The 2016 Lexus ES luxury sedan was launched in the UAE on Tuesday, with its exclusive local distributor describing it as a “fresh approach to luxury”.
The 2016 ES features a sportier attitude, highlighted by progressive exterior and interior styling, and a new safety system.
Enhanced dynamics and upgraded technology packages of the 2016 Lexus ES will give both drivers and passengers the confidence to traverse any distance in safety and utmost comfort, said Chris Buxton, General Manager of Lexus at Al Futtaim Motors.
New look
A front fascia features Lexus’ trademark spindle grille, framed in combination with accentuated satin chrome. Accompanying the grille is a pair of newly designed headlights, now equipped with LED projector technology, while “L”-shaped arrowhead Daytime Running Lights (DRL) extend outside the headlight element for a distinctive look that links it with other Lexus models. Also, redesigned fog lamps areas have been relocated to the outer lower corners of the front fascia and amplify the vehicle’s wide stance.
A re-sculpted front fascia connects to the hood adding the sensation of motion even when the car is standing still. The sleek shape continues with the ES’ graceful roofline that flows to the rear, where an improved, modern taillight design evokes the “L”-shaped theme furnishing an instantly recognisable nighttime glow. There are also newly sculpted chrome-tipped rectangular exhaust ports.
To complement the new form, a 17-inch wheels with directional spoke patterns have been developed.
There are four new exterior colours in the ES palette: Amber, Sonic Quartz, Graphite Black, and Deep Blue. Like the six existing choices, each features Lexus’ paint technology designed to allow the paint’s clear coat to heal itself even from light damage.
Cabin
The 2016 model features a collection of new interior colour combinations, including multi-colour themes. Seat colour comes in Topaz Brown, Ivory, Moon Stone or Black.
There are also four styles of interior trim: Bamboo, Black Metallic, Bird’s Eye Maple, and Shimamoku. First appearing in the GS and LS sedans, Shimamoku is a high-end finish of luxurious wood created through a 67 steps manufacturing process by highly skilled craftsmen over the course of 38 days.
A new, sporty steering wheel provides better driving engagement. A 4.2-inch Thin Film Transistor colour multi-information display places vital vehicle and route information as well as multimedia information front and centre. To further enhance Remote Touch Interface control, the 2016 ES adds “Enter” buttons on either side of the interface controller.
Comfort
For the new 2016 ES, Lexus engineers applied structural reinforcements to foster stiffness in the vehicle’s unibody construction. Adapted from the Lexus IS sports sedan, this form of chassis tuning arms the ES with enhanced ride quality and handling. Moreover, this ES adds a sound-reducing layer behind the dashboard to better isolate engine noise from the cabin.
Safety system
The ES offers a safety system that combines key safety technologies into a single, package. Among them are the Pre-Crash System, which can detect vehicles and pedestrians by a combination of millimeter-wave radar and front-facing camera. It dispatches a warning as Brake Assist and emergency braking are activated.
The Lane Departure Alert employs a camera to keep track of visible lane marking lines on the road. If the vehicle begins to unintentionally deviate from the lane, the system will notify the driver with an audio-visual alert and vibration to the steering wheel.
The Automatic High Beam senses headlights from oncoming traffic and the taillight of the car in front, automatically adjusting hi-beam and low-beam illumination to help ensure optimal forward visibility during nighttime driving.
The Adaptive Cruise Control uses millimeter-wave radar to detect the speed of the vehicle ahead in order to adjust the cruise control speed setting accordingly, helping maintain a preset distance. This system also uses a combination of millimeter-wave radar and camera to detect a lane change by the vehicle in front for smooth acceleration and deceleration control.
The new ES is available for sale in the UAE across all Lexus showrooms starting from Dh160,000.
