Hyundai's First Luxury Sedan EQ900 Under The Genesis Brand Is The First Commercially-Produced South Korean Car With Partial Autonomous Driving Capacity
Hyundai Motor has unveiled its highly-anticipated flagship luxury sedan EQ900 Wednesday. The South Korean automobile company is pegging EQ900 as a viable candidate to compete with German carmakers top-tier global automotive market.
The EQ900 is the first top-of-the-line model under Hyundai's Genesis luxury line. It is designed after the company's Equus luxury car, Korea Times noted Thursday.
"The EQ900 is our premium model developed to target the global market," Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Mong Koo said at the launch event held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul.
"Equipped with all the technology that we have accumulated, along with a top-notch performance and product quality, the EQ900 will compete squarely with global top-of-the-line luxury cars."
Chung added that the launch of the EQ900 will bolster Hyundai's brand value and strengthen its global competitiveness through the development of stat-of-the-art technologies.
The EQ900 features a robust chasis made with more advanced high-strength sheet steel, the Chosun Ilbo noted Thursday.
There are three versions of the EQ900 ready for release: the 3.8-liter and 5-liter versions, and a 3.3-liter V6 turbo model. The mileage and engine performance of the EQ900 is reportedly comparable with rival models from Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
It is the first South Korean car with partial autonomous driving capacities, which allows the car to remain on course and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle on its front.
In South Korea alone, Hyundai has recorded 10,7000 pre-orders for the EQ900, which is sold from 73 million won to 111 million won depending on the model.
The EQ900 will be sold worldwide starting next year. Lee Kang Ho of the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade said, "The success of the premium Genesis badge will be determined by the sales of the EQ900 and the G80."
Hyundai's Chung Mong Koo also said, "We will return the customers support with quality, while continuing to increase investment and employment in order to contribute to the national economy."
