Spy shots: Hyundai Equus Limousine spotted in Korea
The all-new Hyundai Equus luxury sedan has been put on sale in March this year and the vehicle immediately became the best-selling luxury vehicle in Korean market. Thanks to its sophisticated design and an array of high-tech goodies, that makes it an attractive buy, Equus’ sales jumped from a mere average of 400-500 units from the last few months to above 2.000 in its first full sales month.
Right now, the 2010 Hyundai Equus is only available with a choice of ”short” wheelbase, while previous gen Equus has been available in both variants, as a short-wheelbase and long-wheelbase model.
With financial conditions that bad as they are and world crisis deepening, many believed Hyundai canceled the project of a long-wheelbase Equus Limousine in order to save itself some money. But thats not true and here are exciting news and proof that the Korean largest and most aggressive carmaker has continued developing the Equus limousine with extended wheelbase!
A prototype of Equus limousine with extended wheelbase has been spotted on the highway somewhere in South Korea earlier today and one of my Korean friends brought it up hare to share it with all of you, Hyundai fans.
The 2010 Hyundai Equus sedan is already huge in size and this extension will make it even larger (and even more comfortable). Consequently the vehicle will be a bit heavier than now, thats why the company will also introduce a new engine at the same time. The all-new 5.0L V8 engine (Tau family) that will be exclusively put under the hood of Equus limousine is believed to pack an impressive 420 horsepower, enough to provide some lively performance to the car.
The official release date has not been released yet, but you can expect to see the first Equus limousines hitting Korean dealers by the end of this summer.
May 18th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
That engine should also go under the hood of the regular equus…to give it an edge over the genesis
May 18th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
All I can say is … Wow!
May 19th, 2009 at 4:12 am
400+ hp? Sweet
May 19th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
Well in Korea it already has an edge over the Genesis as it is only available in BH330 and BH380 trims, whereas the Equus is also available with the V8.
May 19th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
I wonder if the Tau 5.0 will be available in the Genesis as as an S version. Boy, that would compete with the Mercedes AMG and Bmw M series! Honda and Toyota never did that!
May 19th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Well maybe Honda doesn’t like your country ES. Because in Canada we Acura has ‘type-s’ models. So that leaves Toyota/Lexus. Oh but wait the Lexus IS-F just came out.
BMW has M, Mercedes has AMG, Chevy has SS, Pontiac has GXP, buick has Super, Mazda has MazdaSpeed cars… it just takes time before companies can put special sporting badges on cars because people have to want to buy them (the sport-branded cars) first.
May 19th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Patrick…thanks for letting me know…i did not know that…and EB…that putting the tau 5.0 in the genesis would be crazy…in a good way though
May 19th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
John: Crazy… yeah, but so are 12 cylinder cars.
At the other end. If Hyundai gets rid of the Azera, they should bring over the 3.3L Genesis… it would fit in the price range of the Azera. Unfortunately it doesn’t come in AWD, as Azera is FWD and I like that car.
May 19th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
EB…hyundai shouldn’t dump the azera simply because…the price jump from a sonata to a genesis is WAY to big
May 20th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
I agree. I’m just respondeing to the rumors that have said that Hyundai was not keeping it. I LIKE the Azera. I don’t want it to go. But there needs to be a upper end FWD car in the Hyundai lineup.
I don’t think they should follow VW and have a Passat and a Passat CC when they add the Sonata 4 dr Coupe and a Sedan. (See next article) They should just make the Azera the “sedan” and the Sonata the 4dr coupe or something like that.
But a 5.0 Genesis doen’t sound so crazy. A mustang comes in a 5.0 v8 block size… and larger. This is a VERY popular U.S. car. has been for generations! …
May 20th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
…the problem is Asian car companies don’t seen to understand the U.S. culture… and I don’t think they really care to get it either. They will never build car to satify the U.S. market. The’d rather build a car and hope WE junp on to thier bandwagon. That’s why you will never see a HONDA, MAZDA or HYUNDAI covertible. But you may see a Lexus or Infiniti one. They only believe certain things are for the upper class… and they don’t benefit THEM in their own country. Try to find one U.S. shipped Asian coversion van or RV. Won’t happen. The older people in some of those contries don’t drive or are execs. They have no use for a large family recreational vehicle. So like Smoke said in another comment, most of the people they are targeting are under 40. In about 5 to 10 years that won’t work in the U.S. The older people her are retiring well and they are the ones who are affording new cars… Hyundai really doesn’t get the diverse U.S. demographic. It’s really not like any other on the planet really. And I don’t think the average foreign car company gets it yet… but,Hyundai is close.
May 20th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
I’d like use this Limo for my daughter’s wedding! But I doubt that would EVER happen unless she gat married in Korea.