Toyota Canada has released prices for the two new 2007 model year sedans joining its upscale Lexus lineup this May -- the ES 350 and the GS 450h hybrid -- and apparently completed the brand's offerings in Canada.
The brand new ES 350 will have a starting price of $42,900, which is up from the starting price of $39,950 for the 2006 ES 330.
The hybrid version of the GS model that launched last year will be available in one trim level, with an MSRP of $76,900. It's the first time this model has had a hybrid model.
When the fifth generation of the ES lineup debuts, notes Stuart Payne, the director of Lexus in Canada, it will be the fourth new model from the Japanese firm's luxury lineup in 15 months.
According to Payne, the addition of these two models to the IS and RX 400h models that preceded them "allows us to offer Canadian drivers a complete lineup of luxury vehicles to choose from."
Payne believes the new ES is "the perfect partner for the IS 250 and IS 350, which went on sale in October. Together, the two models offer an entry-level luxury vehicle for everyone's taste," he says, with the IS models "buried firmly at the performance end of the meter" and the ES "emphasizing the balance" between the performance and luxury.
"That balance is expressed through a number of Lexus vehicle 'firsts'," says Payne, "including available dual swivel Adaptive Front Lighting System headlamps and available all-glass roof."
ES 350 comes with a 3.5-litre, six-cylinder, dual overhead cam, 24-valve engine with variable valve-timing that sends 272 hp at 6,200 rpm and 254 lb-ft of torque at 4,700 rpm to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. Those wheels and the ones at the back are 17-inch aluminum alloy models wrapped in P215/55R17 all-season radials.
Handling and control are enhanced by stability control, traction control and anti-lock braking.
"As the most recent expression of L-finesse," says Payne, "the ES 350 exhibits highly original style and quality, with long proportions emphasized by a set-back cabin, strong frame, and all-glass roof on the top trim level. The modern interior is elegant and comfortable, with sleek instrumentation and an optional 14-speaker Mark Levinson Audio system."
In Payne's view, the ES 350 is "the perfect luxury vehicle for young, style-conscious Canadians. Its combination of grace, elegance, performance and handling is the perfect introduction for many to a satisfying, life-long relationship between Canadian drivers and Lexus quality."
The GS 450h has a more vivid role to play in the Lexus cast, since "it's the world's first passenger car that combines luxury features with hybrid power, performance and fuel efficiency."
For the performance freaks who think such things really matter on Canada's highway, Payne adds that the GS 450h "is also the first full-hybrid in the world to feature a front engine and rear wheel drive."
All told, in Payne's view, the GS 450h is "a ground-breaking vehicle, representing the next generation of luxury sedans."
The brand new ES 350 will have a starting price of $42,900, which is up from the starting price of $39,950 for the 2006 ES 330.
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| (Photo: Toyota) |
When the fifth generation of the ES lineup debuts, notes Stuart Payne, the director of Lexus in Canada, it will be the fourth new model from the Japanese firm's luxury lineup in 15 months.
According to Payne, the addition of these two models to the IS and RX 400h models that preceded them "allows us to offer Canadian drivers a complete lineup of luxury vehicles to choose from."
Payne believes the new ES is "the perfect partner for the IS 250 and IS 350, which went on sale in October. Together, the two models offer an entry-level luxury vehicle for everyone's taste," he says, with the IS models "buried firmly at the performance end of the meter" and the ES "emphasizing the balance" between the performance and luxury.
"That balance is expressed through a number of Lexus vehicle 'firsts'," says Payne, "including available dual swivel Adaptive Front Lighting System headlamps and available all-glass roof."
 |
| (Photo: Toyota) |
Handling and control are enhanced by stability control, traction control and anti-lock braking.
"As the most recent expression of L-finesse," says Payne, "the ES 350 exhibits highly original style and quality, with long proportions emphasized by a set-back cabin, strong frame, and all-glass roof on the top trim level. The modern interior is elegant and comfortable, with sleek instrumentation and an optional 14-speaker Mark Levinson Audio system."
In Payne's view, the ES 350 is "the perfect luxury vehicle for young, style-conscious Canadians. Its combination of grace, elegance, performance and handling is the perfect introduction for many to a satisfying, life-long relationship between Canadian drivers and Lexus quality."
 |
| (Photo: Toyota) |
For the performance freaks who think such things really matter on Canada's highway, Payne adds that the GS 450h "is also the first full-hybrid in the world to feature a front engine and rear wheel drive."
All told, in Payne's view, the GS 450h is "a ground-breaking vehicle, representing the next generation of luxury sedans."