All New 2018 Lexus ES300h looks like Mini LS, the flagship sedan price starts from Rs. 59.13 Lakhs ex-showroom
After six generations, the seventh-generation ES builds on its strengths with an all-new chassis that allows for a more dynamic exterior design and even better driving performance. 2018 Lexus ES300h India launch should happen in a year as well. Built on the all-new Global Architecture―K (GA-K) platform, the new ES pushes the limits of design in the midsize luxury sedan class. This ES is longer (+2.6 in), lower (-.2 in) and wider (+1.8 in.) than before with wheels that have been pushed closer to the corners thanks to a two-inch longer wheelbase and wider tracks front (+.4 in) and rear (+1.5 in). It’s stance and proportions reflect its newfound performance capabilities and give the ES the kind of eye-catching appearance that will make owners take a second look as they walk away.
Lexus used the low hood enabled by the new ES platform to produce a distinctive silhouette emphasized by an aggressive downward slant. Up front, the face of the ES is dramatically different depending on the model. The standard ES 350 and the ES 300h use elegant vertical bars that radiate out from the center while the ES 350 F SPORT model adopts a blacked out cross-hatch pattern that corresponds with cut outs at each corner of the fascia.
In a break with ES models of the past, the seventh-generation design uses a fast roofline that emphasizes its lower stance and slippery aerodynamics. The rear end is clean and sharply chiseled, with LED taillamps that wrap around the quarter panels to provide a continuous styling line from any angle. F SPORT models add a rear spoiler, additional rear badging and a dark lower valance to further refine the look. There are three different wheel designs (17- and 18-inch) for the ES 350 and ES 300h while the ES 350 F SPORT gets standard 19-inch wheels with a design similar to that found on the LC coupe.
A dozen colors make up the exterior paint palette including two new shades, one green and one beige, that are anything but typical. Moonbeam Beige Metallic was designed to mimic light reflecting off fresh snow, while Sunlight Green replicates the color of ocean water brightened by the sun. F SPORT models get an exclusive Heat Blue color that compliments its high-energy design.
A driver-centric cockpit with a spacious and comfortable area for the front passenger is on offer. In the ES, the driver’s focus is kept on the road ahead by placing the center display screen, instrument panel and heads up display in a tight cluster in the driver’s field of view. Additionally, adjustments were made to components such as the steering wheel angle and position and brake pedal angle and location to provide the driver with a natural driving position.
Rear package capability has increased despite the sleeker exterior roofline. A lower hip point and a carefully configured headliner preserve headroom while the longer wheelbase delivers uncharacteristically generous legroom.
In addition to the array of paint colors available on the ES, there’s a new interior color combination that reflects the “provocative elegance” theme. Along with Black, Chateau and Topaz Brown, the ES will offer a new Rich Cream interior that blends cream upholstery with a brown headliner to give the cabin a modern, yet warm look and feel.
The starting point was the newly developed Global Architecture-K chassis. It is an exceptionally rigid front-wheel-drive chassis, rivaling the Global Architecture-L rear-wheel-drive platform used for the LC coupe and LS sedan in terms of torsional stiffness. Various grades of high-tensile steel reduce weight versus previous platforms while additional enhancements like an all-new double wishbone suspension design, rack-mounted electric power steering, and a V-brace mounted behind the rear seat gave the engineers the flexibility to tune the ES with a newfound level of precision. Providing a good base to expand and enhance from, the platform allowed us to realize low and wide proportions, resulting in a lower center of gravity and better than ever aerodynamics.
Setting new benchmarks in its class, the ES 300h features a new fourth generation Hybrid Drive system that shatters all preconceived notions of hybrid electrics. The Euro 6 compliant, new hybrid electric system coupled with the four-cylinder petrol engine, delivers improved linear acceleration, a combined 160 kW of total power, and a mileage of 22.37 km/l. Crafted for those who value not just a high-performance drive but a safe and secure one as well, the ES 300h includes a class leading 10 airbags, Hill Start Assist, Vehicle Stability Control, and Anti-theft system, with break-in and tilt sensors.
Driver comfort and ease of drive is as important in the new ES 300h as passenger comfort, and the cockpit features a 7-inch LCD instrument panel with a large analog tachometer, digital speedometer and an easy-to-read multi-information display, in addition to a fully adjustable color heads-up display that projects relevant vehicle information onto the windshield. The navigation system on the 12.3 inch Electro Multi Vision (EMV) full-size display, and the wireless charger built into the new ES, further aid in reducing distractions while on the road.
Precise steering inputs are delivered by a new rack-assist type Electric Power Steering (EPS) system, and the ES offers a Drive Mode Select system that allows the driver to tailor the car’s settings to varying road conditions with Eco, Normal and Sport modes. MacPherson struts in front, a trailing arm and a multilink setup in the back with stabilizer bars at each end, coupled with 18-inch, multi-spoke alloy wheels, ensure accurate handling, and make the ES an extremely comfortable and quiet car to drive. Due to the reconfigured rear suspension, cargo room has been increased, and the new ES 300h features 454 L of cargo space with an auto-open trunk, that also fits in a full sized spare wheel.
The interiors feature four color schemes, and three types of trim, in addition to the array of nine paint colors available on the exterior. Along with Black, Chateau and Topaz Brown, the ES also introduces a light new Rich Cream interior that offers a striking contrast to the deep brown dash and roof trim. The ES offers two shades of Shimamoku wood trim (black, brown), as well as light-colored Bamboo. The mark of Takumi craftsmanship is evident in the new ES, in the soft padding of the instrument panel, where each stitch is embedded into materials for a 3-D effect.
Overall drivability of the ES 300h has been improved thanks to a more sophisticated hybrid system control computer that is better able to mimic the feel and power delivery of a standard gas engine. Even the nickel-hydrogen battery is smaller than before which allows it to be mounted underneath the back seat so it doesn’t infringe on truck space.
