What's the news?
The Lexus ES model is now going global, and will become the Japanese luxury firm's worldwide competitor for the likes of the BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. Lexus has had an ES-badged model on sale in the US market since 1989, but this is the first time that the nameplate will stretch beyond North American borders.
Now, prepare yourselves for a shock - it's front-wheel drive. Well, possibly not entirely, but it is based on the new TNGA (Toyota New Generation Architecture) that already underpins the C-HR and Prius, and the incoming new RAV4, as well as the US-market Camry, so predominantly the ES will be a front-wheel drive model. It is likely that the European versions, which will be based around an all-hybrid lineup (America get a non-hybrid 3.5-litre V6 as well as the hybrids) will get an electric motor in the boot to make it four-wheel drive, but Lexus will give us more details when the car is officially unveiled next week at the Beijing motor show.
All Lexus is saying, officially, for now is that the ES combines "engaging design, athletic performance, and renowned refinement [to] transform Lexus's most popular saloon."
As with the outgoing GS, it will be offered with a lineup of four-cylinder and V6 hybrids, and it's likely that those will include carry-over, but modified, versions of the existing GS 300h and GS 450h powertrains, and quite possibly a base model using the new 180hp four-cylinder hybrid from the new Auris and RAV4.
The styling is, clearly, closely related to that of the new LS saloon, which will do the ES no harm at all, and you can expect the interior to use a mixture of LS and RX parts.
Will switching to front-drive (or hybrid four-wheel drive) affect the ES' sales chances? Well, front-drive has never done the Audi A6 any harm, so let's wait and see...