Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea’s largest automaker, had a media preview for the EQ900, the first model under its new premium brand of Genesis, that will officially be launched next month at the Namyang R&D Center on Nov. 10.
On this day, the company unveiled rendered exterior images of the EQ900 for the first time. The concept for its interior and exterior design is “polite and elegance.” In its exterior, a large-size radiator grille dominates the front with refined head lamp designs. The company said that the lines that come off the grille are in harmony with the overall ample body that makes an “elegant” impression on the sides.
Hyundai Motor joined hands with Pasubio, the leading producer of luxury automotive upholstery and manufactured leather in Italy, to develop leather seats, and used real wood for the wood trim. The steering wheel of the EQ900 is also equipped with premium Italian leather for a comfortable and stable grip.
By greatly expanding the portion of ultra-high-strength steel in its body, the EQ900 offers more safety and driving efficiency. The company said it has improved the car’s strength against outside shocks, including twisting and bending, by more than 181 percent compared with the previous model.
The EQ900 is also the first locally produced model equipped with a Highway Driving Assist (HDA) system intended to help autonomous driving.
A clash avoidance system, an upgraded version of the existing blind spot detection system, has also been used for the first time. The system prevents collisions by imperceptibly controlling the front and back wheels on the opposite side of a lane change when there is the high possibility of a crash.
The EQ900 also boasts “modern ERGO seats.” Designed after the first-class seats in airplanes, the “First Class VIP Seat” in the back allows passengers to lie down comfortably. It is designed to make the driver and passengers feel at ease when driving. The seat can be adjusted in 18 different ways, such as the slope of the shoulders and headrests, by touching a button on the armrest.
There is also a new smart posture control system. The system automatically recommends and sets up the best driving posture for drivers based on medical verification.
In a bid to reduce the inside noise level, Hyundai Motor said it applied a triple sealing weather strip to its doors and used sound insulation glass on the rear window. The EQ900 comes in three types of power train – the Lambda 3.8 V6, the Lambda 3.3 V6 Turbo and the Tau 5.0 V8 – all of which have passed intensive engine durability tests.
In particular, the Lambda 3.3 V6 Turbo engine produces a maximum of 370 horsepower and 52.0 kilogram-meters of torque, boasting higher power performance than turbo engines of overseas automakers.
By using the latest suspension technology called Hyundai Variable Control Suspension (HVCS), the EQ900 will make sure its passengers can enjoy smoother driving and driving performance, even at high speeds, than they could feel in other luxury sedans. The technology offers both a comfortable ride and safety with embedded valves that can independently control the internal pressure.
The EQ900 is also equipped with so-called H-TRAC, reminiscent of the smart all-wheel-drive system of the second generation Genesis, which allows safe yet outstanding driving performance in heavy rain or snow in the winter.
“Signaling the start of the Genesis brand, the EQ900 will provide the highest level of satisfaction that customers could not feel before,” a Hyundai Motor official said. “We are sure that it will become a representative luxury brand of our country by establishing diverse lineups ranging from large sedans, mid-size sedans, SUVs to sports coupes as well as premium sedans in the future.”