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We've seen plenty of spy shots and teasers showing Hyundai's new flagship luxury sedan, the Equus. These, however, are the first official images of the big South Korean luxury car that appear to be from an actual brochure. The Equus is about 7 inches longer, 1.5 inches wider and has a wheelbase nearly 4.5 inches longer than the Genesis, but will launch in South Korea using the same 3.8L V6 and 4.6L V8 currently used by Hyundai's large sedan in the U.S. A more powerful 5.0L V8 producing upwards of 420 horsepower will also reportedly be offered sometime after launch.

If the Genesis is aimed at the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, then the Equus has its sites set squarely on vehicles like the 7 Series, S-Class and Lexus LS460. It is still not known whether Hyundai will sell the Equus in the U.S., though with a base price of 130,000,000 South Korean won (about $93,471 USD), it would be the automaker's most ambitious U.S. offering by far. Hyundai is no doubt watching sales of the Genesis very closely to see if the brand can hold its own in the image-obsessed luxury segments, and early signs in terms of sales and critical success are positive. Whether or not that means the U.S. is ready for such an expensive Hyundai remains to be seen.

[Source: The Car Blogger]