..And so it starts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=E0jTfL4N7Qw

 

Nice video.

I can't wait to see the ES in person. It would be nice to know what the pricing is going to be.

 

what a fun video!

 

pricing should be around the same, Lexus is pretty consistent over the years

 

Nice video. For some stupid reason, some of the production machinery reminds me of being Godzilla based.

 

I remembered what reminded me: the white uniforms in the plant and the robotics around them. The Godzilla movies had men in white uniforms being chased.

 

Lexus Considers Building New ES in North America

Lexus dealers are pressuring parent company Toyota to build the new 2013 ES in North America.

According to Ward's Auto, Tim Morrison, vice president of sales and dealer development, admits dealers are clamoring for the ES to be built in North America to help hedge against a strong Japanese yen. The ES, Lexus' top selling sedan in America, is currently built in Kyushu, Japan. But the strong yen has cut into the car's profitability.

Morrison says that the company's North American factory capacity is already limited, but as the brand looks to expand, it will consider finding places to build the ES overseas.

Last year, Lexus sold 41,000 ES sedans, even with the constraints from production problems following the March tsunami. The redesigned 2013 model will include a hybrid version, which Lexus expects to draw new customers.

The ES remains a strong conquest vehicle for Lexus, with 63% of ES customers new to the brand, Lexus tells Autoblog. However, only 28% stay with the ES once it's time to get a new car.

Last year, Lexus lost its title as America's No. 1 U.S. luxury brand, but officials have said they intend on recapturing it. In 2011, Lexus sold 198,000 vehicles in the U.S., and this year, it hopes to reach 250,000 vehicles.

 

I've been wondering if/when they might start making the ES in the U.S. Lexus plans to sell 60k per year initially of the new gen so if they have some production capacity issues now, they would certainly need to find more capacity to be able to build it here.

 

I just noticed these numbers in the article. That 28% seems very low...

"The ES remains a strong conquest vehicle for Lexus, with 63% of ES customers new to the brand, Lexus tells Autoblog. However, only 28% stay with the ES once it's time to get a new car."

 

Toyota Bets Made-in-Japan Lexus Can Drive Sales

MIYAWAKA, Japan, July 6 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor on Friday launched production of its revamped Lexus ES sedan, a flagship luxury car that represents a renewed bet the automaker can keep building cars for the United States and China at more costly factories in Japan.

Toyota, Japan's top automaker, has made it a goal to safeguard production of some 3 million vehicles a year in its home market - roughly triple the equivalent output at Nissan Motor and Honda Motor and about 40% of the cars and trucks Toyota builds globally.

Lexus is key to that commitment. The only Lexus model made outside Japan is the RX sport-utility vehicle manufactured in Ontario, Canada.

"Lexus becomes a product only after the Japanese craftsmanship and technologies are applied, so that's why I want to stick to it being from Japan," said Toyota President Akio Toyoda.

"But our basic philosophy is to make products where there is demand...We may have to shift some production abroad in areas that will continue to grow. But I still believe that keeping a certain level of production in Japan will enable us to catch up to and lead the growth of the global automotive industry," he told a group of reporters after a ceremony marking the ES production launch.

Japanese automakers, including Toyota, have been reeling from a strong yen that has eroded profits on exports. The Lexus strategy leaves the brand more exposed to foreign exchange than Toyota's mainline brand, but Toyota officials said the made-in-Japan strategy would pay off even at current yen levels.

"We have no plans to endure to a point that our business won't function. But for cars like the ES, we are seeing cost levels that will allow us to continue producing even if the yen is at 80 yen against the dollar," said Kazuo Ohara, executive vice president of Lexus International.

"Our policy is to protect manufacturing in Japan as much as possible for as long as possible," Ohara told reporters, but added that the 80 yen level is still tough for Lexus.

Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW already make cars in China, where imported luxury vehicles face tariffs of 25%. Nissan plans to start building Infiniti vehicles in China from 2014.

"At some point Toyota may have to move production abroad to compete on the cost front," said Masatoshi Nishimoto, the manager of Japan and Korea vehicle forecast at IHS Automotive.

Nishimoto said Toyota could make such a move within 5 years and that the firm must drive sufficient global sales growth in the interim in order for it to keep its high-profile domestic production target and also produce more abroad.

BRAGGING RIGHTS AND BABY BOOMERS

Toyota expects the all-new ES lineup, including a 1st-of-its-kind hybrid option, will drive global sales growth of more than 60% for its top-selling luxury car.

Toyota also sees the launch of the 2013 model as step toward retaking an important bragging right by making Lexus the best-selling luxury brand in the United States, a position it lost in 2011 when the Japan earthquake and tsunami disrupted output.

The new ES will not be sold in Japan.

The redesign of the ES, built on the Toyota Avalon platform, follows a spate of Lexus revamps this year that are part of a push by Toyota to show it can attract consumers younger than the American "baby boomers" who made Lexus a hit in the 1990s.

The ES competes with BMW's 3-Series sedan, Mercedes-Benz's C-class and Infiniti's G sedan. Mercedes-Benz is Daimler's premium car brand and Infiniti is Nissan Motor's luxury brand.

Between January to June this year, Toyota sold about 18,270 ES sedans in the United States, up 10% compared to the same period in 2011, making it the 2nd-best selling Lexus after the RX SUV.

Globally, 74,000 ES vehicles were sold last year, accounting for about 18% of the total number of Lexus models sold.

The ES will go on sale in August. Toyota is aiming to sell about 10,000 ES vehicles a month, including 5,000 in the United States and 3,000 in China, Ohara told reporters.

The ES line, which includes the hybrid option and versions with 2.5-litre and 3.5-litre engines, is likely to be priced around $36,000 to $44,000 in the United States, said Toshio Asahi, a deputy chief engineer at Lexus International.

Last year, Toyota sold 404,000 Lexus vehicles, down from a peak of 518,000 in 2007.

 

Lexus is expecting 30% of sales of the new ES350 to come from China. It looks like the current trend will continue on the new gen.

 

My Dad's 84 and he wants to order a new ES to replace his 7 year old one.
He has been in contact with Dealers in Windsor and London Ontario with a request to oder one.
Where in the name of Heck is the customer service with this company?

For GOD SAKES he's 84 and he wants to order a new car AND PAY CASH how long has the poor old guy got to wait?
If someone knows what the delay of this copmpany is please let me know so I can give him some hope.
Thanks!
Greg

 

If the new model is due out some time in August, it shouldn't be too long before he can order one.

If pricing hasn't been announced dealers can't take orders yet. I suppose they could take a deposit from your dad, but these aren't limited production cars so there probably isn't a need for that.

The dealerships are no doubt selling what they have vs. what's coming. it won't be long before they'll gladly sell your dad a car, close to sticker initially..

 

It might be best to get him a 2012. I think it is important to remember that a first- year- model car, no matter what company makes the car, is bound to have problems. It takes a few years to work out all the unseen flaws, TSBs, and recalls. The 2012 ES is a old design, but at least it is a tried and true design now. It has most, if not all of the bugs worked out. It shoud be a very sound, solid car. The 2013 almost certainly will have some design hiccups.

 

Thank you Sir!
He is chomping at the bit for this new model, he has been a car guy all his life and not missed a Detroit International Auto Show Yet. That's a lot of years!
Greg