There’s a Korean proverb that if one constantly has dirty thoughts, their hair will quickly grow longer, and metaphorically speaking, this saying can apply to Hyundai and its new luxury brand Genesis.
Only four months after (…and not 20 years, Mr. Sergio Marchionne) they officially announced plans to spin off the second-generation Genesis sedan into a separate premium entity, the Koreans have already presented three models, the latest of which is the pictured EQ900L, a stretched limousine version of the new G90 full-size sedan.
If anything, the people at Genesis are having ‘dirty thoughts’ about going full attack on Germany’s finest luxury brands on all fronts, stretching from the ‘New York Concept’ headed to the Big Apple next week and which is believed to be a veiled BMW 3-Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class rival that will materialize next year as the G70, to their new production EQ900L that cheekily winks at Merc’s elongated S-Class Maybach models.
They’re not there yet, as buyers have very strong preconceptions about brand names and history in this particular segment, but make no mistake; there’s a long-term plan at play here from the Koreans, so keep an eye on them.
For now, the EQ90L will serve the Korean market only, catering to the needs of high-paid execs with a 290mm (11.4 inches) longer wheelbase than the regular G90 at 3,450mm (136 inches), while the car’s overall length was stretched out to 5,495mm (216 inches).
Besides the enormous legroom, rear passengers of the EQ900L are spoiled with two reclining individual seats with extendable footrests, special lighting, an advanced air-conditioning system, a Lexicon premium sound system, separate 9.2 inch screens hanging behind the front seats and a massive center console riddled with buttons and even a cooled compartment.
For power, Genesis chose Hyundai’s 5.0-liter Tau V8 engine rated at 425PS (419hp) and 520Nm (383 lb-ft) of peak torque, paired to a standard eight-speed automatic and an electronically controlled permanent four-wheel drive system.
In South Korea, prices for the EQ900L start from around 100 million won, the equivalent of about US$87,000 at today’s rates.