Hyundai to launch new luxury sedan codenamed VI in February 2009

Mumbai: South Korea's largest automaker, Hyundai Motor Company, plans to launch a new luxury car codenamed VI in February 2009, the company said.

The new sedan will showcase Hyundai's most advanced technologies, including sophisticated safety features such as second-generation vehicle stability management system (VSM2), a lane peparture warning system (LDWS), which employs a vision sensor to monitor traffic lane markers.

The pre-safety seatbelt system, which on detecting an imminent front-end collision, will automatically reel-in the safety belts to maximise the safety of the occupants.

The new flagship of the Hyundai fleet will replace the 10-year-old Equus (known as centennial in export markets). Unlike the front-wheel drive in Equus, VI adopts a rear-wheel drive architecture which can now compete with the Lexus LS460, BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, all rear-wheel drive models.

The new sedan is longer, wider and taller than its predecessor, and will measure 5,160mm in length, 1,900mm in width and 1,495mm in height.  VI is powered by a 3.8-litre Lambda V-6 engine while the 4.6-litre Tau V-8 will be offered as an option.

According to Hyundai, the VI arrives in Korean showrooms in February 2009, while a top-of-the-range limousine edition will roll-out in the second half of 2009, which will feature a stretched wheelbase along with a 5.0-litre variant of the Tau V-8.

There are currently no plans to export VI to the North American or European markets.

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