2004 Hyundai Centennial Overview

To put it into perspective, the Centennial is longer and wider than the current Infiniti Q45, Lexus LS 430 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, while longer than the BMW 745i.

The long wheelbase version of the Centennial stretches it out past Volkswagen Phaeton proportions. (Photo: Hyundai Auto Canada)

Heck, it's almost as long as the Audi A8 L, BMW 745iL, Mercedes-Benz S600, and Volkswagen Phaeton, the VW being longest of them all. But before VW fans get too excited, Hyundai is said to also have a long wheelbase version of the Centennial, reported to span 3,090 mm (121.7 inches) with an overall length of 5,390 mm (212.2 inches).

But longer or not, would North American luxury buyers want a full-size Korean premium car? That's a difficult question, albeit similar to one answered by Toyota and

It has worked for Toyota and not quite as well for Nissan, but will North American luxury buyers consider a premium Hyundai? (Photo: Hyundai Auto Canada)

Nissan back in the early '90s with the advent of the Lexus LS 400 and Infiniti Q45. Japanese cars were seen in much the same light by North American consumers in the late 1980s as Korean cars are perceived now, and with Hyundai moving up the quality charts, bypassing Toyota in the most recent J. D. Power and Associates 2004 Initial Quality Survey (IQS) for one, the automaker's ability to build a quality product can hardly be questioned.

But Toyota and Nissan re-branded their top-tier entrants, a move that Hyundai would be wise to follow. Developing and then marketing a new brand, however, is extremely expensive and takes time to take hold in the marketplace. It might be seen as a risky proposal for the Korean automotive giant.