Bringing the attack to the biggest of the big boys in the volume luxury car business is a tall task, but not one that balks Hyundai. The 2011 Hyundai Equus sedan, sized and feature-packed to compete heads-up with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series will be at dealerships in December--but it'll be priced well below the competition.

The 2011 Hyundai Equus Signature starts from $58,000, while the more feature-filled Equus Ultimate kicks off at $64,500. To compare, BMW's 7-Series starts from $82,500 for a competitive V-8 powered 750i, and Mercedes' S550 starts at an even stiffer $91,600. All three are withing spitting distance on power--the Equus brings 361 horsepower to the table, while the 750i turns out 400 horsepower and the S550 sits at 382 horsepower. And that's before the 429-horsepower 5.0-liter Tau V-8 enters the picture next year.

The Equus Signature's bargain price includes features like electronically controlled air suspension with continuous damping control (CDC), 19-inch alloy wheels, nine airbags, active head restraints and seatbelts, lane departure warning, smart cruise control, adaptive front lighting, parking assist system, driver's seat massage, heated and cooled front seats, an Apple iPad as the owner's manual and so much more we've put the full list on the second page.

The Equus Ultimate adds to the Signature's already full feature set with a forward-view cornering camera, reclining rear seats, "first-class" passenger side rear seat with leg support and massage system, cooled rear seats, rear-seat entertainment system with 8-inch monitor, and a refrigerator in the rear center console.

Catch the full feature sheet on page two, and read up on our previous coverage of the 2011 Equus here.

[Hyundai]

HYUNDAI ANNOUNCES PRICING FOR THE ALL-NEW EQUUS

 

Includes Complimentary Valet Service and Maintenance for 5 Years, 60,000 Miles

 

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 19, 2010 Hyundai Motor America has announced pricing for the all-new Equus luxury sedan. The lavishly contented Equus Signature will be priced at $58,000 and the top-of-the-line Equus Ultimate at $64,500. Hyundai Equus brings a fresh approach to product innovation and the ownership experience in this price segment.

Every Equus comes standard with “At Your Service,” Hyundai's revolutionary approach to the luxury ownership experience that provides complimentary valet service and covers all maintenance needs for 5 years or 60,000 miles. With “At Your Service,” Hyundai Equus owners enjoy no-charge maintenance, including complimentary oil and filter changes, brake pads and rotors, wiper blades, and battery. Valet pickup and drop-off is provided for all warranty, maintenance and service repairs, and a Genesis or Equus replacement vehicle is provided while the owner’s car is at the dealership.

The Equus retail and ownership experience includes other innovative and time-saving premium services such as:

  • “Your Time, Your Place,” the industry’s first at-home vehicle demonstration program

  • Equus Champion (product expert) at each authorized Equus dealer

  • Apple iPad with interactive owner’s manual capability

  • Equus Customer Connect Center hotline (phone and e-mail) for VIP customer service

“We’re confident that smart luxury buyers will discover that Equus competes well with similar flagship products from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi and Lexus,” said John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO. “But the traditional luxury brands simply can’t compete with the unique retail and ownership experience we’ll be providing for the Equus owner, including “Your Time, Your Place,” the industry’s first at-home vehicle demonstration program; the “At Your Service” program, which provides complimentary valet at-home pickup and no-charge maintenance for five years or 60,000 miles; and the industry’s first iPad-based interactive owner’s manual.”

Equus arrives at select Hyundai dealerships in December. Hyundai expects the premium luxury market to total close to 45,000 units this year.

 

2011 EQUUS Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Pricing

Model

MSRP

Equus Signature

$58,000

Equus Ultimate

$64,500

$900 freight charge not included

 

Journalists are invited to visit http://www.hyundainews.com/Corporate_News/Corporate/2010-07-26_Equus_Packaging_Release.asp for more feature information.

 

“At Your Service” Summary

  • Valet service – The dealership will pickup and deliver the owner’s Equus for maintenance, replacement of wear items or warranty work

  • Replacement vehicle – If alternative transportation is needed while service is being performed, the dealer will provide a Genesis or Equus at no cost

  • Maintenance – Covers all factory maintenance for the first five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first

  • Wear items – Covers brake pads, brakes discs, wiper blades and battery

 

EQUUS SIGNATURE KEY STANDARD FEATURES

  • 4.6L DOHC Tau V8 engine

  • Six-speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC®

  • Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS)

  • Electronically controlled air suspension with Continuous Damping Control (CDC)

  • 19-inch chrome alloy wheels with P245/45R19 (front) / P275/40R19 (rear) tires

  • Four-wheel disc brakes with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and EBD

  • Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with TCS and Brake Assist

  • Vehicle Stability Management (VSM) system with pre-collision warning

  • Nine airbags: advanced dual front airbags, front and rear seat-mounted side-impact airbags, driver knee airbag, and roof-mounted side-curtain airbags

  • Electronic active front head restraints with power controls

  • Electronic seatbelt pretensioners

  • Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

  • Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS)

  • Smart Cruise Control

  • High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights with LED turn signal indicators

  • Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFLS) with auto-leveling

  • Fog lights and automatic headlights

  • Front and rear parking assistance system with rearview camera

  • Dual power-folding heated auto-dimming side mirrors w/ turn signal indicators and approach lamps

  • Dual asymmetrical exhaust tips integrated with rear bumper

  • Proximity key entry with push-button start

  • Illuminated scuff plates, inside door handles and door armrest

  • Premium leather seating surfaces and Alcantara® suede headliner

  • 12-way power driver seat plus lumbar adjustment and 10-way power front passenger seat

  • Driver seat massage system

  • Heated and cooled front seats

  • Heated, wood-trimmed and leather-wrapped steering wheel

  • Power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel

  • Integrated Memory System (IMS) for driver-side seat, mirror and steering wheel

  • Leather-wrapped dash and real wood interior trim

  • Electroluminescent cluster (Supervision) with 3.5-inch TFT LCD screen

  • Electronic parking brake with automatic vehicle hold

  • Power windows with auto-down/up

  • Navigation system w/ DIS and multimedia controller

  • Apple iPad interactive owner’s manual

  • 608-watt Lexicon 7.1 Discrete surround-sound audio system with 17 speakers

  • iPod/USB and MP3 auxiliary input jacks and iPod connection cable

  • XM® Satellite Radio & NavTraffic® with trial subscription

  • Bluetooth® hands-free phone system

  • Dual automatic temperature control with air quality system

  • Windshield-wiper deicer, rain-sensing wipers and auto-defogging windshield with humidity sensor

  • Electrochromic auto-dimming inside rearview mirror with HomeLink® and compass

  • Acoustic laminated windshield, front and rear side windows

  • Power tilt-and-slide glass sunroof

  • 60/40 power reclining and heated rear seats

  • Power rear sunshade and rear side-window sunshades

  • Luggage net

  • Premium-grade floor mats

  • Premium-grade trunk cargo mat

  • First-aid kit (PIO)

 

EQUUS ULTIMATE ADDS ULTRA-LUXURY FEATURES

Equus Ultimate adds or replaces:

  • 50/50 split rear seats (four-passenger seating) with reclining function

  • First-class passenger-side rear seat: leg support and massage system

  • Cooled rear seats

  • Rear-seat entertainment system with eight-inch monitor

  • Thermoelectric rear center console refrigerator

  • Rear-seat power up/down head restraints with manual tilt

  • Rear-seat illuminated vanity mirrors

  • Forward-view cornering camera

  • Power trunk lid