riknchar

The Ls600hL is AWD, which is perfect for spreading out those 440 ponies to all wheels, plus it should make the car get through our midwest snow storms with no problems (especially when coupled with the ability to increase the suspension height via the standard air suspension).

Now an ES400h AWD would be an amazing car, although it might take away some of the LS460 AWD sales, so Lexus probably wouldn't consider it.

lesz

My guess would be that the reason why Lexus chose to not use the 3.5 liter V6 in the ES hybrid was that they made a marketing decision based on the idea that, for the ES target market, the most that they could price a fully-equipped ES at was somewhere in the area of $50,000. A fully equipped ES 450h would likely have to be priced at somewhere near $55,000, and an ES 450h AWD would likely go for a bit over the $60,000 mark. It is, to me, a shame, though, that they are not making use of the 3.5 liter V6 in the ES hybrid. The engine reminds me so much of the small block V8 engines that were such a big part of the success of GM from the mid 1950s through the mid 1970s in the way that it provides smooth, quiet, and refined power. While the price of an ES 450h AWD might be above the price range for the typical market of buyers that Lexus is targeting with the ES, it would be a vehicle that I could see myself buying.