As Lexus continues to roll out hit after hit, the all-new 2013 ES 350 Sedan keeps folks at Lexus smiling! Just because this new Lexus is better in all aspects, that doesn’t mean the pricing has to increase, and Lexus did a good job of keeping this elegant sedan affordable for those seeking luxury but not willing to break the bank.

The new ES features a lower, progressive profile and clean, continuous styling lines from front to rear. All four corners are pulled tightly inward to the wheel arches, creating distinctive proportions. The wheelbase of the new ES has been lengthened by 1.8 inches, while the overall length of the vehicle has grown by just one inch, resulting in a more spacious interior. The new ES unmistakably bears the new face of Lexus with its distinctive, spindle grille. The LED daytime running lights and combination rear lamps reflect the “L” design motif. The ES 350’s rear bumper sports dual exhaust pipes. New exterior colors for the 2013 ES include Fire Agate Pearl and Silver Lining Metallic, which our test model sported.

The most obvious improvement is the front facia, as Lexus really nailed it with a signature front that looks to be something Lexus can brand with its luxury lineup. Our test model also sported 17-inch split spoke wheels with liquid graphite finish and lane departure alert with intelligent high beam headlamps.

The modern interior of the 2013 ES has been designed to provide both a sense of openness and security. Sightlines and visibility are improved, controls are logically placed, and new cabin materials express a high level of craftsmanship. You get the feeling from the dashboard that you have entered a car that was truly designed with an executive touch. Designed with attention to ergonomics and driver focus, the cockpit features separate display and operation zones to help keep the driver’s eyes on the road. The instrument panel, with its long, layered look, places the main information display directly in the driver’s line of sight. Just below the center display is a self-illuminating LED analog clock. Controls are clustered beneath the information zone, on the steering wheel and on the center console.

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The all new 2013 Lexus ES 300h Sedan has the chance to lead Lexus into the future with amazing fuel efficiency and new styling. We had the opportunity drive this new offering from Lexus for a week and took away the following impressions.

The new ES features a lower, progressive profile and clean, continuous styling lines from front to rear. All four corners are pulled tightly inward to the wheel arches, creating distinctive proportions. The wheelbase of the new ES has been lengthened by 1.8 inches, while the overall length of the vehicle has grown by just one inch, resulting in a more spacious interior. The new ES unmistakably bears the new face of Lexus with its distinctive, spindle grille. The LED daytime running lights and combination rear lamps reflect the “L” design motif. The ES 300h hybrid features a distinctive rear design with hidden exhaust and an integrated spoiler. New exterior colors for the 2013 ES include Fire Agate Pearl and Silver Lining Metallic. Our test model was nebula gray pearl and the paint was as smooth as the sleek exterior. The auto on/off projector bulb headlamps with integrated LED fog lamps and daytime running lights stand out both during the day and in nighttime driving.

The modern interior of the 2013 ES has been designed to provide a sense of openness and security. Sightlines and visibility are improved, controls are logically placed, and new cabin materials express a high level of craftsmanship. A newly sculptured seat enhances driver comfort. The steering wheel angle has been reduced from 24 degrees to 22 degrees for a more natural control position. Fluid-filled engine mounts, new sound absorbing materials and a tuned engine intake minimize the intrusion of outside noise.

Greater rear seat legroom and knee room are the hallmark of the redesigned, more spacious cabin. Knee room is increased by 2.8 inches and legroom is increased by 4.1 inches. The new design also offers additional foot room below the front seats. I was very impressed with the amount of room for the rear passengers and that is a major improvement over many competitors.

Available comfort and convenience features include manual door window shades, a power rear shade, and a one-touch power trunk closer. Optional ambient lighting, discretely placed under the wood trim, softly illuminates the surfaces of the instrument panel and all four doors. The new ES features enhanced NuLuxe seating surfaces, developed to reduce environmental impact. Genuine leather is also available, as is semi-aniline leather for an even more refined look and feel. Our heated seats and heated steering wheel warmed up in what seemed to be record time in some pretty cold weather. Interiors are available in Black, Light Gray and Parchment. Trim colors and materials include Piano Black, Espresso Bird’s-eye Maple and Bamboo.

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In a few weeks, Bullz-Eye will be heading to Vegas to experience the all-new GS Series from Lexus, and it just so happens to be Super Bowl weekend when Lexus will be running their first ever TV commercial during the big game. The 30 second commercial is scheduled to run during the first half of Super Bowl XLVI. A 15 second sneak peek of the commercial can be seen on Lexus social media channels, including Facebook and YouTube.

Leading up to the Super Bowl commercial, Lexus is embarking on a unique social media activation called TweetDrive Engineered by Lexus. It is a socially-fueled game that will air live on NBCSports.com and offers fans the opportunity to earn yardage, move their “team” down the field, and score a touchdown during the actual playoff games and throughout the week. The object of the game is to gain enough yards to score a touchdown. Yardage is accumulated by tweeting the correct answers to a mix of trivia and predictive gaming questions using the #LexusTweetDrive hash tag. For each playoff game a fan plays TweetDrive, they are entered to win the grand prize — a trip for two to an NBC Sports Premium Event. To participate, fans just need to register at NBCSports.com and watch for tweets from @Lexus using #LexusTweetDrive during playoff games (predictive gaming questions) and throughout the week (trivia questions) through January 22, 2012.

We’ve seen the new GS Series but have not had the opportunity to drive one, so when Lexus offered us a chance to get behind the wheel of the hot new GS Series we were all in! Stay tuned for our take on what could be a big sales coupe for Lexus and a great driving experience for GS customers. Go to http://www.lexusnewsroom.com/ and check out what others will have to wait until 2-5-2012 to see for themselves!