Lexus Teases “Masked Machine” on Twitter
As strange as it seems, Lexus has posted a photo on Twitter of a mystery vehicle hanging in the air from a crane.
Kevin · March 29th, 2012
Latest News
Next-Generation 2013 Lexus ES to Debut at New York Auto Show
Lexus has announced that the all-new sixth-generation ES will debut next week at the New York Auto Show.
Kevin · March 28th, 2012
Examining the 2013 Lexus ES Interior
One day after the new 2013 Lexus ES was revealed, let’s return to the photos and take a closer look at the interior.
Kevin · February 22nd, 2012
2013 Lexus ES Spotted in China!
The next-generation 2013 Lexus ES has been revealed by way of Chinese forum XCar.
Kevin · February 21st, 2012
2013 Lexus ES Hybrid Spy Photos
Leftlane News has released spy photos of a camouflaged 2013 Lexus ES, and it's a hybrid.
Kevin · February 1st, 2012
Next-Generation Lexus ES Rumors
Some interesting rumors about the next-generation Lexus ES have come from an unlikely source.
Kevin · January 3rd, 2012
2012 Lexus ES 350 Special Edition
Lexus USA has also announced the ES 350 *Special Edition* for 2012.
Kevin · October 2nd, 2011
2012 Lexus ES 350 Information
Official information on the 2012 Lexus ES 350 has been released, and with the exception of a 1 MPG improvement in its calculated highway fuel economy, the model is mechanically identical to the 2011 model.
Kevin · August 15th, 2011
MotherProof Reviews the 2011 Lexus ES 350
I've always been a big fan of MotherProof for their unique focus on cars that work for families, so I'm happy to be able to link to their latest review of the 2011 Lexus ES 350.
Kevin · August 4th, 2011
Lexus ES Among Best Selling Luxury Cars in China
The Lexus ES is the fourth best selling luxury sedan in China, according to an article published yesterday by the Detroit Free Press.
Kevin · May 19th, 2011
Old Lexus LS Sketch
I stumbled across this old 2004 sketch of what Motor Trend believed the current-generation LS & IS would look like: Not crazy about the yellow IS coupe, but I am impressed by how the pink-ish car resembles the current generation ES 350. Of course, the artist would have had the LF-S and LF-C concepts to …
Kevin · February 2nd, 2011
Lexus ES 300h Hybrid Trademark Registered
Once again, the North American Trademark offices have given us a glimpse into the future, as both Lexus USA & Lexus Canada have filed for the ES 300h trademark (Canadian Trade-Mark 1507011 & U.S. Trademark No. 85193249, both registered on December 8, 2010.) Although it’s hardly a full confirmation, this certainly points to a hybrid …
Kevin · December 17th, 2010
Matte Black Lexus ES 350 Surprise
The final vinyl wrap of the week also comes with a pretty funny story — but first, check out this matte black Lexus ES 350: As it turns out, Club Lexus member Somebody had his wife’s car vinyl wrapped as a surprise: Material used: one roll of 3M 1080-12M matte black purchased. (the material was …
Kevin · December 10th, 2010
New Lexus IS & ES Commercials
Two new Lexus commercials have debuted online — one for the IS, the other for the ES — with both commercials focusing on the differences between Lexus models and their competitors. First up is the ES 350, which is once again being taken apart for the cameras: Next up is this commercial for the IS …
Kevin · October 12th, 2010
Chinese Lexus ES 240 Commercial
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.
Kevin · September 3rd, 2010
Lexus Golden Opportunity Commercial
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 …
Kevin · August 4th, 2010
2011 Lexus ES 350 Details
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 …
Kevin · July 19th, 2010
Drifting the Lexus ES 350
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.)
Kevin · July 2nd, 2010
C&D Comparison: Lexus ES 350 vs. Hyundai Genesis vs. Buick LaCrosse vs. Ford Taurus
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 …
Kevin · June 21st, 2010
Lexus ES 350 with Black & Saddle Tan Interior
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 …
Kevin · June 15th, 2010
Automobile Magazine Reviews the 2010 Lexus ES 350
Automobile Magazine has published an editor’s review of the entry-luxury Lexus sedan, the ES 350. As in their prior LS 460 L review, four editors provided their take on the best-selling sedan. The key emphasis was on the ES 350’s concept of effortless luxury, as described by senior online editor Phil Floraday: If you’re just …
Kevin · April 16th, 2010
AutoGuide Comparo: Lexus ES 350 vs. Buick LaCrosse
AutoGuide cut through some of the marketing hype and took the Lexus ES 350 and its advertised Buick rival for a multi-day test, with the review team rating both cars on 19 categories from driver comfort to price. They had praise and criticisms for both vehicles, and the final score tally was close—here’s the ES …
Kevin · April 15th, 2010
Lexus CT 200h Size Comparison
Even with all the photos of the Lexus CT 200h at the Geneva Auto Show, it’s hard to get a good idea of just how big it really is, so I put together this chart showing the newest Lexus as compared to the IS, HS & ES: Put into perspective, the CT 200h looks bigger …
Kevin · March 2nd, 2010
Lexus ES 350 & IS 250/350 Recall Extended to Canada
The Lexus ES 350 & IS 250/350 safety recall that was announced in the USA has been extended to Canada. The recall will address the possible risk of unintended acceleration due to improperly installed floor mats by installing a new accelerator pedal and by installing a brake override system that will cut engine power went …
Kevin · November 27th, 2009
Lexus ES 350 & IS 250/350 Recall Announced
Toyota has announced the recall of the Lexus ES 350 & IS 250/350 models to have their accelerator pedals reshaped and/or replaced. This recall is to be a permanent solution to the risk of unintended acceleration, no matter what floor mat is being used. Starting in early 2010, dealerships will be equipped to reshape the …
Kevin · November 25th, 2009
Behind-the-Scenes of Lexus ES 350 Slice Commercial
Speaking of “behind-the-scenes” and Lexus ES commercials—here’s a real backstage pass to the work that went into creating one of my favorite Lexus commercials. First, the commercial (in poor quality): Next, here’s the process of creating a real “sliced” ES 350: The lengths that (Lexus USA advertising agency) Team One goes through to get these …
Kevin · November 12th, 2009
Lexus ES 350 Commercial: 40,000 Hours
Here’s the new commercial for the 2010 Lexus ES 350: This commercial stays with the look of the latest LS commercial, and has a “behind-the-scenes” feel. Not sure I believe that’s what the Lexus test-facilities look like, though. (A note: I recently spotted a 2010 ES at my local dealership, and was pleased to see …
Kevin · November 12th, 2009
Lexus Temporary Safety Recall Solution Announced
A temporary solution to the ongoing safety recall affecting the Lexus ES 350 & IS 250/350 has been announced—according to Automotive News, zip ties will be used to hold down the floor mats until a permanent solution is ready: “We have reviewed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration what we’re calling a semipermanent floor …
Kevin · October 8th, 2009
2010 Lexus ES 350 now on Lexus USA Website
The Lexus USA website has been updated to include the 2010 Lexus ES 350, with plenty of photos of the updated sedan—I especially like this image: Available packages & pricing have also been updated, and I don’t picture it being much longer before the model is available at dealerships. [Source: Lexus USA Website]
Kevin · October 1st, 2009
Lexus ES & IS to be Recalled over Floor Mats
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recommendation that 2007-2010 Lexus ES 350 & 2006-2010 Lexus IS 250/IS350 owners remove their drivers side floor mat, which may cause the accelerator to become stuck open under certain conditions: “This is an urgent matter,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “For everyone’s sake, we strongly …
Kevin · September 29th, 2009
2010 Lexus ES 350 Official Information
Full information and photos of the refreshed 2010 Lexus ES 350 have been released—here’s a breakdown of the changes: Both the front and rear lights have been revised, along with a new front bumper, new foglights, a new grille. Chrome side molding has also been added. The new-look Lexus side mirrors with integrated turn signals …
Kevin · September 18th, 2009
2010 Lexus ES 350 Official Photos
The finalized 2010 ES has been revealed by way of the Lexus China website—let’s start off with some exterior photos: The changes, as far as I can see: New front bumper and foglights New head lights & tail lights Chrome Side strip Rear view mirrors with integrated turn signals On a whole, the exterior changes …
Kevin · September 14th, 2009
Lexus LS Takes First Place in 2009 Motorist Choice Awards
The Lexus LS was named the top vehicle of 2009 Motorist Choice Awards, a US joint survey by AutoPacific and Intellichoice that “recognizes new cars and trucks that give their owners both economic and emotional satisfaction”: “Clearly, consumers still get great satisfaction from large and luxurious cars, despite the economy, rising fuel costs and manufacturers’ …
Kevin · August 14th, 2009
2010 Lexus ES 350 Revealed!
The scheduled refresh of the 2010 Lexus ES 350 has been revealed by way of a dealership in Taiwan—here are the spy shots and some shots of the current ES 350 for easy comparison (click the spy shots for a larger version): The changes center around the front end, where the grille, bumper and headlights …
Kevin · August 11th, 2009
Lexus ES 240 to be Sold in China
In order to boost slowing sales in China, Lexus will be introducing a 2.4L four-cylinder ES model: From January to April, the sales of imported passenger cars in China increased 16% from a year earlier, with Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Lexus rising 1.5% together. But of the four luxury brands, Lexus saw its sales drop …
Kevin · July 2nd, 2009
Canadian Driver Reviews the Lexus ES 350
The Lexus ES 350 doesn’t get a lot of play, particularly with it in the third year of its design cycle, but this Canadian Driver review of the 2009 model is worth noting, as it manages to capture the ES’ appeal and includes a previously unheard (and likely untrue) rumor: The 2009 model retains the …
Kevin · March 23rd, 2009
Lexus ES Commercial: Touch
I noticed earlier this week that Lexus was featuring the ES 350 heavily on their US site, and it seems to have extended to TV as well:
Kevin · March 21st, 2008
Lexus ES & RX Pebble Beach Commercial, plus Pricing
Two pieces of Lexus Pebble Beach news today, first off, the much searched-for Pebble Beach commercial has surfaced on Youtube: Not much to the commercial, it’s strictly an announcement-style advertisement, but the Pebble Beach edition color really catches my attention. It’s nice to see it on more than just the SC 430. The other news …
Kevin · March 14th, 2008
Pebble Beach Editions for the Lexus ES, RX and LS Models
Once solely reserved for the SC 430, Lexus announced today at the Chicago Auto Show that three more models will be available in the Pebble Beach Edition. It starts with the release of a PBE RX 350 in mid-February, followed by an ES 350 in March and a LS 600hL sometime in the fall. Here’s …
Kevin · February 6th, 2008
Dedicated Lexus Hybrid = Hybrid ES?
In a short interview with Bloomberg, Lexus General Manager Mark Templin reiterated what he told the Free Press a couple days ago, though with a little more detail: “There is a whole section of the population that wants something different, and that’s high-efficiency,” Lexus general manager Mark Templin said in an interview at the Detroit …
Kevin · January 18th, 2008
Lexus ES 350 Commerical: Slice
On the face of it, this Lexus commercial is a statement of the obvious, highlighting an undoubtedly common number of sensors as though it was unique. Yet, at the same time, it manages to accurately sum up what I find so appealing about Lexus itself: “Behind every detail, there’s a detail” will now be my …
Kevin · October 13th, 2007
Lexus ES 350 Commercial: Panoramic
This Lexus ES 350 commercial highlights my favorite feature of the car, and perhaps one of my favorite optional features of all time, the panoramic glass roof: The glass roof is perfectly suited to the overall design of the ES, and really the only Lexus I could picture with it. Perhaps it’s only because I’ve …
Kevin · September 24th, 2007
The Lexus Body Kit Series: ES 350
My initial thought was to pass over it without mention, but the more I think about it, it’s quite surprising that the ES 350 has absolutely no body kits. Why is that? I think the major reason has to be that the ES 350 is no longer available in Japan, where most Lexus kits come …
Kevin · September 1st, 2007
Federal Government Continues Lexus ES 350 Investigation
The U.S. federal government is continuing its investigation into the Lexus ES 350, which has been linked to 40 separate complaints of unintended acceleration, causing eight crashes and twelve injuries. What’s the cause? All-weather floor mats: Toyota Motor Corp. told NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Association] it sent a mailing to ES 350 owners in …
Kevin · August 15th, 2007
Lexus Class Action Lawsuit over ES 350 Airbags
According to the BusinessWire, a civil action lawsuit has been filed against Lexus/Toyota, with the claim that the ES 350’s front passenger seat fails to register occupants, meaning that in the event of a crash, the front passenger airbag would not deploy: At issue is the ES350’s airbag system, and specifically the systems’ airbag occupant …
Kevin · August 1st, 2007
Lexus ES 350 Commercial: Goosebumps
The opening shot of this commercial is pure gold, though I have to admit a crash-test dummy getting goosebumps is a bit freaky: One of my favorite things about the new ES 350, which you can only catch of glimpse of in this commercial, is the optional Panorama Glass roof. It almost folds up like …
Kevin · July 18th, 2007
Lexus ES 350 Commercial: Instinct
The most impressive aspect of this Lexus ES 350 commercial is how real the situation feels: The different perspectives of the same accident, the unavoidable crash, the skittering truck, the click-whirr of the advanced safety system, all make for a very immersive experience. Before impact, I actually recoiled in my chair.
Kevin · July 3rd, 2007
Unaired ES350 Commercial Discovered on Youtube
I stumbled upon this never used Lexus ad for the ES350: How totally bizarre. As for background info, it was created by Walter Robot, an animation studio in Orange County, California, and was to be a series of commercials featuring the full Lexus lineup. The idea, according to Christopher Louie, one of the principals, “was …
Kevin · May 31st, 2007