SPY SHOTS - Hyundai Equus replacement sheds more camo
by Dan Roth on Mar 11th 2007 at 3:43PM 
Hyundai's working on a rear-wheel-drive successor to its home-market Equus luxury sedan. The car's expected to debut at the New York Auto Show in April, and these most recent spy shots show it with less camouflage than we've seen it wearing in the past. You can't see the front end, but you get a really good look at the clean flanks. The roofline pays homage to the Euro iron Hyundai undoubtedly has in its sights; not to mention the high-end Japanese makes like Infiniti and Lexus. The kink in the lower portion of the C-pillar is a nod directly to BMW - though Infiniti copied it first. Power will be provided by the Azera's 3.8 liter V6 at the bottom end, while there's a 4.6 liter V8 reportedly generating over 300 horsepower for the top-of-the-line car. This looks like a large vehicle, and we car nuts welcome more RWD platforms with available V8s - they're a hoot to be irresponsible in. Rumors have the entry price in the $30,000 range, which is a mighty deal if it continues with Hyundai's recent formula. Expect to find styling that's pleasant in an inoffensive, non-polarizing way when the wraps come off, and we're sure that equipment levels will be high and suspension calibrations will tend toward the softer side. How soft it goes will determine whether it's a spiritual successor to the Crown Victoria, or if it plays in more rarified air occupied by the aforementioned lux-marques.[Source: The Car Blogger via GM Inside News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
james 5:06PM (3/11/2007)
The engine to be used is an updated Mitsubishi engine that was originally for the Asian market.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_8A8x_engine
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William 5:38PM (3/11/2007)
No, the outdated 4.5L V8 developed by Mitsubishi, and used on the current Equus/Centennial is dropped. In favour of Hyundai's new 4.6L V8 Tau engine that generates more than 300HP. For preliminary specs, check the specs of the Hyundai HCD-9 Talus Concept.
TheCarBlogger
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Kay 5:24PM (3/11/2007)
The BH will be available with Hyundai's new 4.6L 340 HP V8 Tau engine.
http://thecarblogger.blogspot.com/2007/03/spy-shots-2008-hyundai-bh-rwd.html
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james 5:25PM (3/11/2007)
Digging some more it looks like the engine is an original design by Hyundai, and there will be a 5.0 and a 5.5 supercharged version coming. When the Tiburon is redesigned in a couple years it may get a v8 engine option.
http://carspyshots.net/zerothread?cmd=print&id=16038
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james 5:31PM (3/11/2007)
Posting a quote from the above link:
Tau family of engines comes with three displacements, 4.6, 5.0 and 5.5L Supercharged.
When it debuts in a new RWD Hyundai, it would be the first production engine in the world that has both CVVL(continuously variable valve lift) and CDA(cylinder deactivation) system on board.
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BOB 5:51PM (3/11/2007)
FROM THE PHOTO, LOOKS LIKE A Q45 at half price. Also similar to the Holdens, but looks bigger.
GEEEEEE! Ford has been slow with a new Crown Vic, Chevy with its RWD Impala -- what a shock that the Koreans are smart enough to fill the void, DUH!!!!!
If Hyundai makes a cop car out of this and it starts to sell well here -----I will be suggestin tar and feathers for Bill Ford, as well as GM management.
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NoNameDenton 6:06PM (3/11/2007)
No matter what engine they are using, I hope to see this car in America sometime soon, since the news has been they will bring it here, along with a rwd Tiburon style car and even a pickup truck (shared with Kia)
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Brian W 6:41PM (3/11/2007)
They still need to learn how to make a car ride AND handle well, they can beat others in cost but not in design. But with auto press declaring their autos winners even before driving them, anything is possible.
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doglet 8:48PM (3/11/2007)
isnt there talk of a rwd sporty car for hyundai? maybe based off this platform with these engines? would be interesting to see hyundai go up against camaros and mustangs.
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Michael Karesh 9:02PM (3/11/2007)
This won't be cheap enough to serve as a cop car.
I am impressed if the engine combines CVVL and cylinder deactivation. So far only BMW has a CVVL engine, and the elimination of the throttle boosts both power and economy.
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newman 3:27AM (3/12/2007)
Brian W. With your obviously biased opinion, I doubt you have even drivin a Hyundai for the long term. The only purpose of your comments on every Hyundai related article is to take subjective, anecdotal cheap shots due to the threat Hyundai posses to the brand you're a fan of. I'm sorry, but your posts are neither constructive or insightful.
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DR 2:09AM (3/12/2007)
Ok all, the Equus has been in existance for quite some time now, just not state side. While living in South Korea about 5 years ago, I saw the Equus first hand and even rode in one. Acording to the owner and a couple of other students of mine, the Equus is the product of a partnership with Mitsubishi. That was confirmed when I saw the new
Diamante two years ago; the design is almost the same, just a bit smaller, the Equus looks more robust. The interior was very luxurious, much like a BMW.
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NoNameDenton 3:57AM (3/12/2007)
I am a huge fan of the Detroit 3, and I usually hate imports, but I have a lot of respect for the Hyundai/Kia group and their cars. The Koreans keep getting better and better at making cars and there is much speculation that the Koreans will surpass the Japanese as the top dogs in the automotive business. The interior quality of the Korean vehicles has gotten much better then in the early days, and the new engines are wonderful, and now Kia has shown a hybrid Rio in Geneva.
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philly_breakz 5:08AM (3/12/2007)
Hyundais don't excite me much, but one point that does amuse me is that;
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is currently 'starring' in a west end play in London called Equus...
He gets naked and horses are involved... Hmmm, puts another slant on Hyundais for me really...
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Kowell 9:58AM (3/12/2007)
4.6L V8???? in Hyundai going in the truck business???
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Korean_Manfactures_ 2:15AM (4/03/2007)
I think Hyundai is gonna go far in their Luxury brand
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Richard Trull 8:04PM (4/09/2007)
Wait till you see the new Tiburon. It will blow you away. 3.8L V6 in that bad boy and styling that you wouldn't believe.
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