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2007 Lexus ES 350 Sexy, Stylish & Fun By Frank S. Washington LAS VEGAS -- The first thing we noticed about the Lexus ES 350 was the look. It was stylish, sexy and most important it bore a strong resemblance to the new Lexus GS, IS and upcoming LS sedans. In other words, Lexus has finally found a design formula all its own. Called L-finesse; in a phrase the look is long hoods, V-shaped faces and short deck lids. That’s the first leg of what Lexus designers were after with the ES. The second leg was the interior. In a drive from the Ritz Carlton, Lake Las Vegas to the Hoover Dam, the ES delivered on what we’ve come to expect from Lexus. Fit and finish were superb and rich walnut wood trim filled the cabin, giving it the ambience of an of old world library. Lexus has long taken a beating from automotive journalists for not building fun to drive qualities into its products. It’s a criticism that is deserved but Lexus is trying to correct that flaw. Thus, the third part of the triad that formed the primary target of the ES’ development was top-notch acceleration and handling. The latter was hard to gauge because the road from here to the Hoover Dam was not a good handling test. There were some curves and a few swells. But no tight turns, switch backs, bumps, ruts or wash board road surfaces to really check out the suspension, or the car’s handling characteristics. However, we found enough isolated spots where we could push the pedal and the ES in the process to say the engine had more than enough oomph. It was a 3.5-liter V6 that made 272 horsepower and 254 pounds-feet of torque. Mated to a six-speed transmission, Lexus said 0-60 mph time was a very respectable 6.8 seconds. Not only was the ES 350 swift, the powertrain was quiet, gear shifts were almost imperceptible and the response to throttle input was immediate. Again, these are all Lexus hallmarks. What’s more, according to Lexus, the ES 350 has an estimated fuel consumption rate of 21 mpg in the city and an eyebrow raising 30 mpg on the highway. Now that Lexus has the IS in the entry level luxury sport sedan segment, the ES will cover the comfort luxury portion of the segment. What this means is that consumers can shop a car that has most of the cozy comforts associated with more expensive luxury sedans for less. ES pricing starts in the neighborhood of $30,000. Standard stuff includes 17-inch wheels, a tire pressure monitoring system, cruise control, an audio system with six-disc in-dash CD changer and MP3 capability and10-way power front seats. For a few dollars more, the ES’ optional equipment includes a glass panoramic sun roof, Bluetooth that turns compatible cell phones into hands free car phones, adaptive cruise control and a pre-collision system, rear park assist and a navigation system that comes with a rear video backup camera. And of course, a 14-speaker, 300-watt premium audio system is available. The ES 350 also has DVD technology that will play movie soundtracks. When the car is in park, the system will also play a movie on its navigation screen. Lexus has built a reputation of quality and service that is the gold standard of the auto industry. Now it is looking to build sedans that match in terms of style and performance. With the 2007 ES 350 as evidence, the best selling luxury brand is getting better. Frank S. Washington, a former correspondent for Newsweek magazine, has covered the automobile industry for such publications as Automotive News, Advertising Age and the Detroit News Online. Your comments are welcomed. Washington can be reached at P.O. Box 23167, Detroit, Michigan 48223 or by e-mail at frank@aboutthatcar.com. You can also visit his Web site, aboutthatcar.com. Read more