ShareThisWith the U.S. introduction of the luxurious 2009 Genesis, Hyundai began moving up-market with a vengeance.
That trajectory will continue in 2010 as the Korean carmaker launches an even more ambitious flagship currently known as the Equus.
Designed to challenge some of the best models from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and the Japanese luxury brands, the Equus is a rear-drive sedan that is larger than the Genesis.
Hyundai execs believe that Genesis made its case for a move against the luxury brands by winning "Car of the Year" honors at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and converts among the well heeled motorcar enthusiasts.
In fact, Genesis sales helped drive a 12 percent increase in Hyundai sales for July compared to the same month in 2008. The federal cash-for-clunkers program accounted for 22 percent of the July figures.
The days when a Hyundai was considered a clunker are well behind us now.
In July, J.D. Power and Associates presented Genesis with two more awards: "Most Appealing Mid-Size Premium Car" in the 2009 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout Study, and the highest ranked 2009 all-new or redesigned vehicle in the inaugural Vehicle Launch Index.
While the Genesis was designed to challenge the BMW 5-Series, the Equus might be a contender against the BMW flagship 7-Series, the automaker believes. Introduced at this year's New York Auto Show, the Equus has been making appearances at dealerships around the country.
"The response was extraordinarily positive, and similar to the market reaction to the award-winning Genesis, so we've decided to bring it to the U.S.," said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO.
Pricing, packaging, specifications, and the final name of the car for the U.S. market will be announced closer to launch, officials said.
While the Equus would be new to America when it arrives in late 2010, the car is well established in Asia, the Middle East and Europe. In South Korea, Hyundai builds a limousine version of the car.
Unlike the first generation of the Equus introduced in 1999 as a front-drive sedan, the second-generation model that has been making the U.S. rounds will be rear-drive. The new model was introduced to the Chinese market in June.
The first generation Equus was actually designed by Mitsubishi Motors, which sold its version of the car overseas as the Dignity. The second-generation is designed and built entirely by Hyundai.
While some versions of the Equus sell for as much as $96,000 in South Korea, the U.S. version is expected to begin at less than $60,000.
The Equus is available with a choice of engines: a 3.8-liter, 290-horsepower Lambda V6 or a 4.6-liter, 375-horsepower Tau V8, both mated with a six-speed automatic transmission.
While the Genesis and Equus supposedly share Hyundai's new rear-drive platform, the Equus wheelbase is about 4 inches longer. The back seat is designed to be roomy and well equipped.
While Genesis is remarkably well matched against other luxury brands, the name Hyundai still lacks the cachet of the German and Japanese brands. Hyundai once considered creating a separate luxury brand akin to that of Infiniti, Lexus or Acura but forsook the idea due to its prohibitive cost.
What Hyundai does offer is more equipment and luxury amenities at lower prices. One suspects that even investment bankers might be looking for a better deal in a car. With prices starting at $33,000 for the V6-powered Genesis and $38,000 for the V8 version, Hyundai's flagship is less expensive than a BMW 3-Series while offering the luxury features of a 5-Series.
Among the Genesis luxury features are XM NavTraffic, Adaptive Front Lighting System, Lexicon audio systems, electronic active head restraints and eight air bags.
Standard features on the 4.6-liter version include 18-inch hyper-silver alloy wheels, chrome lower bodyside moldings, leather upholstery, leather-wrapped dash and door trim inserts, power glass sunroof with tilt and slide, power tilt and telescopic steering column, integrated memory system, illuminated scuff plates, wood-trimmed leather steering wheel, power rear sunshade, and rain-sensing wipers with auto defogger windshield.
Following up on the Genesis sedan's success, Hyundai introduced a coupe version that is designed to convey a sportier feel.
"Genesis provides a potent combination of performance, luxury and value," Krafcik said. "We think it has the opportunity to be an extremely disruptive force in the large sedan and near-luxury segments."
(E-mail Richard Williamson at motorfriend(at)sbcglobal.net)
AUTOS TODAY
With sidebar: AUTOSSIDE
