Hyundai Motor finally unveiled its premium Equus, EQ 900, at the Grand Ballroom of the Seoul Hyatt Hotel in Seoul on Dec. 9, with Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn and Chairman Chung Mong-koo standing beside the luxury sedan, leading some 1,000 participants at the official debut ceremony.
The EQ 900 is the first model to be debuted since the announcement that the auto maker would make the Genesis brand an independent premium car brand and the top model among the six top luxury car models to be rolled out by 2020.
In his congratulatory speech at the ceremony, Prime Minister Hwang said he expects the new Genesis model to help expand Korean exports. It is the first model under the new strategy to compete hear-to-head with other global premium cars in the global auto market. It takes full advantage of Hyundai Motor’s high-tech and superior design capability that went into making the EQ900.
In his speech, Chairman Chung Mong-koo said the EQ900 is produced to compete with top premium sedan models in the world, particularly the BMW 7 series, the Benz S Class and the Lexus series, among others.
The new Genesis model has been four years in the making. It is made to have a competitive advantage in such key areas as design, safety and comfort.
The automaker assigned 1,200 of its employees to produce the model from design to mass production. The new sedan puts an emphasis on softness instead of the rather sharp angles featured in the Equus model.
With the driver in mind, the new EQ900 has a luxurious, stylish look.
The new model is also made to please passengers as it has many comfortable features such as an interior that was inspired by the first-class section in modern airliners.
Other special features are designed to make the driver and passengers comfortable, such as the Smart Body Control System. After the driver inputs his height, the system automatically adjusts every thing around the driver, including the steering wheel, mirrors, the position of the head display and the driver’s seat.
The high tech used also includes the ASCC system that helps keep a distance with a car in front, the LKAS system, and the highway driving assistance system HAD.
The EQ900 comes in three models; 3.8 GDi, 3.3 Turbo DGi and 5.0 GDi, 3.3 Turbo GDi, and 5.0 GDi, with the top limousine model slated to be debuted in March next year. The 3.3 Turbo and 3.8 Tubo GDi will come in luxury, premium luxury, and prestige models with the 5.0 model having only one model, prestige model.
The prices for the models range from 77 million won for the 3.8 GDi model, with the 5.0 model priced at 117 million won.
The automaker says its goal is to deliver “personalized and human-centered experiences with vehicles that have refined performance, athletic, elegant design and innovation with a hassle-free customer experience.”
Genesis is focused on customers who want smart ownership experiences that save time and effort, combined with practical innovations that enhance satisfaction, said Chung Eui-sun, Hyundai Motor vice chairman.
To differentiate the nameplate, Genesis has a distinctive design identity, badge, naming structure, and unique customer service process.
Starting in mid-2016, former Volkswagen Group premium brand designer Luc Donckerwolke will lead the Genesis brand design staff, reporting to Peter Schreyer, president and Chief Design Officer for the Hyundai Motor Group. He designed models for Audi, Bentley and Lamborghini.
_제네시스 01.jpg)
