Hyundai announced today that it will bring its flagship luxury sedan to the U.S. market, confirming several months of speculation.
John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America's president and CEO, said the response to the car at this year's New York auto show, along with positive comments from consumers and dealers who have spent time with a travelling test fleet of Korean-market Equus sedans, has prompted Hyundai to bring the sedan over to the U.S.
The only firm details Hyundai provided were that the sedan will be sold in the U.S. beginning in late 2010. Equus is not a finalized name - that will come closer to launch, along with pricing, packaging, and specifications.
The Equus nameplate has been used in Korea as Hyundai's flagship for ten years. The Equus rides on the same premium, rear-wheel-drive platform that underpins the Hyundai Genesis sedan. The Genesis sedan has enjoyed praise from the press and sales from consumers based on its value over competitors in the luxury segment.
Some have speculated that the Genesis was part of a Hyundai campaign to launch a luxury brand here in the U.S. The Equus announcement gives even more credence to that theory.
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