I know this is a Genesis Forum but..........

[MADDMOE]

.........I was in heaven today for about an hour sitting in a Equus & im going to let you know now im ready to upgrade for these reasons:


-air suspension that raises & lowers the car for a more sportier ride
-all four doors have window shades, close automatically once doors are near
the car
-all four seats are heated & air conditioned
-the rear seats move automatically forward & back along with th headrest
also ( yes i said the rear seats )
-rear of the passenger seat has a fold out table
-rear has a tv with dvd player
-both side view mirrors fold in automatically
-the interior roof is SUEDE
-front & rear camera
-& many more features that i cant think of right now but i can honestly say i was getting a hard on in that car . i was told it would be on sale in the USA within a year for under $60,000, so now i think i might not buy any chrome wheels for my Genesis because i dont think im going to have her long but who knows

p.s. i hope they get rid of the hood ornament & the wheels has to go also

 

[Mark_888]

Hood ornament will not be standard on US model (it will be a dealer installed option). Unlike the Genesis Korea badging, HMA will apparently import the Equus Korean ornament. This was posted in a video interview with a Hyundai executive somewhere else on this site.

My guess is that at least some of the other options you mentioned will not make it to the US model, just like the Genesis in Korea has more stuff than US model. They have to be very price conscious in the US, whereas in Korea Hyundai is the pride of the nation and the German cars probably have very stiff import taxes.

 

[dataguy]

Hood ornament will not be standard on US model (it will be a dealer installed option). Unlike the Genesis Korea badging, HMA will apparently import the Equus Korean ornament. This was posted in a video interview with a Hyundai executive somewhere else on this site.

My guess is that at least some of the other options you mentioned will not make it to the US model, just like the Genesis in Korea has more stuff than US model. They have to be very price conscious in the US, whereas in Korea Hyundai is the pride of the nation and the German cars probably have very stiff import taxes.

Yep, ornament will be optional. One interview had the hood ornament available at all dealers so that owners who wanted one could get the hood badge swapped out for an ornament.

Yep, there are tariffs that protect the domestic market from foreign competition and keep Hyundais quite expensive there. In one of the early Korean reviews of the Genesis, they said it would be cheaper to buy the car in the U.S. and import it back to Korea than it would be to buy the equivalent KDM model.

Mark hit it on the head that it's likely that some of features will probably not make it to the North American model. Not only is the mentality and status symbol of the car different in Korea, but cost savings measures and the fact that it will be more of a driver's car rather than a chauffeured car will impact the appointments.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

I'm with you on this MadMoe.. I'm definitely interested in the Equus as well.. While I do believe a few things may be left off the Equus when it arrives in America - I have a feeling most stuff will still be available.. If the Equus is a display of what Hyundai is capable of, I think it would be a good idea to keep the car intact. Otherwise it's just going to be a big car that doesn't offer what the competition does.

If the Equus starts at $45k or so, than leave a few things out of the bass model. If it hits around $62k for the fully-loaded model, it's really going to need things like automatic closing doors, heated/air conditioned seats all around, reclining seats (heck, the Avalon has them), window shades, adjustable suspension, automatic folding mirrors, etcetera..

Things like the fact that the car rises and lowers (visibly) is not that important. It's just a very nice touch. Rear fold-out table is unnecessary, but nice.. Suede (alcantara) roofline can be left out..

There are certainly going to be things available on the Equus that are NOT available on the Genesis.. If the Equus is not a car that Genesis owners aspire to own, than Hyundai is a failure.

 

[YEH]

Yep, there are tariffs that protect the domestic market from foreign competition and keep Hyundais quite expensive there. In one of the early Korean reviews of the Genesis, they said it would be cheaper to buy the car in the U.S. and import it back to Korea than it would be to buy the equivalent KDM model.

The tariff on auto imports in SK is "only" 8% - not much above that for Canada (which was at 6.75% or somewhere thereabout) and lower than that for the EU or Australia which are at 10%.

The high price of luxury imports (such as Mercedes and BMW) has a lot to do w/ the "premium" that the foreign luxury brands charge b/c they know that they could get away w/ it.

However, w/ Hyundai offering the Genesis and the new Equus, models that can seriously challenge the Germans, the import brands have begun to slash their prices (Mercedes just slashed the price on the E Class by W6.8 million).

 

[genlux]

I'm with you on this MadMoe.. I'm definitely interested in the Equus as well.. While I do believe a few things may be left off the Equus when it arrives in America - I have a feeling most stuff will still be available.. If the Equus is a display of what Hyundai is capable of, I think it would be a good idea to keep the car intact. Otherwise it's just going to be a big car that doesn't offer what the competition does.

If the Equus starts at $45k or so, than leave a few things out of the bass model. If it hits around $62k for the fully-loaded model, it's really going to need things like automatic closing doors, heated/air conditioned seats all around, reclining seats (heck, the Avalon has them), window shades, adjustable suspension, automatic folding mirrors, etcetera..

Things like the fact that the car rises and lowers (visibly) is not that important. It's just a very nice touch. Rear fold-out table is unnecessary, but nice.. Suede (alcantara) roofline can be left out..

There are certainly going to be things available on the Equus that are NOT available on the Genesis.. If the Equus is not a car that Genesis owners aspire to own, than Hyundai is a failure.

Most reviews have said it might start closer to $48K-$50K and max out near $60K or maybe more. It's gunning for the Lexus LS and Mercedes S-Class so in my opinion it will need all of these luxuries to compete including the air-suspension and all the other options. I like the fold-out table and alcantara roofline. With new technologies such as Verizon's new portable MiFi 3G internet device the fold-out table is perfect for a laptop as well as other reasons - especially if you have kids.
The reclining seats are also a must but they can leave out the bottom leg rest portion. There isn't enough room to put your legs up unless they bring the new long-wheel-base version to the states.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Most reviews have said it might start closer to $48K-$50K and max out near $60K or maybe more. It's gunning for the Lexus LS and Mercedes S-Class so in my opinion it will need all of these luxuries to compete including the air-suspension and all the other options. I like the fold-out table and alcantara roofline. With new technologies such as Verizon's new portable MiFi 3G internet device the fold-out table is perfect for a laptop as well as other reasons - especially if you have kids.
The reclining seats are also a must but they can leave out the bottom leg rest portion. There isn't enough room to put your legs up unless they bring the new long-wheel-base version to the states.

Air suspension is important, yes - just not the obvious rising up and lowering down movement like a Rolls Royce Phantom. Starting near $50k should be okay.. The Genesis starts at $32,350 so I really feel starting in the low $40s would be a good idea - at least at first - just to move the car off lots and onto the streets.. $50k is a big jump.. Topping out a little over $60k will be okay but they need to stay lower than the base LS460 or people will simply buy the Lexus. Most people don't need the unnecessary features more than the vehicle itself. In other words, I think people will take the Lexus WITHOUT a few features over the Equus WITH them at the same price...

 

[akuma]

Topping out a little over $60k will be okay but they need to stay lower than the base LS460 or people will simply buy the Lexus. Most people don't need the unnecessary features more than the vehicle itself. In other words, I think people will take the Lexus WITHOUT a few features over the Equus WITH them at the same price...

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but starting at the low 40s is all but impossible. remember the Genesis is getting options next year (laser cruise and some other stuff) that will push the max MSRP price closer to the mid 40s. and i remember Joel Ewanick saying that the base car was going to be all but loaded as they wanted to control the price point. so it's probably going to be like when Acura first released the RL is 2005. it had all the bells and whistles for just under $50k, but wasn't seen as that much better than a TL (loaded with everything except NAV and A-spec) which started in the low-mid 30s. then again, the RL for $50k doesn't really hold a candle against the Genesis let alone the Equus.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

this



but starting at the low 40s is all but impossible. remember the Genesis is getting options next year (laser cruise and some other stuff) that will push the max MSRP price closer to the mid 40s. and i remember Joel Ewanick saying that the base car was going to be all but loaded as they wanted to control the price point. so it's probably going to be like when Acura first released the RL is 2005. it had all the bells and whistles for just under $50k, but wasn't seen as that much better than a TL (loaded with everything except NAV and A-spec) which started in the low-mid 30s. then again, the RL for $50k doesn't really hold a candle against the Genesis let alone the Equus.

The Equus should start at a few thousand more than a fully loaded Genesis.. If the Genesis is topping out at $42k, the Equus should start at $46k.. If the Genesis is topping out at $45k, than $49k for the Equus.. I don't think the Equus should cost more than $65k fully loaded.. I really feel a Hyundai near $70k at this point in time is going to be a Phaeton-sized mistake...