LexFather

I like the added wood too. I don't mind the new front, I like how the hood line flows into the lower bumper.

Needs bigger wheels

Did they also add a chrome strip to the lower doors?

Trexus

At first I thought it was a reflection on the wood but upon further inspection and noticing the chrome on the steering wheel it appears that it is chrome around the window switch panel with wood...

RXSF

inside: good all around
outside: good rear, good side profile, horrible front, especially if it has a color coated grill like the toyota camry. imagine the grill with that horrible gold or teal color

encore888

Good to see the refresh in larger pics.

From its debut, I've always wondered why the ES didn't get some wood for the glove box side, and even made some photoshops to that effect. So that's a good thing to see. They added wood to the center console as well. In an earlier thread I speculated on how the ES generations seemed to follow a formula, every other generation having certain exterior/interior cues. Just like the 3ES refresh, the 5ES refresh adds the wood to the center stack, a center stack that is tightly arranged at top with the 2 A/C vents.

As for the exterior, I've also felt that the side chrome bars were missing, especially compared with the LS/GS. So I'm glad to see them appear on this new model. The grille in the pics looks fine, nowhere near the more controversial GS facelift, however if it is body-colored then that may not work.

tromly

+1 Treus, I never could figure out why they never introduced an ES coupe, excellent idea

Blackraven

Press release for the New ES

Classic yet All New Experience
The New Lexus ES 350 and ES 240 Come to China

[September 8, 2009, Beijing] The top-class luxury brand Lexus announced today the official release of the new Lexus ES 350 and ES 240 in the China market, including the ES 350 Ultra Luxury, the ES 350 Luxury, the ES 240 Luxury and the ES 240 Elegance. The suggested retail prices for these four models are RMB 651,000, RMB 616,000, RMB 468,000 and RMB 390,000 respectively.

The new luxury ES 350 and ES 240 are the fifth generation in the ES family. Inheriting the ES series' graceful style and exceptional quality, and equipped with advanced technology including various intelligent features, the ES 350 and ES 240 deliver to Chinese consumers a pleasurable driving experience.

Mr. Shoju Nozaki, Executive Vice President of Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co. Ltd. said, "Since early this year, Lexus has introduced to the China market a host of new luxury auto products, including the GS 450h, RX 350, RX 450h, IS 300C, ES 350 and ES 240. Such extensive and competitive new product distribution once again demonstrates Lexus' great dedication to the China market. The ES series is one of the most successful and best-selling product lines in Lexus' history, which has won great recognition in the global luxury auto market. Lexus is now further diversifying its product lines by launching the new ES 350 and ES 240 to offer more choice and to satisfy the evolving needs of Chinese consumers."

Mr. Godfrey Tsang, Vice President of Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co. Ltd., who oversees Lexus businesses in China, further commented that, "The new ES 350 and ES 240 are positioned in the medium premium car market, but they target different customer groups. The new ES 350 is designed for successful individuals aged between 35 and 45. These target customers are modest and intelligent consumers who think globally. They prefer comfortable and upscale vehicles that reflect their social status, but without being flashy and extravagant. The brand new ES 240 is targeted at professionals, senior and middle-level executives or entrepreneurs aged between 30 and 40. They are willing to try new things and gain more life experiences. They've worked hard to achieve success and are now able to enjoy life. They prefer comfortable and refined vehicles which illustrate their maturity and taste. We believe that the new ES products meet consumers' varying demands. With its state-of-the-art craftsmanship and outstanding quality, the ES products will surely be praised by the consumers, and they will offer an unprecedented driving experience to successful and tasteful individuals."


Brilliance: Inheriting a Classic

The ES series was first launched in North America after the birth of the Lexus brand in January 1989. Over the past 20 years, by following the "Elegant Sedan" design concept established at its inception, the ES series has been well recognized by virtue of its superb elegance. It has won wide recognition in the North American market, honored for ten consecutive years as the best selling imported luxury vehicle. It has also won numerous honors from J.D. Power and Associates' Initial Quality Study (IQS) as well as from Consumer Reports. The bestowed honors and industry recognition have given the ES series great momentum for further growth. The ES series, which is in its fifth generation, has become one of the most successful luxury vehicles globally.

Classic is defined by constant attention given to every detail. Known for its commitment to "Passionate Pursuit of Perfection", Lexus has made constant effort to realize best craftsmanship and technology. Each vehicle is examined according to approximately 500 Lexus-specific product standards, well known in the industry as "Lexus MUSTs", with a view to ensuring top quality. During the production process, the skillful craftsmen help ensure the product nears perfection in every detail by manually measuring and fine-tuning the products, which is something that cannot be done by using measuring instruments.

The product is called a classic as it is not only an elegant creation that will never go out of style, but also it delivers the quintessence of the brand.


Perfection: Enjoying the New Elegance

The all-new ES series assumes greater elegance and confidence by virtue of the L-finesse design philosophy. The three core elements, "Incisive Simplicity", "Intriguing Elegance" and "Seamless Anticipation" that constitute the L-finesse philosophy have been implemented in the ES series, which not only inherits the Lexus DNA but also helps people better experience the sophisticated craftsmanship and people-oriented features while driving.

With the lower air-inlet grille matching the sharp appearance of the front light, a steadier and grander silhouette of the new ES is produced. The top curve is elegant and smooth. The waist-lines glide over from the front to the rear to give a smooth look. The rear part of the car features a simple and vivid design. The exquisite and dynamic 17-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels invite people for a passionate drive. With the traditional style of vigor and elegance inherent in the Lexus ES series, the new ES 350 and ES 240 offer a simple yet powerful visual impact.

The new ES 350 and ES 240 feature comfortable and elegant interior. The front drive and the big rear tread ensure spaciousness for the cabin. The smooth lines work together to produce a visual effect of openness and steadiness. The panoramic moon roof, a classic feature of the ES series (except for the ES 240 Elegance) gives more spaciousness and brightness to the cabin. The metallic dashboard, top class leather seats, the Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control system and the further optimized design for quietness all contribute to a driving experience of comfort and luxury.

The new ES 350 is equipped with a V6 DOHC 24-valve engine with dual VVT-i. It has a maximum 204 kW output at 6200 rpm and a peak torque of 346Nm at 4700 rpm. The maximum speed is 230km/h, and it is also capable of 0-100 km/h acceleration in only 7 seconds. The 6-speed ECT-i automatic transmission is equipped with the AI-Shift Control and delivers much more driving joy with the improvement on the manual shift mode.

The new ES 240 is equipped with the L4 DOHC 16-valve engine with VVT-i. It has a maximum 123 kW output at 6000 rpm and a peak torque of 224Nm at 4000 rpm. The maximum speed is 205km/h, and it is also capable of 0-100 km/h acceleration in 10.4 seconds. The new ES 350 and ES 240 have an optimized front suspension damping stabilizer, which ensures that the car is more stable when changing direction or making turns. Mated with the flat chassis, this improvement brings drivers a smooth and pleasurable driving experience.


Intelligence, Leading the Journey

The new ES 350 and ES 240, taking people-oriented design as the core, are equipped with a host of forward-thinking intelligent configurations, set a new benchmark for luxury cars in the same class by virtue of the innovative technology.

The new Lexus ES 350 and ES 240 Luxury are equipped with the Lexus G-BOOK, which connects drivers to the Lexus G-BOOK service center via the wireless network, provides seven categories of telematics services including emergency rescue, anti-theft tracking, roadside assistance, operator service, information service and G-route search. The Lexus G-BOOK offers consumers a safe and convenient auto life at any time, any where.

The unparalleled driving experience not only comes from the quiet interior, but also the upgraded navigation configurations. The new ES 350 and ES 240 Luxury are equipped with the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Navigation system, which helps increase navigation speed and stability.


Safety, Delivering a Care-free Journey

Safe driving is a precondition for reassured driving pleasure. The new ES 350 and ES 240 are armed with a variety of active safety systems including the Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system, the Traction Control (TRC) system, the Electric Brake Distribution (EBD) system, the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS), and the Brake Assist (BA) system. The High Intensity Discharge (HID) low beam headlamps make for a perfect match with the Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS). The impact-absorbing crumple zones and the GOA body structure, together with the class-leading 10 SRS Airbags (including front, side, knee, curtain & rear airbags, etc.), offer all-round protection for Lexus drivers and passengers.


The new ES 350 is equipped with the Pre-crash Safety System (PCS) and the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). The PCS is able to detect obstacles in front via millimeter wave radar and activates the alarm and brake system when necessary. The ACC is not only able to operate in the traditional speed preset mode, but also in the distance control mode, which will automatically adjust the distance between the vehicles and the vehicle ahead. When the car ahead changes direction or accelerates, the system will automatically bring the car back to its initial cruising speed.


Excellence, Going beyond Expectation

Known for its commitment to consistently "exceeding customer expectations", Lexus strives to provide every car owner with personalized after-sales service and comprehensive supports.

Since its first launch in China in 2005, Lexus has been providing Chinese consumers with an industry-leading warranty: 4-year/100,000 km (6-year/150,000 km for hybrid models) of free repair and free maintenance service, which established a benchmark in the luxury car market. Moreover, the Lexus G-BOOK is also available for free within a four-year/no kilometer limit. Lexus owners can enjoy the people-oriented and convenient service at anytime, anywhere.

Over the past 20 years of innovation, Lexus has been committed to not only providing global consumers with excellent products and personalized service, but also to advancing the sustainable development of the auto industry as a good corporate citizen contributing to environmental protection.

Lexus adopts a variety of environmentally-friendly materials during production: the easily recycled Toyota Super Olefin Polymer (TSOP) is used substantially on the front & rear bumpers as well as on the car bottom; lead-free materials are applied to a host of parts including the engine crank shaft and rear window defogger; chromium-free plating is used for the evaporator; mercury-free materials are used for the HID headlamps; and no hexavalent chromium is used for spare parts such as nuts and bolts. The application of a large number of advanced technologies and materials as such demonstrates Lexus' responsibility to society and the environment.

Lexus not only adopts environmentally friendly concepts in the production process but also utilizes them so they can be felt by the customer during the driving experience. The Eco Drive reminder function is available on the new ES 350 and ES 240, reminding car owners to drive in an environmentally-friendly way by reducing energy consumption and emissions. Lexus has all along taken it as its overriding principle to seek harmony among people, cars and the environment by working with customers with a great sense of social responsibility and who are dedicated to environmental protection. Premium care is thus elevated to a new height.

Beginning today, Lexus invites you to visit any of our 53 dealerships in 43 cities nationwide for an unprecedented driving experience delivered by the new ES 350 and ES 240 and experience the classic life of Lexus represented by exceptional luxury vehicles and people-oriented service.

And a PDF Brochure of the new ES facelift:
http://en.lexus.com.cn/Images/ES_E-b...275-140460.pdf

For fans of the ES, this is a lot of material for viewing and reading pleasure.

Mister Two

Thanks for the PDF. From the pic of the brown ES in the brochure, it appears that the bars in the grille aren't body-colored as I originally thought. They're just grey and not chromed anymore.

TRDFantasy

How ironic that the refresh does NOT look like the one from the leaked pics earlier with the ugly flat front bumper.

I like this lower bumper better than the current model. The current bumper makes the car look fat and a bit bloated from the front. This facelift bumper makes the car look a bit more lean. I also like the slightly revised headlights, they look a bit more aggressive.

The refreshed tail lights and the added exterior chrome makes the car look wider and longer, which I have no problem with.

Interior is a big improvement. For those of you that complained about the current ES interior, Lexus listened and added quite a bit more wood. Not only that, if you look carefully you can see added bits of subtle chrome trim on the steering wheel, above the glovebox, and throughout the center console and center dash. The added woods and bits of chrome make the interior definitely look better and more expensive.




Shame that green 80's lighting on the center console still remains. Time to update to the blue color at the very least.

Trexus

I'm sure we're the very few on this website that wouldn't mind an ES coupe (ES 350 C). Lexus already has a successful Solara which is based of the Camry so it would make sense to bring it over to the Lexus side. Lexus could have had more variations and sales with an ES coupe...

LexBob2

I just saw an on TV for the 2010 ES350. The ad said available at your Chicagoland Lexus Dealers. I didn't think it was available until later this month or early Oct. Anyone else seeing the ad?

Fizzboy7

Was it a Lexus Company ad or your dealer's own ad? I don't think anything in the US has been released to press yet. Sounds like a dealer blunder.

Fizzboy7

Hmmm... not liking the new front air intake where it meets up with the fogs. It's offest, not congruent, and hard on the eyes. (forces one to look twice to see it doesn't line up). Also looks like a slight underbite. Or is it an overbite? It just looks like it's biting! Not terrible, but could have been better thought out.

bnizzle87

looks asymettrical. it does appear to have that biting look, similar to the nissan 370z, but it doesnt add to the es as much as the z. the es is more for a luxury than performance, so this bite look doesnt float with me. if it adds more airflow, i guess the guys at lexus are thinking this through enough

LexBob2

That's what suprised me, it was a well done Lexus corporate ad with the local tag at the end of it. Might have just been aired accidentally/premature.

carcass29

I just saw the ad on TV last night....broadcast in NYC 10:00pm....and the front end looks like garbage in my PO.