The New Lexus ES Up & Running With Sales Up to 2.65 Million Units!

Lexus held the world premiere of the new Lexus ES. It was a key model in Lexus lineup with the launch of the first-generation LS flagship sedan in 1989. 

After the initial debut of ES, the cumulative sales is approximately 2.65 million units in more than 80 countries and regions.

"Our goal was to deepen the high quality of the ES and to add new value. In addition to further improving quietness and ride comfort, we pursued linearity in vehicle movement, in response to steering wheel operation, that is faithful to the driver's intentions. When it comes to styling, we refined the elegance that is characteristic of the ES, and we have created a new modernity. I would like people to experience by riding in the ES the thoughts of the development team, which closely adhered to the idea of 'Always On' with the aim of making ever-better cars,” said Lexus International chief engineer Tetsuya Aoki. 

The new ES achieves enhancements to superior quietness and ride comfort which form the origin of Lexus. It can be experienced through the comfort in the car’s seamless connection between acceleration, deceleration and steering in any driving situation. Apart from that, its development pursued a linear response that is faithful to the driver’s intentions. 

Furthermore, a proprietary Lexus method was employed to increase the rigidity of the rear suspension-member braces for superior steering stability in situations such as high-speed lane changes. Also, the adoption in the F Sport version of the new ES of a leading-edge adaptive variable suspension (AVS) system that uses a new actuator achieves both high-quality ride comfort and sharper steering response by reducing the damping force and expanding the variable range. 

There are 2 types of brake controllability : gasoline-powered and hybrid versions.  For gasoline-powered versions, the idle stroke of the brake pedal is reduced by improving the internal structures of the master cylinder and booster. For hybrid versions, brake controllability improved by changing the control constants of the electronically controlled braking system. By improving the sense of stability when the brake pedal is depressed and moreover, sense of lateral rigidity in the brake pedal has been enhanced by improving the mounting method for the internal bushing of the brake pedal link configuration.

For the exterior features, there are newly designed front grille, headlamps and wheels too. 

The newly designed front grille has mesh pattern consisting of an ensemble of L-shaped components that emphasize lateral low. It's also emphasized forward extrusion heightens the sense of quality. The headlamps feature new and compact units. Apart from that, the triple-beam lamps feature BladeScanTM AHS (Adaptive High-beam System) for improving functionality. 

There are 3 designs of wheels : thicker spoke ends, multi-axis spokes and F Sport-exclusive. For the thicker spoke ends available on 17-inch wheels that emphasize the shine of machined surfers and layered in “V” formations to have sporty impression. For the multi-axis spokes available on 18-inch wheels that contrast the shine of machined surfaces and black paint and created a sense of luxury. For the F Sport-exclusive 19-inch wheels, it is glossy black to match with black front grille and have a firm impression.

Furthemore, there are two new exterior colours – Sonic Iridium, a silver that takes advantage of strong shadows to further accentuate the shape of the vehicle, and Sonic Chrome, which exhibits a metallic quality in high-gloss grey. 

For the interior features, there is a high-resolution 12.3-inch widescreen display that has been brought forward by more than 100mm compared with the current model, debuting touch-display functionality to increase usability options for the driver and front passenger. Based on the Lexus human-centred approach, the optimum distance and angle has been achieved including tilting the screen by approximately five degrees to place even the outlying corners of the screen within easy reach.

Luxurious soft-touch dashboard and door materials, finely-detailed stitching and impeccable fit and finish will be further extended by the availability of new material ornamentation. Befitting uncompromising Lexus craftsmanship standards, hairline ornamentation includes hairlines etched in one-at-a-time using a laser process to create a more delicate and modern ambiance. 

Additionally, a newly applied Hazel followed by the interior comes in a newly developed brown, Mauve grayish-tone. For the F Sport, it comes in white with white and flare colour seat cushions and combined with black seat backs for a sportier impression. 

The safety features of Lexus ES are Lexus Safety System. It consists Pre-Collision System, Emergency Steering Assist, Low Speed Acceleration Control, Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (with an all-speed tracking function), Automatic High-Beam, Road Sign Assist, Emergency Driving Stop System, and HELPNET. 

For various advanced safety equipment, there are parking support brakes and panoramic view monitors. Also, there is an advanced BladeScanTM AHS that is available on Lexus RX, LS and joined by ES. 

An advanced AHS in LED-sourced light shines onto blade mirrors spinning at high speed and transferred to a lens to illuminate the road ahead. It controls light distribution by synchronizing the rotation of the blade mirrors and switching the LED lights on and off which synchronise to provide a more delicate shielding of light than in the case of conventional AHS. BladeScan AHS also broadens the range of high beam illumination, enabling the driver to recognise pedestrians and road signs without impeding the visibility of the proceeding driver or of drivers approaching from the opposite direction.

Apart from that, there are digital side-view and rear-view mirrors. It has noise-reduction processing that is applied to realize clear images with less noise. Also, an annoyance caused by LED flickering has been reduced. There is a digital key that the vehicle can lock and unlock with Bluetooth-activated by operating using a smartphone installed with a dedicated app but it depends on smartphone type, settings and location. 

The safety features like the Low Speed Acceleration Control and Emergency Driving Stop System are available in Japan only. As for the Digital Key, it is only available in China.