Lexus Es350

[alpine]

This model, intermediate between the IS250 and GS350 has been available in the US and Canada for some time. Does anyone know whether there is an intention to launch it in the UK please?

http://www.lexus.ca/lexus/experience/en/ho...T&year=2009

It's ...erm... front wheel drive...

[Mike_B]

Highly unlikely. It's basically a Toyota Camry which didn't sell very well here either. The ES is a front-wheel drive car and isn't really a separate Lexus model, but very much a re-badged Camry which is unlikely to help the Lexus image in Europe.

[alpine]

Highly unlikely. It's basically a Toyota Camry which didn't sell very well here either. The ES is a front-wheel drive car and isn't really a separate Lexus model, but very much a re-badged Camry which is unlikely to help the Lexus image in Europe.

Pity. Looks just like the GS inside, and has the advantage of FWD. Radio has AUX in too!

[bob.grainger]

Highly unlikely. It's basically a Toyota Camry which didn't sell very well here either. The ES is a front-wheel drive car and isn't really a separate Lexus model, but very much a re-badged Camry which is unlikely to help the Lexus image in Europe.

Pity. Looks just like the GS inside, and has the advantage of FWD. Radio has AUX in too!

Guys, I live in Dubai and the ES is as common as muck here and often used as a taxi. I agree it's a heavily rebadged Camry and IMHO it's of inadequate quality to represent the Lexus brand quality. Frankly I think the Camry is a better looking car !

Bob G

[Mike_B]

Highly unlikely. It's basically a Toyota Camry which didn't sell very well here either. The ES is a front-wheel drive car and isn't really a separate Lexus model, but very much a re-badged Camry which is unlikely to help the Lexus image in Europe.

Pity. Looks just like the GS inside, and has the advantage of FWD. Radio has AUX in too!

The advantage of FWD? With a big engine you just get a shedload of wheelspin and chew up tyres every 5k miles. On a runabout FWD is much better, but I'm not convinced it has any value in large, heavy cars, especially with modern traction and stability systems.

Aux-in I would agree with though, these really should be standard fit these days. All MP3 players have a common headphone standard, it would cost pennies to add a socket to take a lead from such a device.

[alpine]

The advantage of FWD? With a big engine you just get a shedload of wheelspin and chew up tyres every 5k miles. On a runabout FWD is much better, but I'm not convinced it has any value in large, heavy cars, especially with modern traction and stability systems.

My IS is terrible in the snow. But then I used to have an Impreza, and before that various FWDs so I'm a bit spoilt... As far as I'm aware, all Lexs, Mercs, and BMW are awful unless you change to winter tyres. Which is a highly marginal thing to do in our randomised weather! Or are the GS TRC systems especially clever?

[Kazi]

Front wheel drive is pap! The front wheels are for steering and the rear wheels for the drive. Thats how proper cars are set up :D

[Paradroid]

I've seen this model on Wikipedia.

On that Lexus page it might look ok with heavily stylised publicity pictures, but look at it in the cold light of day:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexus_ES

One ugly car - especially the 4th generation! In fact the styling of the later models is much worse than the earlier ones IMO.

I don't think a Lexus should be FWD either, especially not with a 3.5 litre engine in it.

[Mike_B]

The advantage of FWD? With a big engine you just get a shedload of wheelspin and chew up tyres every 5k miles. On a runabout FWD is much better, but I'm not convinced it has any value in large, heavy cars, especially with modern traction and stability systems.

My IS is terrible in the snow. But then I used to have an Impreza, and before that various FWDs so I'm a bit spoilt... As far as I'm aware, all Lexs, Mercs, and BMW are awful unless you change to winter tyres. Which is a highly marginal thing to do in our randomised weather! Or are the GS TRC systems especially clever?

ISs are notoriously bad in the snow, but then they have a rather simple traction control system. The GS has a full VSC system which from personal experience I can say sorts it out quite nicely in the snow. It's ability to brake any wheel completely independently of the others means it can put the car back on the straight and narrow even after the back has started to drift.

How often does it snow though - couple of days a year? (OK, maybe more on high ground or in Scotland). Most of the time it is just wet rather than actually snowy, and in those conditions RWD provides much better traction at junctions etc.

[alpine]

The advantage of FWD? With a big engine you just get a shedload of wheelspin and chew up tyres every 5k miles. On a runabout FWD is much better, but I'm not convinced it has any value in large, heavy cars, especially with modern traction and stability systems.

My IS is terrible in the snow. But then I used to have an Impreza, and before that various FWDs so I'm a bit spoilt... As far as I'm aware, all Lexs, Mercs, and BMW are awful unless you change to winter tyres. Which is a highly marginal thing to do in our randomised weather! Or are the GS TRC systems especially clever?

ISs are notoriously bad in the snow, but then they have a rather simple traction control system. The GS has a full VSC system which from personal experience I can say sorts it out quite nicely in the snow. It's ability to brake any wheel completely independently of the others means it can put the car back on the straight and narrow even after the back has started to drift.

How often does it snow though - couple of days a year? (OK, maybe more on high ground or in Scotland). Most of the time it is just wet rather than actually snowy, and in those conditions RWD provides much better traction at junctions etc.

Please stop trying to convince me to buy one. I mustn't buy one. I mustn't buy one. I mustn't buy one. It's too big. It's too big. I musn't buy one. think of the future, the tax, the fuel economy. I mustn't buy one. I mustn't buy one I mustn't buy one.

:P :P :P :P :P :P

[Mike_B]

Please stop trying to convince me to buy one. I mustn't buy one. I mustn't buy one. I mustn't buy one. It's too big. It's too big. I musn't buy one. think of the future, the tax, the fuel economy. I mustn't buy one. I mustn't buy one I mustn't buy one.

:P :P :P :P :P :P

I had an IS200 before the GS430. The fuel economy is worse, but not all that much worse. It's only the size of a new Mondeo. And it's a hell of a lot faster, and I really mean a hell of a lot faster. And the tax isn't going to be that much worse because the IS200 is hardly a low-CO2 car itself.

[alpine]

I had an IS200 before the GS430. The fuel economy is worse, but not all that much worse. It's only the size of a new Mondeo. And it's a hell of a lot faster, and I really mean a hell of a lot faster. And the tax isn't going to be that much worse because the IS200 is hardly a low-CO2 car itself.

And it's got that nice reversing camera and sensors, and is incredibly quiet and fully leather and the exhaust sounds subtly great when you boot it. Only the size of a Mondeo? Well that's not too big is it?. And the capital expenditure dwarfs the fuel costs, the amount I'll use it any way. Why not go for it, not too many new cars to go (since I keep them for a long time) before I reach the age where they start sending me a driving licence form every few years...

Decisions decisions. Or maybe a sqeaky IS250 is more moderate and 'practical' ....

[JCC]

If you look at the US Lexus Range then you will see other models too, like the LX and GX that at are based on the the Toyota Land Cruiser and Highlander. They like to have a number of options available that we don't get in Europe.

[84Stoney]

and has the advantage of FWD.

Like being cheap to mass produce and bucket loads of understeer?

[Mark W]

and has the advantage of FWD.

Like being cheap to mass produce and bucket loads of understeer?

LOL :winky:

[shake]

272 bhp FWD

i bet it drives better than a is200