GEORGETOWN, Ky., Aug. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The heat is on, but
it's not all from the summer sun. The next generation 2019 Lexus ES
350 is roaring off the production line in Georgetown, Ky., and drivers will soon have a
chance to burn up the streets in this game-changing vehicle.
"We've implemented the all-new Lexus Global Architecture
platform," said Susan Elkington,
president, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. (TMMK). "The 2019 ES starts
with a newly developed, more rigid chassis and delivers
class-leading handling and power you can feel and hear."
The new platform allows Kentucky team members to build a car that is
longer, lower and wider than before with wheels pushed closer to
the corners, Elkington said.
Combined with a tenacious commitment to craftsmanship – the
foundation of Lexus manufacturing – the new ES also ups the ante on
comfort and luxury. "We strive to capture the Lexus mindset with
every vehicle we build. We craft in quality, innovation, and
delight for all the senses, for every customer."
The look, feel and sound of Lexus craftsmanship
Lexus team members at the company's U.S. facility spent more than
150,000 hours training to build the ES model that delivers a
fundamentally higher level of performance than its predecessors.
That includes sensory training that teaches assemblers, for
instance, to feel for an abnormality as minute as a thread of hair.
"After extensive sensory training, our team members rely on
sight, sound and touch to know that the craftsmanship of the car is
of the highest standard," said Mike
Bridge, Lexus assistant general manager. "A machine can't
make those judgments, and that's why we take so much time to train
before a new model goes into production."
Bridge said an example of this sensory training can be seen in
body weld, where team members are taught to feel gap differences
measured in fractions as little as 0.3 millimeters. "This is
equal to the thickness of three sheets of paper and can be felt
even with gloves on," he said.
Lexus began production of the ES in Kentucky in 2015 after investing more than
$360 million in a new production
facility on the Toyota Kentucky campus. In addition to the ES 350,
the Lexus team of more than 800 Lexus-trained Kentuckians, will now
also build the all-new, coveted F SPORT model.
Quality in, quality out
In 2016, after just one year of production, the Lexus line received
the Platinum award – a tie with Toyota's Kyushu 2 plant in
Japan – in the J.D. Power &
Associates' Initial Quality Study, representing the
highest-performing assembly plant in the world for initial quality.
The Kentucky Lexus plant has been among the highest J.D. Power
rankings every year since.
At a recent internal event, Toyota North America CEO,
Jim Lentz, presented the Lexus line
with its third consecutive J.D. Power honor, a Gold award.
"Because of the team we have here in Georgetown, and all that has been accomplished
in just three years since initially launching Lexus," said Lentz,
"we're confident our Lexus customers will Experience Amazing
each time they get behind the wheel of a Kentucky-assembled ES."
Features and Pricing
The seventh-generation, driver-centric ES maintains the comfort,
quietness and spacious attributes, while adding sharpened
performance and class-leading active safety technology.
The 2019 ES 350 includes the following new features:
- Eight-speed Direct Shift automatic transmission that more
efficiently transfers power to the wheels;
- Standard Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 furthers dedication to
safety;
- First Lexus product to offer Apple CarPlay™ phone
functionality;
- Amazon Alexa®-enabled with car-to-home and home-to-car
commands.
The 2019 Lexus ES 350 will be in dealer showrooms in September.
The price for the Lexus ES 350 starts at $39,500 and the F SPORT starts at $44,035.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S.
and North America for 60 years,
and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility
through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota
has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed
to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36
million cars and trucks in North
America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the
U.S.) and directly employ more than 47,000 people (more than 37,000
in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly
1,500 in the U.S.) sold more than 2.7 million cars and trucks (2.4
million in the U.S.) in 2017 – and about 87 percent of all Toyota
vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road
today.
Lexus
Lexus' passion for brave design, imaginative
technology, and exhilarating performance enables the
luxury lifestyle brand to create amazing experiences for its
customers. Lexus began its journey in 1989 with two luxury
sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since then, Lexus has
developed its lineup to meet the needs of global luxury customers
in more than 90 countries. In the United
States, Lexus vehicles are sold through 240 dealers offering
a full lineup of luxury vehicles. With six models incorporating
Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. Lexus also
offers six F SPORT models and two F performance models. Lexus is
committed to being a visionary brand that anticipates the future
for luxury customers.
TMMK Contacts:
Rick Hesterberg (859)
351-4780
Ashley Chatham (859)
473-3709
Toyota Media Line: (469) 292-5100
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SOURCE Lexus