Lexus ES350 priced to move at $33k
by John Neff on May 5th 2006 at 8:08AM 
Toyota’s luxury division Lexus has
announced that the all-new 2007 ES350 will arrive in showrooms with a base price of $33,170. A few Lexus shoppers
probably already know this as the car went on sale April 21st. Having been excused from any sporting pretentions by the
brand’s IS sedans, the ES350 arrives softer and quieter than ever. Its 272-hp 3.5L V6 can move the sedan to 60 in
6.8 seconds, but the ES350’s targeted demographic has already reached 60 if you know what we mean. [Source: Toyota]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Sid 8:11AM (5/05/2006)
Funny how badge engineering seems to such a dirty word in relation to GM, but no one seems to mind a tarted-up Camry selling for the same price as a 330i.
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Jim 8:18AM (5/05/2006)
WHAT YOU DIDNT MENTION IS THAT THIS CAR WAS HELD UP A MONTH DUE TO A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. HEARD THIS STRAIT FROM A LEXUS REP.
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Rene Curry 8:33AM (5/05/2006)
Sid, You are right on the mark.
In addition, I don't even think it compares to a Buick!
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VW-Guy 8:35AM (5/05/2006)
I'm impressed! Mr. Neff is actually poking a wee bit o fun at Toyota. Keep it up, this new you is an improvement.
I agree with post #1, if you just gotta have a big "L" on the front of you're car then so be it, but c'mon, $40k CDN and up for a Camry? Puh-lease!
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Optimus Prime 8:39AM (5/05/2006)
Toyota probably makes more on a loaded Camry than an entry ES ... so, it doesnt matter whether you opt for T or the L on the front, Toyota wins either way!
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Michael Karesh 8:48AM (5/05/2006)
I saw this somewhere yesterday as news. I don't get it--I uploaded these prices to my database on April 23rd.
Comparing the 2006 and 2007, after adjusting for features the 2007 is about $600 more expensive.
Page for Lexus ES: http://www.truedelta.com/models/ES.php
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DT 8:57AM (5/05/2006)
ummmmmmmmm this isn't badge engineering. You guys really are speaking from the wrong place there. Also you can not get into a BMW 3 series for the starting price. that's the real difference. plus as always none of you have driven it. and yes I did the other day as per the story on the Jalopnik.
1. The ES is not for BMW drivers. It's too sedate
2. It is one of the quitest rides on the road and offers "luxury" for less. That's what they WANT it to be. And that's why it'll sell like mad.
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sand 9:00AM (5/05/2006)
I sat in the new ES 350 at the Atlanta Car Show last night and was very impressed with the level of finish and detail work in the car.It looked a lot more like the LS 430 than a Camry. I walked directly across the aisle and sat in the Buick Lucerne and came away feeling very nervous about the future of the Buick Brand.The ES is going directly for their target customer and delivering a lot nicer car for less money.I am sure that GM will close the intial price gap with a endless series of discounts but the difference in resale value in 3 to 5 years will be quite large. I am not biased against the Big "Two" in Detroit but when I looked at the Pontiac,Buick and Lincoln displays it reminded me of where Oldsmobile was a few years ago.Sand
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PBCrunch 9:16AM (5/05/2006)
The difference between GM's badge engineering and Toyota's badge engineering is that Toyota changes the interior and exterior styling of similar vehicles it sells under different brand names. GM changes the bumpers, headlights, and interior colors and calls it a job well done.
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Avinash Machado 9:29AM (5/05/2006)
I think badge engineering is something almost every company does only some do it with more elan than others.Here in India we get Subarus,Isuzus and Daewoos as Chevrolets simply because GM India doesnt want to spend money promoting various brands.As for the ES well there seem to be many people willing to pay extra just for the more prestigous brand name and Toyota is capitalising on this fact.
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Tom Design 9:32AM (5/05/2006)
Both the new Buick Lucerne and Lincoln Zephyr offer dynamic driving and fun handling in a large car. The Buick with leather and V8, CXL, comes in at a base price of $29,265 and Edmonds says "Inside, the Lucerne is a tranquil place. Interior sound levels at full throttle and at 70 mph are lower than we recorded in the 2007 Lexus ES 350 we tested recently." Inside Line calls the big Buick "surprisingly agile." The Zephyr at $28,995 is described by C-R as "The ride is firm and controlled, and handling is responsive."
With Avalon suffering from quality problems, the competition for Lexus may be from G.M. and Ford. Both cars have more unique styling than the lovely, yet ambiguous Lexus.
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Tom Design 9:39AM (5/05/2006)
PBCrunch => That's just not true anymore. The Impala is completely different in the interior and exterior styling than the Grand Prix. The Lucerne is completely different than the DTS in the same. You are talking about the 80's. Get current or shut up with boring posts.
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Gooch 9:49AM (5/05/2006)
The most distinctive ES was the second generation car. The interior of the new one reflects the recent Lexus sedan design cues, while the exterior is a front-drive interpretation of L-Finesse. The front overhand is much too long, but it does offer crush space. For me, the IS and GS are the stars (the upcoming LS will be mega too) but the ES is the brand's bread and butter -- and vanilla too.
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DT 9:50AM (5/05/2006)
Tom Design,
Have you seen the new Lexus ES 350 in other photos besides this one? I think it is a tad better styled than the Luxerne and Zephyr.
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DT 9:51AM (5/05/2006)
Oh and Tom Design,
The Impala and Lucerne ARE exactly the same inside. You have the wrong comparisons there.
So shut up.
How rude.
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Ken 10:06AM (5/05/2006)
I have driven American vehicles all my life except for my recent purchase of an Acura TL. Although It is a very nice vehicle... I get tired of people carrying on like the Toyotas of the world can do no wrong. Toyota does nothing for me. Their designs are BLAH... except this new 350 is better.... but the more I hear Import promoters the more I think I am going to get something like a Zephyr (MKZ) when they come out w/the 3.5L. Ford and GM must continue to upgrade their quality, design and engines and I will be back. Interesing articl awhile back about the lack of quality in the Avalon. Had to chuckle !!
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GOKARTN 10:07AM (5/05/2006)
$33,000 is still a lot of money for a car that leaved me saying "so what". Maybe I will understand the appeal when I get old.
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DarkKnight67 10:23AM (5/05/2006)
The funny thing is, it may start around $33,000, but you can load them up and close in on $50K faster than you can say the name. I don't think you can do that with a Zephyr or Lucerne.
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JT 10:27AM (5/05/2006)
This Camry clone is a joke. Just buy a Camry. GM and Ford get grilled if they do the re-badge thing but Toyota can do no wrong? The sheet metal is the same. A grille and lights does not make a luxury car. This car sells to the old Grandma who thinks she is in something special....IT'S A CAMRY...... Hmmmm BMW 3 series....no twin.....Cadillac CTS.....No twin....Audi A6...No twin....Toyota could put wheels on a garbage can and sell it because so many people are blind. Every report will push the Toyota brand. Lately there quality is in the toilet...which is where you will find the owner's of this new ES...They will shit when a Camry pulls up next to them for $10,000.00 lower for the same car!
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Jack Mehoff 10:36AM (5/05/2006)
I saw one on the road last week. It's a much better looking car than the ES330. Hopefully, it will pull in a younger crowd than the early bird special demographic that the ES330 attracts.
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