By: IOL Motoring Staff
Seoul, South Korea - The world's newest premium car brand has revealed an all-new flagship sedan which you can think of as South Korea's S-Class.
Hyundai recently turned its Genesis nameplate into a standalone brand, much like Lexus is to Toyota and Infiniti is to Nissan, and the G90, known as the EQ900 in its Korean home market, will sit right at the top of the brand's sedan pecking order. Measuring 5116mm in length, it's just shy of a long-wheelbase Mercedes S-Class in terms of size and Hyundai confidently states that its newcomer will compete "at the top of the luxury car market". Somehow we don't think they factored Rolls Royce and Bentley into that sentence though.
Nonetheless, G90 is packed with all the features and technologies that you'd expect in a high-end luxo barge, although some of them, such as the semi-autonomous Highway Driving Assistance system and 'Smart Posture Caring' system, which automatically adjusts the seat, steering wheel, mirrors and head-up display to the optimal position for the driver's body, will only be available in Korean-market versions.
“FINEST MATERIALS”
Hyundai spared no expense in creating a stylish, comfortable and quiet cabin, with materials reportedly sourced from "the finest artisans around the world". The semi-aniline leather seats are sourced from renowned Italian supplier Concerio Pasubio and the VIP ergo back seats, which we assume are optional, offer a wide range of electronically-controlled adjustments.
At the business end, chauffeurs will enjoy a 12.3-inch high-definition wide screen, which also has a 360-degree around view monitor.
As for the whisper-quiet part of the deal, Hyundai assures us that its extensive NVH work gives it "best-in-class refinement".
NEW TWIN-TURBO ENGINE
The flagship sedan also debuts Hyundai's first twin-turbocharged engine, in the form of a 3.3-litre V6 T-GDI unit that pushes 272kW. This will be the mid-range motor, with Hyundai offering a 232kW normally aspirated 3.8-litre V6 GDI at the bottom of the range and a 313kW 5-litre V8 GDI at the top.
The latter, says Hyundai, gets the sedan from 0-100km/h in just 5.7 seconds, versus 6.2 seconds in the 3.3T's case and 6.9s for the 3.8.
All engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox, which powers the rear wheels in standard versions, although all-wheel drive is optional. Multi-link adaptive suspension sees to the ride-handling balance.
The G90 is one of six new models that the Genesis brand will launch by 2020. We're currently awaiting word from Hyundai SA on whether the Genesis brand, and the G90, are destined for our shores.