When the first version of the Lexus ES was introduced in 1990, Toyota Canada officials were simultaneously trying to smile and hold their noses.
None of them pretended the original ES four-door sedan was anything but a thinly disguised Camry and therefore not indicative or where they wanted Lexus to go, but more importantly that it didn't even come close to the wonders of the more expensive Lexus LS 400 that debuted at the same time.
The rationale for the original ES was that a new brand and a new dealer network could not survive on one model alone, and that some kind of entry-level vehicle had to be offered, smell or no.
But what was easily the worst Lexus ever lasted for less than a year before being replaced by the ES 300, and now we are on the verge of the fifth iteration of the ES, the 2007 350, and Lexus dealers don't have to worry about nothing to put in their showrooms any more. In fact, they now have two entry-level models, stodgy (the ES) and sporty (the IS).
To give you some idea of what's happened to the ES line since it launched, consider that the Lexus boss in the U.S., Bob Carter, claims that the newly revamped ES 350 is better in virtually every way than our original LS flagship sedan." To prove that point using measurable qualities, Carter notes that it's faster, quieter and more powerful than the first LS.
The ES 350 that will go on sale across Canada this April (prices TBA) will for the most part try to cover the same ground as the previous ES, but once again Lexus is trying to stretch its reach a little farther. For Stuart Payne, the director of the Lexus brand for Toyota Canada, that means the ES 350 will be "infused with luxurious, comfortable amenities, smooth and quiet handling, along with responsive performance."
In Payne's view, the 2007 ES 350 "is the perfect partner for the IS 250 and IS 350," which went on sale in October. Payne claims that, together, "the two models offer an entry-level luxury vehicle for everyone's taste."
With the IS offering more performance ability than can be legally used on North American roads, Payne says the ES is meant to offer a balance of "the luxury of L-finesse -- the Lexus exclusive design language -- and the handling and performance that all Lexus owners demand."
By way of showing how this balance is struck, Payne mentions headlights that turn in the direction the vehicle's pointing and an optional all-glass roof. Both of these items are at best semi-new and semi-interesting, and neither of them will push the ES 350 ahead of the many other excellent models in the entry-lux sedan segment.
It's possible that the ES 350 will finally make the emotional connection with buyers through style that Lexus has been trying to make forever. But early media readings suggest that's not going to happen, that buyers will continue to come to Lexus primarily for its reputation for building reliable and expensive utensils.
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| 2007 Lexus ES 350 (Photo: Toyota Canada) |
The rationale for the original ES was that a new brand and a new dealer network could not survive on one model alone, and that some kind of entry-level vehicle had to be offered, smell or no.
But what was easily the worst Lexus ever lasted for less than a year before being replaced by the ES 300, and now we are on the verge of the fifth iteration of the ES, the 2007 350, and Lexus dealers don't have to worry about nothing to put in their showrooms any more. In fact, they now have two entry-level models, stodgy (the ES) and sporty (the IS).
To give you some idea of what's happened to the ES line since it launched, consider that the Lexus boss in the U.S., Bob Carter, claims that the newly revamped ES 350 is better in virtually every way than our original LS flagship sedan." To prove that point using measurable qualities, Carter notes that it's faster, quieter and more powerful than the first LS.
 |
| 2007 Lexus ES 350 (Photo: Toyota Canada) |
In Payne's view, the 2007 ES 350 "is the perfect partner for the IS 250 and IS 350," which went on sale in October. Payne claims that, together, "the two models offer an entry-level luxury vehicle for everyone's taste."
With the IS offering more performance ability than can be legally used on North American roads, Payne says the ES is meant to offer a balance of "the luxury of L-finesse -- the Lexus exclusive design language -- and the handling and performance that all Lexus owners demand."
 |
| 2007 Lexus ES 350 (Photo: Toyota Canada) |
It's possible that the ES 350 will finally make the emotional connection with buyers through style that Lexus has been trying to make forever. But early media readings suggest that's not going to happen, that buyers will continue to come to Lexus primarily for its reputation for building reliable and expensive utensils.