen Toyotas like possibly the Camry replacing the optional corporate 3.5L V6 in that offering.
 
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Hey guys, I think it's a AWD prototype!?!?! Look at the gap between the front fender and the tires. This is sitting higher than the regular ES350. Earlier this year, Lexus asked the GSM of our store about his thoughts on a AWD ES350? We are in Colorado so that will be a huge boost in sales. I hope I'm right!!!!
 

Carmaker1

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I partially don't believe it's specifically an XV60 ES variant, but that of possibly the next generation in mule form. Due to the new platform, unfortunately it may require more lead time and is being front-loaded in its development programme.

At the moment Lexus is likely going through various 7ES concepts internally (Avalon as well), if not already settled on one, meaning styling on the next ES has been identified. That is where engineers like me, prepare and test the design for over several months until sign-off. I might be wrong of course and it's just an AWD or ES200t mule.

On another note, I may have just seen the LF-FC 2 weeks ago, but surely it existed in some form 2 years ago as an 2017 LS proposal and is a veiled version of the final product (100% finished by no later than Q3 2014).
 
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Bulldog 1

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Makes me wish I had photographed what I saw but it was dog eat dog bumper to bumper traffic headed north on Paradise Road. Temps were in the high 50's and the driver had the windows down.
I remember thinking, "Who stripped an ES?" and saw the rear, the left side and front while crawling along.
The noticeable absence of ANY badging plus missing things like wheel caps and the small square covers on the bumpers is what really caught my eye.
I've seen other camouflaged mules / prototypes in Las Vegas during SEMA week, but owning a 2015 plus previous years ES350, I instantly recognized the body.
It didn't seem to have any distinctive noises or body panels to it.
The mystery continues...
 

Trexus

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Adding an AWD ES would be great. The AWD RX is based off the ES platform so it would be easy for Lexus to produce an ES 350 awd. Expanding the ES line would be a great thing...
 
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Adding an AWD ES would be great. The AWD RX is based off the ES platform so it would be easy for Lexus to produce an ES 350 awd. Expanding the ES line would be a great thing...
I 100% agree. There is not another manufacturer that has a direct competing product to the ES. It's a super soft, comfortable large car. Not even a Cadillac nor Buick has a similar car. Then add the price point, a ES350 AWD loaded for $47k will sell like hot cakes in Colorado and any snow region. It will not steal much sales from the GS because a GS buyer is looking for sport. And anything we steal from GS will be more than made up in ES AWD sales. The closest competition is the Avalon. Have the Toyota in FWD only and the Lexus offers a AWD to differentiate from the Avalon. Of course until Lexus sells so many of the AWD ES that Toyota would want to it for their Avalon too :)