2007 Lexus ES350 spy shots

[sciguy_0504]

http://thehollywoodextra.blogspot.com/2005...0.html#comments

Rumors has it the new car will be shown at the Chicago auto show.

[Cadillacfan]

Safe and boring as usual. No surprise here.

[The O.C.]

You can't tell anything from those pics......can't assume it will be "safe and boring" as usual. I'd figure on some styling cues from the new IS and the upcoming LS to factor into the new ES' styling.

[Flybrian]

Thank God for no goldfish headlamps. Man, those were bad.

[Guest gmrebirth]

You can't tell anything from those pics......can't assume it will be "safe and boring" as usual.

I'd figure on some styling cues from the new IS and the upcoming LS to factor into the new ES' styling.

[post="67025"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Exactly. This thing has more camoflague than an Army marine. Even the headlights are camoed to fool people.

I expect smooth curvy styling like the new GS and IS, and there are also high expectations about the features and interior.

[Northstar]

You can tell it's more "safe and boring" than your average luxury car, just look at the side profile and tell me what's not safe and boring about it. Sure, there's camo, but you can pretty much see what the side of the car is going to look like.

[Flybrian]

Exactly. This thing has more camoflague than an Army marine.

[post="67051"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

The Army and U.S. Marine Corps are seperate branches of the US armed forces.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army

[Guest gmrebirth]

You can tell it's more "safe and boring" than your average luxury car, just look at the side profile and tell me what's not safe and boring about it. Sure, there's camo, but you can pretty much see what the side of the car is going to look like.

[post="67116"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

As opposed to the "radical" styling of the average luxury car? Like the "wild" styling of the Cadillac STS, or the even more boring DTS? Give me a break :rolleyes: .

[Guest gmrebirth]

The Army and U.S. Marine Corps are seperate branches of the US armed forces.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Marine_Corps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army

Wow, you took it a bit way too literally. I was simply stating just how much camo the car had.

*sigh*

[sciguy_0504]

Isn't this the car Buick has to beat?

[Guest gmrebirth]

Isn't this the car Buick has to beat?

Yup. Problem is GM benchmarked the current dated ES when building their new Buick models. Nobody knows what Toyota has in store with the new ES, but with a glass roof like that, perception among consumers will automatically be that the ES is a more expensive and prestigious car.

[Northstar]

Yup. Problem is GM benchmarked the current dated ES when building their new Buick models. Nobody knows what Toyota has in store with the new ES, but with a glass roof like that, perception among consumers will automatically be that the ES is a more expensive and prestigious car.

[post="67156"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Well it will certainly be more expensive -- you're not going to see any ESs going for under $30k most likely, and I don't think consumers think that the current Buicks are more prestigious than the current ES, sadly.

Buick doesn't really need to target Lexus. They should shoot just below Lexus at a price that's much below. Going head-to-head with Lexus was never a good idea, and I don't think Buick's going to win that battle if they do enter it. Targeting Lexus as the quality leader and trying to beat them in quality and trying to match them in interior quality (materials) is certainly a good idea, but not if it warrants a price increase to Lexus levels.

[titan]

Safe and boring as usual.  No surprise here.

[post="67021"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

It's hard to tell just how "boring" it'll be. I'm sure it'll be the safest of all Lexus designs, but with the GS and IS out, I hope it'll have atleast a little flair. I do love the idea of the glass roof option. That's hawt. Edited January 4, 2006 by titan

[Cadillacfan]

You can tell it's using the new Lexus corporate face just by the shape of the grille. The only interesting car with the new look is the GS. Instead of telling me how my opinion is wrong, take a good look at the car.

[mustang84]

Is this another Camry reskin? If it's like the last ES where it was essentially a Camry with different headlights and taillights, what's the point with the Avalon around? Especially if Lexus is trying to comptete with BMW and Mercedes Benz. From what I can see from the spy shots, the shape looks very similar to the '07 Camry.

[sciguy_0504]

Can you imagine if the current Camry shared the current ES interior?

[regfootball]

fusion meets camry meets CTS dull boring deriviative unoriginal.... in other words.....generic asian design or 'toyota' there's still enough flighty real estate agents out there that buy lexus camrys so lexus will sell all they can build........ Edited January 4, 2006 by regfootball

[sciguy_0504]

Nice x-ray vision there, reg.

[The O.C.]

Is this another Camry reskin?  If it's like the last ES where it was essentially a Camry with different headlights and taillights,

[post="67515"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

The current Camry shares no sheetmetal (or interior styling) with the current ES......

[mustang84]

The current Camry shares no sheetmetal (or interior styling) with the current ES......

[post="68207"][/post]

No, it just shares the same overall shape and similar front end with bug-eyed headlights. To my eyes, it looks like a jazzed up Camry, just like Mercurys to some people are just jazzed up Fords. Put the two next to each other, and I'm sure any competent person could see the similarities.

[Paolino]

I wonder what the interior and specs for this car will be? I can only imagine it'll be impressive after seeing what the next gen V6 Camry will have in store for us.

[titan]

You can tell it's using the new Lexus corporate face just by the shape of the grille.  The only interesting car with the new look is the GS.

Instead of telling me how my opinion is wrong, take a good look at the car.

[post="67487"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

You're right. I think this car will look good (for the first time in many, many years).

[Guest gmrebirth]

Well it will certainly be more expensive -- you're not going to see any ESs going for under $30k most likely, and I don't think consumers think that the current Buicks are more prestigious than the current ES, sadly.

Buick doesn't really need to target Lexus. They should shoot just below Lexus at a price that's much below. Going head-to-head with Lexus was never a good idea, and I don't think Buick's going to win that battle if they do enter it. Targeting Lexus as the quality leader and trying to beat them in quality and trying to match them in interior quality (materials) is certainly a good idea, but not if it warrants a price increase to Lexus levels.

[post="67160"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

GM will never be able to match Lexus quality, features and interiors while undercutting them noticeably in price.

GM's confidence is unfounded. The Lacrosse is strange, in that it doesn't compete in one specific defined market segment. It seems to compete with Camrys and Malibus as much as it competes with Impalas and Avalons.

Besides, the Lucerne can barely match the Avalon overall. Even the V8 Lucerne still ends up being slower, and more of a gaz guzzler than the Avalon.

[Guest gmrebirth]

You can tell it's using the new Lexus corporate face just by the shape of the grille.  The only interesting car with the new look is the GS.

Instead of telling me how my opinion is wrong, take a good look at the car.

[post="67487"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

You're joking right? Take a good look? How can you when the car is covered head to toe in camo? Even the headlights are covered to conceal their real shape.

Wow, so you made out what the grill will look like. I guess the grill shows what the entire car's styling will be :blink: .

[Cadillacfan]

Considering that 3 concept cars have already been shown with the new look and they all look the same, it's safe to say that this vehicle will share the same front-end characteristics. Would you like for me to pull up some photos?

LF-C concept




LF-S concept



LF-Sh concept (2005)



GS (2005 model)


IS (2005 model)


and finally the GS




See a pattern? Same grille. Same boring design. Just by these cars and concepts and from the outline of the grille and lights that you can see through the camouflage.. It’s clear that this car will look almost identical to the other Lexus vehicles.

Seriously.. Take a good look next time.

Edited January 8, 2006 by Cadillacfan

[Guest gmrebirth]

Considering that 3 concept cars have already been shown with the new look and they all look the same, it's safe to say that this vehicle will share the same front-end characteristics.  Would you like for me to pull up some photos?

LF-C concept
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/7262/lfc1bb.jpg
LF-S concept
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/3138/lfs2ef.png
LF-Sh concept (2005)
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/3356/lfsh4sk.jpg
GS (2005 model)
http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/7162/gs5fu.jpg

IS (2005 model)
http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/859/is3tl.jpg
See a pattern?  Same grille.  Same boring design.  Just by these cars and concepts and from the outline of the grille and lights that you can seethrough the camouflage.. It’s clear that this car will look almost identical to the other Lexus vehicles.

I'm not denying that it will have "L-Finesse" characteristics of the new GS and IS as well as Lexus concept cars, my point was simply that you cannot know what the styling is through all that camo.

You can at best make a good guess at it.

[Cadillacfan]

Come on! It's so easy to tell. You have to be joking. All the new Lexus cars look the same. Including this one which you can tell. Seriously. I'm not messing around.

[Sal Collaziano]

Come on!  It's so easy to tell.  You have to be joking.  All the new Lexus cars look the same.  Including this one which you can tell.  Seriously.  I'm not messing around.

[post="69559"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

It's called a design theme.. Most car companies have one.. There are similarities with Cadillacs, BMWs, Mercedes, Audis.. I think people are experiencing "muscle memory" of the lips - or atleast of the mind - to still be calling Lexus designs "boring". Yes, it's a matter of opinion - to each his/her own... Edited January 11, 2006 by Sal Collaziano