Confirming earlier reports and rumors, Hyundai officially announced today its intention to launch its new flagship sedan in the U.S. next year. Created to rival the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and BMW 7-Series - or at least that's what Hyundai supports, the Equus, which sits above the Genesis in the firm's automobile line-up, was launched this year in Korea while US consumers had the chance to see the luxury sedan up close at the New York Auto Show in April.

"We showed the car at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, and the response was fantastic," says John Krafcik, Hyundai Motor America president and CEO. "Since then, we've had a fleet travelling around the country, capturing input from our dealers and consumers. Here, too, the response was extraordinarily positive, and similar to the market reaction to the award-winning Genesis, so we've decided to bring it to the U.S."

The rear-wheel drive Equus shares much of its mechanicals with the Genesis but at 203.1 inches (5,160 mm), the Equus is 7.2 inches (182 mm) longer than the latter. In South Korea, the Equus is powered by the same 3.8-liter V6 and 4.6-liter V8 engines as the Genesis though Hyundai is readying an even more luxurious long wheelbase model that will feature a 5.0-liter V8 engine.

Hyundai said that its new flagship model will be sold in the States beginning in late 2010 with pricing, packaging, specifications, and the final name of the car for the U.S. market to be announced closer to launch.

Via Carscoop