Hyundai launched its Equus full-size sedan in the U.S. as a 2011 model with a 385-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 as the sole engine. For 2012, the Equus gets a significant horsepower bump, thanks to a new 429-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 that becomes the standard engine. The 2012 Equus hits dealerships this summer.With the new engine comes a new transmission. The 4.6-liter V-8 paired with a six-speed automatic, but the 5.0-liter V-8 works with an eight-speed automatic transmission developed by Hyundai. The 2011 Equus achieves an EPA-estimated 16/24 mpg city/highway, but gas mileage figures — as well as any change in pricing — haven't been announced for the new drivetrain.
It's not every day that an automaker launches a car one year and gives it a new engine the next, but with the Equus' little brother, the Genesis sedan, adding the 5.0-liter V-8 as an optional engine for 2012, Hyundai had to take care of its flagship car, too.
