The knowledge that a rear-wheel drive chassis is being developed for a sports car opens the doors to another radical
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| Hyundai is also considering developing a large rear-wheel drive vehicle for North American consumption, to sit above the recently-introduced Azera. This Equus concept shows a possible styling direction. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
possibility - that Hyundai is considering developing a large rear-wheel drive vehicle to sit above the recently-introduced Azera. The upscale RWD sedan could effectively put Hyundai in a position to contend in the high-end executive market currently filled by BMW, Infiniti, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz, among others. Such a model, or models, would probably be developed in a similar method to Nissan's F-MR architecture, sharing critical components such as the suspension, structure and drivetrains, granting the ability to create different-sized vehicles with unique driving characteristics.
Hyundai has long built a large luxury sedan for its home market and other global markets, named Equus. A large car concept that went by the same name and the designation HCD-7,
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| Hyundai has long built a large luxury sedan for its home market and other global markets, named Equus. (Photo: Hyundai Auto Canada) |
stunned auto show goers in 2002, showing that the Korean carmaker could indeed build something to rival top-tier brands, and now that its cars and SUVs are gaining respect for outshining the likes of Honda and Toyota, as well as Lexus now that Consumer Report's announced the Sonata as the most reliable car available in the U.S., the thought of a luxury Hyundai, or a separate premium fighting brand, doesn't seem out of the question.
The development of a rear-wheel driven sports car would be the first step. The vehicle's very premise is also something that's quite remarkable for a company that has spent the majority of its efforts concentrating on quality and reliability in mainstream segments.
