Toyota has begun full-scale production of the redesigned Lexus ES luxury sedan at its plant in the Kyushu region.
The first fully re-done ES in roughly six years will feature the first hybrid version for the series, with an eye toward boosting sales in the US and China where competition from German luxury automakers is intensifying.
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“The ES is a flagship vehicle. It will lift the Lexus to a new stage by expanding the customer base,” Toyota president Akio Toyoda said Friday at a news conference at a plant in Miyawaka, Fukuoka Prefecture, the Nikkei reported.
Production is handled by local subsidiary Toyota Motor Kyushu. All output will be exported to the US, China, Russia and elsewhere, since Toyota has no plans to sell the Lexus ES in Japan (or Europe – ed).
Toyota aims to sell roughly 10,000 units of the new ES a month, of which the hybrid version is expected to account for about 2,000.
In the US, where Toyota is looking to sell roughly 50% of the output, the all-new model is slated for launch in August. The base price for the ES350, with 3.5-litre V6 engine, is likely to be set at around US$36,000.
Despite the strong yen, the price is expected to remain mostly unchanged from the current ES, as Toyota was able to slash costs by using common parts and taking other steps. Thanks to a lighter body, the new version will offer roughly 10% better fuel economy.
