---
title: "Lexus Teases the New ES With a Shot of Its Spindle Grille"
description: "Ahead of a Beijing Auto Show reveal later this month, Lexus has teased the next-generation ES midsize sedan with a close-up of the car's controversial spindle grille."
date: "2018-04-12"
modified: "2018-04-12"
authors:
  - name: "Chris Tsui"
    job_title: "Contributor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/chris-tsui"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/20069/lexus-teases-the-new-es-with-a-shot-of-its-spindle-grille"
categories:
  - "Lexus News"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
tags:
  - "Beijing"
  - "es"
  - "Lexus"
  - "Luxury Sedans"
  - "sedan"
  - "sports car"
---

# Lexus Teases the New ES With a Shot of Its Spindle Grille

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2018/04/lexus_beijing_teaser_01_88814a82ad39b322b12725489b3d5b8441574f85-e1523501444687.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com\</em\>*

Ahead of a Beijing Auto Show reveal later this month, Lexus has teased the next-generation ES midsize sedan with a close-up of the car's [controversial](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/17889/lexus-fields-complaints-from-longtime-owners-over-spindle-grille>) spindle grille. It's not a lot, but what we can see definitely resembles the front end [we saw making its swirly-camouflaged way around Kentucky](<https://www.thedrive.com/new-cars/18697/2019-lexus-es-apparently-caught-testing-in-kentucky>) back in February.

And yes, for the haters among you laying down *Predator* jokes in the comments as we speak, Lexus is sticking with the polarizing grilles. [Many of the company's paying customers actually like the things, you know.](<https://www.thedrive.com/article/17990/lexus-buyers-rank-spindle-grille-as-second-most-appealing-feature>)

Anywho, expect the new ES to share a platform with the Toyota Camry just like its predecessor. This time around, however, it'll likely use the parent company's New Global Architecture K platform that, in addition to the [sporty new Camry](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/18599/mazda-has-reportedly-stopped-benchmarking-bmw>), also underpins the latest Avalon and [RAV4](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/19695/behold-the-2019-toyota-rav4>).

![message-editor%2F1523520130462-lexus\_beijing\_teaser\_01\_88814a82ad39b322b12725489b3d5b8441574f85\_low.jpg](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/message-editor/1523520130462-lexus_beijing_teaser_01_88814a82ad39b322b12725489b3d5b8441574f85_low.jpg>)
**Lexus**

With news of the upmarket, rear-drive GS [getting the axe in Europe](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/19841/lexus-gs-production-reportedly-ceasing-for-europe>), rumors have swirled of the historically front-drive ES being reworked to take its place. While Lexus has since stated to *The Drive* that the GS will continue to be sold in the U.S., we're not completely convinced given word that this new ES will apparently get a sportier, all-wheel-drive F-Sport model according to an alleged Lexus employee posting to [Reddit](<https://www.reddit.com/r/Lexus/comments/89hxlv/10_year_lexus_employee_how_have_i_not_discovered/dwrrzi5/>). We wouldn't be surprised if the new ES becomes some kind of ES/GS halfway-house sedan similar to how Acura merged the TSX and TL nameplates into the TLX back in 2014. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

The current ES starts at $38,950. The 2019 Lexus ES will debut in full April 25 in Beijing.

## Author
Chris Tsui is *The Drive*'s former Reviews Editor and current freelance automotive journalist. He's based in Toronto.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://www.instagram.com/cltsuii/>)