A teaser photo of the next-generation Lexus ES sedan, which debuts at the Beijing auto show next week, shows a more stylized body with a prominent version of its polarizing "spindle" grille.
The flattish sides of the current generation are replaced with more contoured shapes in the hybrid version of the midsize sedan teased in the photo, which shares a platform with the that goes on sale next month.
In the case of the Avalon, designers have said the Toyota New Global Architecture has allowed engineers to push down the suspension components, allowing for a lower center of gravity and a more aggressive stance.
The front-wheel-drive Avalon gets a new six-cylinder engine and a new eight-speed automatic transmission shared with the redesigned Toyota Camry that went on sale last year.
The Avalon and the ES are produced -- on different assembly lines -- at Toyota Motor's plant in Georgetown, Ky.
Lexus characterized the coming ES as having "engaging design" and "athletic performance" in a one-paragraph statement late Tuesday.
The ES was the top-selling midsize luxury car in the U.S. last year, with 58,299 deliveries. However, the sedan's sales were down 12 percent, in a segment that declined 7.9 percent as consumers migrate to light trucks. ES sales through the first three months of this year are down 2.6 percent.
The ES will be unveiled on April 25.