Spy Shots: '08 Hyundai Equus

Hyundai builds a luxury car for the world.
by Hans Lehmann/Hidden Image

The 2006 Hyundai Sonata showed that Hyundai has what it takes to compete with highly regarded vehicles like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Now Hyundai will try to make the same waves with a new luxury car that will take on vehicles above its own full-size Azera sedan.

These photos, taken in the U.S. southwest, capture the next-generation Equus under testing. Hyundai is planning on bringing this rear-drive, V-8 sedan to the U.S. market as a 2008 model.

Hyundai will show the "BH" sedan, as it’s known internally, at the 2007 New York auto show in April.

The Equus is a large car, and has a spacious interior with lots of wood trim, leather seats, and a handsome dash that would look at home in a big Mercedes or Lexus. Hyundai will outfit the Equus with all manner of airbags and electronic vehicle-stability controls.

We expect the Equus (under a different name, perhaps) to go on sale in late 2007 in the U.S. wearing a pricetag around $30,000.