Next Generation Lexus ES Test Mule Spotted?

[Travis]

Hey guys. I spotted this today.... Had to pull the guy over and talk to him about it. The interior was gutted. It had a Toyota steering wheel and odd looking gauges. He told me it's the test car for the new engine and tranny that their trying out for The next Gen 2018 ES.

Test mules in their first stages of development always wear the old Generation body when they are just testing the drivetrain

It's the test mule for the 2018 Lexus ES. 300hp turbo engine 8 speed tranny

 

[Precisionpoint]

Test mule drivers are not allowed to talk to anyone, much less about the car at all. Technically, they're not allowed to have photos taken either but we all know how well that plays out. (Coming from a former prototype/component analysis driver).

 

[Travis]

Test mule drivers are not allowed to talk to anyone, much less about the car at all. Technically, they're not allowed to have photos taken either but we all know how well that plays out. (Coming from a former prototype/component analysis driver)

Well this guy spoke to me and he was really cool. He pulled over and let me take the pic of the front end. The rear end pic was what I took when he stopped at the light. How do you think I kno what model and drivetrain was being tested ? He told what was being tested in that car was a 300 hp turbo engine with a 8 speed gear box.

Let's not focus on right or wrong here lets just be happy as Lexus guys I was able to get the scoop on a test mule that's the focus. The driver isn't the focus.

Anyway it Sounds like something to go against BMW inline 6 turbo.

 

[Gecko]

Thanks for sharing your photos and experience with us!

300hp turbo powerplant for an ES makes little sense to me, but who knows? 2GR-FKS V6 is essentially 300hp (295) and mated to an 8AT, and that seems to make a lot more sense for the next gen ES.

Lexus' existing turbo 4cyl is good for 235-241hp, so a ~60hp jump - in an ES of all things - seems strange.

Very interesting sequence of events none the less.

 

[CIF]

Always awesome to see more test mules!

I'm not saying this is the case...but it's possible the test mule driver may have said a bit of misinformation to you. Or he may have been accurate. We'll see soon enough.

He could have also been trying to distract attention away from anyone on the lookout for LS mules .

 

[Carmaker1]

Of all the places to spot a Lexus mule...I lived in UWS Manhattan for 4 years of my life, never being so lucky. One had seen sometimes the odd MB and BMW prototypes during late stages of testing, especially at the worst of times for photo-taking.

The real problem is, wouldn't a new ES be due in 2018 for the 2019 model year? Using 2018 as a title gives me the impression of a model year and not so much year of launch. The previous ES had a 6-year life-cycle, so I would've thought that would become the norm. Automotive News has reported a redesign in the summer of 2017, so maybe that makes sense.

If so, they are working with a new platform in TNGA, meaning the final design ES was probably frozen in the first half of 2015. Likely just as the facelift ES made its Chinese premiere and in being rendered in CAD as early as late 2014.

As for the engine and his forthcoming attitude, I found both rather odd. He really shouldn't have done that, as they can trace this back to him and seriously reprimand him for such actions. Is it possible that this is a high-output twin-turbo I4?

 

[Carmaker1]

Hey guys. I spotted this today.... Had to pull the guy over and talk to him about it. The interior was gutted. It had a Toyota steering wheel and odd looking gauges. He told me it's the test car for the new engine and tranny that their trying out for The next Gen 2018 ES.

Test mules in their first stages of development always wear the old Generation body when they are just testing the drivetrain

It's the test mule for the 2018 Lexus ES. 300hp turbo engine 8 speed tranny

BTW excellent find Travis. What did he mean by 2018 ES? Originally I believed the car is due in 2018 for MY2019, but people tend to mix these things up so what he said could vary between model year and when the car actually comes out.

 

[meth.ix]

Isn't this similar to the white ES prototype that was spotted last year also with a single exhaust tip and we thought might be an ES 200t test mule?

 

[CIF]

Isn't this similar to the white ES prototype that was spotted last year also with a single exhaust tip and we thought might be an ES 200t test mule?

Good catch, looks extremely similar.