If it's ever in the works, they better make it AWD, or at least have it as an option.

 

ES chassis probably isnt made for RWD or AWD for that matter

 

Good point about the AWD. But the RX 450h, which was AWD only, now is offered in FWD too, to lower the price.

And there are no rumors of this car internally yet. If it does debut it will be tuned more for efficiency, not power like the RX/GS hybrids.

 

Welp... The Camry itself has never failed (AFAIK) to have an awd option in japan/ some asian markets, and that's not counting the rx/highlander.
They could do it if they felt like it, but it will never happen. Nobody bought it the first time it came to the US camry (gen2, 88-91), and toyota(lexus) never repeates mistakes. Too many times...


So, dont wait for it. it aint happening.
Besides why would they do that? There would be 0 reason to buy a GS other than people that just like to spend money, but can't quite get to an LS.

 

AWD isn't a bad option esp. since it won't require all those diffs. It's just an electric motor (and its required circuitry) so there won't be that much added weight.

 

After the LS having a hybrid model which Lexus will be next to have a hybrid option? It most likely would have to be the ES, IS or SC. Most likely it won't be the SC at least for a awhile. If it's the ES most likely it would be tuned more for efficiency as oppose to high performance. But come to think of it, the ES shares the same platform as the RX. Maybe the RX's hybrid drivetrain could be used in the ES. The ES was never a performance driven car. We'll have to wait and see what Lexus does next. Stay tuned...

 

I really can't see a hybrid ES. Several issues - torque steer, trunk space, rear seat headroom, all would be a problem on this platform. The Camry hybrid solves the torque steer by using the 4 cyl. engine as the ICE. It loses quite a bit of trunk space and about an inch of rear seat space. If Lexus needs to improve the ES performance, there is the option of going to the direct injection engine from the IS350, so I see no reason to do an ES hybrid.
Steve

 

Why would you lose rear headroom AND trunk space? It'll be either or depending on where they place the battery. Reason for an ES hybrid? Emissions... possible PZEV vs. ULEV. Hell, they can drop the IS250's 2.5 litre if they wanted then use the electric motor/battery to bump it back up.

 

*If they wanted*, they could probably stuff the v10 in it.

Remember that as a company, they're not going to just throw money at something jsut because they can. They're going to look in the parts bin & use what they have. Prefferably something that fits without modification.

That means either the i4 hybrid out of the Camry, or the v6 hybrid out of a highlander/RX. Both of which are the Camry platform.