Found an interesting article regarding the 2018 ES 350. It states that there are no major changes expected. Same engine, same trans, but will be AWD instead of FWD. This, of course, remains to be seen, The 2018 model is scheduled to be shown - not released - around June of 2017 at the Shanghai Auto Show.

Here's the link: https://autotrends.today/2018-lexus-es-350

 

I definitely do not believe the AWD bit. And "Lexus Security Device +"? LOL

 

I could be confused (which happens more often than I'm happy to admit), but the pictures in the article, both exterior and interior, look to me like pictures of a 2016 or 2017 ES. And the description of the changes that are supposed to be coming with the 2018 ES sound like the changes that were already made in the 2016 re-fresh.

If 2018 is the last year for the Generation 6 ES, which I think is more likely than not, I can't imagine that Lexus would make changes any bigger than ones such as changing the color/finish of interior *****, handles, switch plates, etc., changing the finish on some exterior trim, or adding some new interior or exterior colors.

 

I don't care for the wheels.

 

Those wheels are the standard wheels that are already available on the 2017 ES.

 

The wheels show is a $40 option on the ES 2017.
I wanted those wheels excepted I ended up with the 18" which costed me $880. Didn't have a choice where I live

 

Let's trade.

 

Thanks for the offer

 

I wouldn't discount the AWD option being added. I was involved in a Lexus survey, about a year or so ago, asking my opinion of an AWD version ES. There was a whole section on it.

 

I recall having participated in the same survey. My guess was, though, that Lexus was asking for opinions about an all-wheel drive option for the ES more for consideration about making such an option available with the Generation 7 ES than for making it available during the remaining time of the Generation 6 ES. I believe that adding an AWD option to a front wheel drive car requires fewer design changes than does adding an AWD option to a front wheel drive car, and it is hard to imagine that Lexus would justify the cost of designing an AWD ES for the last year of the Generation 6 run.

Also, an AWD ES UL car would likely push the MSRP up into the $60,000 range, and that price tag would be pushing into the range of a GS. I'm not sure that many potential ES buyers who would be interested in an AWD car wouldn't just as well prefer to buy a GS. While an AWD ES would likely have a bit more back seat leg room (but not as much as a FWD ES) and a bit better fuel efficiency and the GS AWD would likely have more HP and sportier handling, I'm not sure that the differences between the two cars would be great enough for Lexus to justify the cost of building two very similar cars at similar price points.

All of that said, my evaluation of the situation could be completely wrong.

 

The contact/owner for that web site has a gmail account not one at the website address and not contact street address listed. I would not believe anything that is posted there. Not sure why anyone would make these things up as they did.

 

I was recently at my Lexus dealer speaking with my salesman and he also told me the 2018 Lexus ES350 will be AWD and it was getting a redesign along with telling me the GS350 was getting discontinued. Take it for what its worth but I will tell you he's been with Lexus for along time and is their top salesman at this particular dealership. .

 

I was just looking at the Edmunds website, and I happened to notice that the pictures of the "supposed" 2018 ES in the link from the OP of this thread are the same pictures that Edmunds has included in their gallery of pictures of the 2017 ES. That gives me more reason to question the credibility of the information in the linked article. That article seems more like one that is describing the changes in the 2016 ES re-fresh and not one that is giving any real information about the 2018 ES.

 

Unless the ES becomes more refined and powerful and handle better, Lexus probably will not discontinue the GS because they needs a competitor for the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes E-class, Audi A6, Cadillac CTS competitor. The ES is a nice car but it can't compete with the cars listed.

Top salesman doesn't necessarily mean it is certain. From my experience, salesman are pretty clueless until the cars/plans are released to the public.

 

On one hand, Lexus seemingly has tried to have a bigger presence in the sportier car market in recent years with the introduction of cars like the RC, GS F-sport, and higher end versions of the IS, it wouldn't seem to make sense for them to be dropping the GS. On the other hand, year-to-year sales from June, 2015 to June, 2016 for the RC, GS, and IS models were all down by anywhere 21-33%, and it could be that Lexus has concluded that it can't compete in that market segment and that they have decided to consolidate their sportier models.

I have no idea whether Lexus would consider dropping the GS, but my conclusion about everything in this thread is that there is very little information about what Lexus is going to do or what it isn't going to do in which I would have any confidence.