Hyundai to give 2014 Equus more-refined interior materials, better ride
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LOS ANGELES -- Hyundai says its 2014 Equus full-sized sedan will get more-refined interior materials and an improved ride from the outgoing version.
The automaker said late Wednesday that it will show its freshened Equus flagship this month at the New York auto show.
Also new for the Equus: 19-inch “turbine-spoke” rims, John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America, said Thursday morning via Twitter. Other changes will be made to the car’s exterior and interior design details, driver displays and safety technologies, Hyundai said in a statement.
The Equus is Hyundai’s most expensive nameplate. The high-line Ultimate trim level tops out at more than $67,000, including shipping, for the 2013 model. Pricing for the 2014 Equus models has not been announced. The Equus went on sale in the United States as Hyundai’s halo vehicle in the fall of 2010, thrusting the brand better known for value-packed small- and mid-sized cars into prestige territory.
Hyundai bypassed establishing a separate brand and dealer network for the Equus and its other premium vehicles, the Genesis sedan and coupe. The move coaxed dealers into improving their showrooms because dealers who wanted to sell the Equus were required to dedicate showroom space for the car and install special signs, materials and lighting.
Hyundai also piloted new sales techniques, including at-home test drives for prospective Equus buyers and valets who pick up Equus units due for service.
Hyundai sold 3,972 units of the Equus last year, a 24 percent increase from 2011 but far behind the BMW 7 series and the Mercedes-Benz S class, premium competitors that each had more than 11,000 sales in 2012.
You can reach Ryan Beene at rbeene@crain.com. -- Follow Ryan on 
