Hyundai’s new Equus targets high-end sales

The new Equus looks more aerodynamic and younger, with a Hyundai-developed Tau engine.

In a recession, the survivors of the goods market tend to lean toward two extremes, either cheap and efficient goods that appeal to the general public, or the highest-end goods that appeal to those who are less vulnerable to fluctuating economic cycles.

The car market is no exception, and in such a situation Hyundai Motor, Korea’s top automaker, is attempting to win the high-end sedan market of not only Korea but also in other countries with its new Equus sedan.

When the new Equus, which will go on sale this month, was unveiled to the press at Hyundai Motor’s Namyang Technology Research Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, in the middle of last month, the first impression was it looked much younger and aerodynamic than the old Equus, which looked boxier and more solemn.

In fact, it looked more like a bigger version of the Genesis premium sedan, which Hyundai Motor ambitiously launched early last year, than an upgraded version of the old Equus, which ceased production at the end of last year.

In the test drive, the new Equus shares a “family look” with the Genesis, Hyundai officials explained, and it’s a whole other vehicle rather than an upgrade of the old model, as it has a Hyundai-developed engine and design. The old Equus platform was developed by Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors.

The new Equus is the first vehicle available in Korea to be equipped with Hyundai’s 4.6-liter V8 Tau engine. The engine had been installed in the Genesis for U.S. sales and was named one of the 2009 Ten Best Engines by the U.S.-based automotive media organization Ward’s in December. The car will also be available with a smaller 3.8 liter V6 Lambda engine. Both the 3.8- and 4.6-liter versions are fitted with a 6-speed automatic transmission

Showing confidence in these engines and other features, Hyundai provided comparison test drives with the Lexus LS460 and Mercedes-Benz S500L at the press preview. The automaker said its new sedan will compete with the BMW 7 series in addition to these models.

The car also showed nearly as smooth velocity as its Japanese and German rivals offered. It started smoothly and rapidly accelerated to 100 kilometers per hour (62.1 mph) in around six and half seconds.

Its steering also stood up to its rivals’ although some testers said it was less sensitive than its rivals’ handling.

The weak point is that Hyundai’s maximum torque is lower at 44.8 kilogram-meters for a 4.6-liter engine version than the S500L’s 54 kilogram-meters and LS460’s 51 kilogram-meters.

In the test drive, the new Equus showed its own high-technology safety features. One of them is the lane departure warning system, which alerts the driver if the vehicle leaves a lane without the indicator switched on when the car is going faster than 60 kilometers per hour.

During the test drive, when the car crossed a white line, the alarm sounded, and when the car crossed the yellow center line, the seat belt tightened.

Hyundai Motor claimed the car has the world’s first lane departure system to differentiate between the central road markings and ordinary lane markings.

Other high-tech features include a system that automatically tightens seatbelts when sensors detect an imminent front-end collision and an intelligent lighting system, which automatically tailors lighting for the road and weather conditions.

Another feature is the parking guide system, which shows the driver the expected course when the driver backs the car for parking.

The Lexus LS (top) and the BMW 7 series (bottom) will compete with the new Equus sedan.

The new Equus has also focused on the comfort of passengers in the backseat, as the luxury sedan will be used as a chauffeured car in many cases, just like the old Equus. There are massage functions and a remote controlled seat adjuster.

Yang Seung-suk, president of marketing, said during the press preview, “We will make the new Equus Hyundai Motor’s flagship model in the global market.”

Competition in the domestic luxury car market is likely to become more fierce. Sales of domestic large sedans remained unchanged last year from 2007, while midsize sedan sales sank 7 percent and sport-utility vehicle sales tumbled 14 percent, according to the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association. In response, not only Hyundai but also importers of Germany’s and Japan’s high-end brands will compete to win a market less vulnerable to the impact of the financial crisis, which has battered the global auto market.

By Moon So-young Staff Reporter [symoon@joongang.co.kr]

korea joongAng daily

Home > >

Hyundai’s new Equus targets high-end sales

Related Stories

You might also like