Equus Limo

[Epod]

In case you're behind on your reading of Thai Automaxx, Hyundai has announced the details of - and is taking orders for - the limo version of the Equus.

http://www.thaiautomaxx.com/2009/09/hyundai-launches-limousine-edition-of.html

 

[Hghwy52]

It's probably too much to hope for but it would be nice if the U.S. spec Equus had the 5.0L and the horizontal grille.

 

[Mark_888]

It's probably too much to hope for but it would be nice if the U.S. spec Equus had the 5.0L and the horizontal grille.

Are you willing to pay for it?

"The price for the long wheelbase edition EQUUS ranges from 135 million won to 146 million won (approximately US$113,000 to US$122,180, based on today’s currency exchange rates)."​

 

[ctrcbob]

Sat in the Equus today, on display at Jenkins Hyundai in Leesburg FL. Played with some of the toys in that car. Wow!

Different grill than the grill in the photos in this thread. This threads photos show a horizontal grill. The one I sat in today has a vertical grill.

 

[Mark_888]

Whenever they import the Equus to the US, it could have a different grill, just like the US Genesis has a different one than the Korean version. Also, it will be a different model year than the ones on display in the US now.

 

[bjjones]

Are you willing to pay for it?

"The price for the long wheelbase edition EQUUS ranges from 135 million won to 146 million won (approximately US$113,000 to US$122,180, based on today’s currency exchange rates)."​

Uh, there is absolutely no chance that the 5.0L Tau engine alone in the Equus Limousine increases the cost from the regular Equus SWB model by 50% or greater. The Genesis 4.6 sedan base price is only $37,250, which is only $5,000 more than the Genesis 3.8 sedan ($32,250), so how would an upgrade from the 4.6L Tau to the 5.0L Tau in the Equus SWB sedan cost a great deal more as a standard or optional engine? And quoted base price of 135 million won/$113,000 USD is for the 3.8 L version Equus Limousine so this would most certainly mean that the Equus Limousine has many more features and options that are available outside of the engine specifications that add the extra cost.

 

[dataguy]

Uh, there is absolutely no chance that the 5.0L Tau engine alone in the Equus Limousine increases the cost from the regular Equus SWB model by 50% or greater. The Genesis 4.6 sedan base price is only $37,250, which is only $5,000 more than the Genesis 3.8 sedan ($32,250), so how would an upgrade from the 4.6L Tau to the 5.0L Tau in the Equus SWB sedan cost a great deal more as a standard or optional engine? And quoted base price of 135 million won/$113,000 USD is for the 3.8 L version Equus Limousine so this would most certainly mean that the Equus Limousine has many more features and options that are available outside of the engine specifications that add the extra cost.

First, the Equus 4.6 hasn't even been priced, and could run anywhere from the high 40's to the low 60's. Given the price of everyone else's flagships, they probably could charge anything they wanted to for a limo variant or a 5.0 engine option in the Equus. I don't think the delta between the 3.8 and 4.6 in the Genesis has any real bearing on the price differential that might exist on a hypothetical U.S. Tau 5.0 offering.

That said, the $113K pricetag is undoubtedly influenced by the prestige of the brand in its domestic market and the relatively high price of imported limos.

It wouldn't shock me to see a 5.0 Equus at $65K+.

 

[Mark_888]

Uh, there is absolutely no chance that the 5.0L Tau engine alone in the Equus Limousine increases the cost from the regular Equus SWB model by 50% or greater. The Genesis 4.6 sedan base price is only $37,250, which is only $5,000 more than the Genesis 3.8 sedan ($32,250), so how would an upgrade from the 4.6L Tau to the 5.0L Tau in the Equus SWB sedan cost a great deal more as a standard or optional engine? And quoted base price of 135 million won/$113,000 USD is for the 3.8 L version Equus Limousine so this would most certainly mean that the Equus Limousine has many more features and options that are available outside of the engine specifications that add the extra cost.

I never said that the upgrade to 5.0 is the sole difference in price. But the 5.0 might come loaded with all the other stuff, and even if only $60K instead of the $120 USD that Hyundai charges in Korea for the Equus 5.0, how many Genesis owners would pay $60K for a car? Why do people care about a car they have no intention of buying?

 

[bjjones]

First, the Equus 4.6 hasn't even been priced, and could run anywhere from the high 40's to the low 60's. Given the price of everyone else's flagships, they probably could charge anything they wanted to for a limo variant or a 5.0 engine option in the Equus. I don't think the delta between the 3.8 and 4.6 in the Genesis has any real bearing on the price differential that might exist on a hypothetical U.S. Tau 5.0 offering.

That said, the $113K pricetag is undoubtedly influenced by the prestige of the brand in its domestic market and the relatively high price of imported limos.

It wouldn't shock me to see a 5.0 Equus at $65K+.

Irregardless of the base price Hyundai may set for the US version Equus, the example given in my previous post in account to the price disparity between the 3.8L and 4.6L engines in the Genesis sedan is simply that the cost differential between the 5.0L Tau engine would not command a substantial increase in cost over the 4.6L Tau engine in the Equus if it were offered as a option or available as the standard engine.

 

[bjjones]

I never said that the upgrade to 5.0 is the sole difference in price. But the 5.0 might come loaded with all the other stuff, and even if only $60K instead of the $120 USD that Hyundai charges in Korea for the Equus 5.0, how many Genesis owners would pay $60K for a car?

Actually, Genesis owners won't be the only ones interested in buying the Equus. Also I'm sure that there are many Genesis owners that may be willing or are capable of paying the extra premium that the Equus will command over the Genesis, especially if the Equus is actually comparable or better overall than the other premium luxury sedans that are currently available.

Why do people care about a car they have no intention of buying?

I won't even entertain such a absurd and asinine comment.

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[dataguy]

Irregardless of the base price Hyundai may set for the US version Equus, the example given in my previous post in account to the price disparity between the 3.8L and 4.6L engines in the Genesis sedan is simply that the cost differential between the 5.0L Tau engine would not command a substantial increase in cost over the 4.6L Tau engine in the Equus if it were offered as a option or available as the standard engine.

Regardless of what the difference between the 3.8 and 4.6 may be on the Genesis, without knowing what the price points and the feature packages are, there's no way of knowing how that would translate to the Equus. Or even if they are going to offer the 5.0 here.

 

[Mark_888]

Actually, Genesis owners won't be the only ones interested in buying the Equus.

I never said that, in fact I pretty much implied that the vast majority of Genesis owners would not be the primary buyers of a car like the Equus priced $15K - $20 more expensive than what they just purchased (at least not anytime soon). However, I do realize that on this forum there are a lot of Hyundai zealots who will pretty much buy (or maybe just aspire to buy) anything that Hyundai makes.

 

[bjjones]

Regardless of what the difference between the 3.8 and 4.6 may be on the Genesis, without knowing what the price points and the feature packages are, there's no way of knowing how that would translate to the Equus. Or even if they are going to offer the 5.0 here.

If you could actually apprehend and grasp the relevance of my posts I clearly mentioned that the pricing and specifications of the US version Equus were conjectural. Please re-read my earlier posts and then find a online dictionary and look up the meaning of would and if. Nevertheless, the facts are that engines shared among various automobile models or engines upgraded from current or previous versions cost the manufacture very little to produce which in turn is passed on to the consumer and if the Tau 5.0 were (you may also want to add the word were to your homework) available, then the engine itself would not add a significant cost vs the 4.6 L engine currently offered on the KDM SWB Equus. Now significant cost is certainly relative from one person to the next depending on their finances and what they can or can not afford.

 

[dataguy]

No need to take it personally, or respond as if I was intending it that way. Because I wasn't.

 

[bjjones]

No need to take it personally, or respond as if I was intending it that way. Because I wasn't.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to be an a@$! Always best to debate and allow others to have their own points of view(s) without being overzealous!

 

[Hghwy52]

I think there are some compelling reasons for the Equus to include the 5L Tau as well as a horizontal grille. It's doubtful that the 5L would be much more expensive for Hyundai to produce given the development costs are already complete, and it would allow those costs to be spread over more units. When other manufacturers increased displacement - Camry 3.0L to 3.5L Lexus LS430 to 460 etc. - prices barely changed (at least due to the displacement increase). Also, the 5L would help differentiate the Equus from the Genesis and, more importantly, from its main target the Lexus LS460. While the Genesis has had many reviews, there have been few direct comparison tests (there was one with the Genesis 4.6 pitted against a Lexus GS 350). But the Equus will be tested against the Lexus LS at the very least. Those comparisons will do a lot to shape perceptions and the 5L could help tip the scales in favor of the Equus.

In terms of the grille, Left Lane has some spy shots of the 2011 Genesis and says it will include "new signature styling on the grille which will give an immediate tie-in to the Equus flagship". http://www.leftlanenews.com/hyundai-genesis-sedan-2011.html So the 2011 Genesis will have some type of center badge. Let's hope it's not the flying H. Given that the grille is arguably the most important styling cue on new models - think Audi, Acura, BMW - it makes sense for Hyundai to unify the grille for its top models. Hyundai has been doing a lot of things right lately. Let's hope they continue.

 

[bjjones]

I think there are some compelling reasons for the Equus to include the 5L Tau as well as a horizontal grille. It's doubtful that the 5L would be much more expensive for Hyundai to produce given the development costs are already complete, and it would allow those costs to be spread over more units. When other manufacturers increased displacement - Camry 3.0L to 3.5L Lexus LS430 to 460 etc. - prices barely changed (at least due to the displacement increase). Also, the 5L would help differentiate the Equus from the Genesis and, more importantly, from its main target the Lexus LS460. While the Genesis has had many reviews, there have been few direct comparison tests (there was one with the Genesis 4.6 pitted against a Lexus GS 350). But the Equus will be tested against the Lexus LS at the very least. Those comparisons will do a lot to shape perceptions and the 5L could help tip the scales in favor of the Equus.

In terms of the grille, Left Lane has some spy shots of the 2011 Genesis and says it will include "new signature styling on the grille which will give an immediate tie-in to the Equus flagship". http://www.leftlanenews.com/hyundai-genesis-sedan-2011.html So the 2011 Genesis will have some type of center badge. Let's hope it's not the flying H. Given that the grille is arguably the most important styling cue on new models - think Audi, Acura, BMW - it makes sense for Hyundai to unify the grille for its top models. Hyundai has been doing a lot of things right lately. Let's hope they continue.

Very good post! Hyundai should bring the 4.6L Tau over as a standard engine and add the 5.0L Tau as an additional option to cater to different buyers in specific price ranges. But honestly I think that Hyundai should import the Equus KDM exterior design over just as is it currently to the US and focus more on the interior details such as getting rid of a lot of the plastic trim on the dashboard and eliminating the cheap looking switchgear and adding more soft leather as well. To me the KDM version exterior is very nice and I think that Hyundai will screw up the exterior design by making too many changes just like they did with the current US version Genesis (I like the US version Genesis, but I think the KDM version looks much more classier). The small details such as exterior and interior trim really make a dramatic difference and can change a ho hum, average design into a spectacular masterpiece.

 

[bjjones]

The pictures below are of the Equus KDM 3.8L version. The grille looks similar to what they might be doing with the refreshed 2011 Genesis to give both models some visual unity. Sigh! I really hope they don't implement this tacky and uninspiring upper and lower grille design for the US market Equus!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hyundai_new_equus(KDM).jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hyundai_new_equus(KDM)_(3).jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hyundai_new_equus(KDM)_(5).jpg