I’m mixing up history with current news, but seeing these early Lexii about to be dropped off at the dealer reminds me that I read the other day that Lexus was once again the #1 selling premium brand in the US in the third quarter with 75,285 units, besting Mercedes (69,631), BMW (69,570), and Tesla (64,000 estimated).
At the time, the ES seemed like ridiculous GM-style badge engineering of the Camry, Toyota’s Seville or even Cimarron, but it’s aged nicely.
I owned the ES 250. In fact, that Champagne/Silver two-tone on the hauler may be mine.
I bought it in 2003 with 108K on it for $3,500 and drove it until 2010 when it had 256K and the engine blew on Interstate 84. Fortunately I was able to make it into the breakdown lane under idle.
It was a very reliable car other than having to replace the alternator twice and the starter once. I did a timing belt change too but that was “required” maintenance.
I don’t think that I will ever get a better value per mile driven car like that again. It comes to 0.024 cent per mile driven based solely on purchase price.
I received a lot of compliments on it too. By 2003, no body remembered the ES 250s existence and in 2010 it was like owning a living fossil.
In terms of badge engineering, I would put the ES better than the Cimarron (obviously) but not as good as the Seville.
The 1st gen Seville had a V-8 with RWD and a different enough body from the Nova. The 1st gen ES was FWD and had a V-6. The engine was the same as used in the Camry and the body looked very similar to the Camry.
At the time, but Lex has done a pretty slick job of not making the current ES look like “an Avalon with frosting”
Yes, it was obvious that the ES250 was a lightly-disguised Camry, but what kept it from being ridiculous was the inarguable quality of the Camry and the halo effect from that market bombshell LS400. Badge engineering is far more palatable when you start with an excellent product.
Regarding those LS400s, the glorious past can be yours now for a surprisingly low price:
https://www.japaneseclassics.com/vehicle/1995-toyota-celsior-type-c/
Low mileage JDM imports now 25 years old but with 4 years of use for the price of a Nissan Versa. Granted, it has Toyota badges, but it does have the V8 and look at that luxurious, lovely, never-to-be-seen-again velour. This one is a gen2, but equally nice gen1s have shown up as well.
Being based on a never-sold-in-the-US hardtop variant of the Camry gave the ES 250 just enough distinction to (barely) pass muster with carbuyers. The ES 300 was a much-improved product.
Wheels no bigger than 16”, grilles shaped like grilles, no chrome mustaches over the rear plates, no flame surfacing. Good old days. Well, minus the color palette that hasn’t changed one bit.(though metallic beige is mercifully less and less popular)
They’re best sellers because they’re the best cars. That’s not calling the German Marques shabby, Mercedes being the nicer of the two mentioned though Audi very good at design also. BMW seems to have lost their Mojo except for the super performance models. All the Germans do that niche well and Lexus barely even plays in it.
To me, the ES 250 is a symphony of design. When I first saw one, it was the newly purchased choice of a fine lady. To me it would have made a great car in the 16.5 to 17-foot size. She gave up the car after the second grandchild was born. The poor thing moved onto a minivan.
Lexus’ sales strength isn’t surprising given their resale values and service longevity. To the contrary, avid carboy and comedian Jerry Seinfeld was recently quoted in an interview that he’d never own a Lexus because “they’re like driving a casket.” That’s okay Jerry, that means we won’t be competing with your substantial checkbook balance to score one.