
Hyundai's second attempt at the luxury segment after the Genesis, the all-new Equus full-size sedan, will arrive in U.S. showrooms in December with prices set at US$58,900 for the Signature version and US$64,900 for the Ultimate that gets all the bells and whistles, the South Korean automaker announced today.

Both prices include a $900 destination charge as well as free maintenance for 5 years or 60,000 miles, a complimentary valet service which includes a dealership employee picking up and delivering the car for maintenance, and an iPad that replaces the traditional owner's manual.
Not surprisingly, the Equus is priced much lower than other entry-level proposals in the in the luxury full-size sedan segment such as the Mercedes S-Class [S400 295HP V6 Hybrid $91,000], BMW 7-Series [740i 315HP six-cylinder $70,650] and the Jaguar XJ [385HP 5.0L V8 $72,700] and Lexus LS [LS 460 380HP 4.6L V8 $65,380].
The Genesis-based flagship Equus is offered exclusively with a 4.6-liter V8 engine producing 385-horsepower, matched to a 6-speed automatic transmission that delivers power to the rear axle.
Buyers of the base Signature model are treated to amenities such as a 608-watt Lexicon audio system with 17 speakers, electronically controlled air suspension with continuous damping control, HID headlamps, front and rear parking assistance system with rearview camera, leather seating, Alcantara suede headliner, driver seat massage, heated and cooled front seats, and heated wood and leather steering wheel.
Those that opt for the Ultimate model will get several additional features including a forward-view parking and cornering camera, power decklid, reclining rear seats with powered headrests, cooled rear seats, rear seat massage and leg support, rear seat refrigerator and a rear seat entertainment system.
"When you're spending this much for a new car, you don't want to feel like you've been shortchanged on engineering, technology or features," said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO. "Equus Signature has the technology and content of fully-optioned flagship models from Lexus and BMW, while Equus Ultimate delivers a specification approached only by our competitors' low-volume, special-order models."