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Coming soon: An Aston Martin economy car and a $60,000 Hyundai
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The Aston Martin Cygnet concept is a rebadged Toyota iQ.
(photo by Aston Martin)
The British maker of exotic sports cars has unveiled a Toyota-based subcompact hatchback and the Korean maker of economy cars plans to sell its full-size ultra-luxury sedan in the U.S. at prices approaching $60,000.
Who missed April 1st?
The Aston Martin Cygnet concept, a rebadged Toyota iQ that's only slightly larger than the Smart, will likely sell for around $33,000 if it is put into production, which is likely. It may be offered only to people who already own a pricier Aston Martin -- the next-cheapest Vantage starts at $120,000 -- as Aston Martin says a third of its customers also have smaller cars.
“This concept is akin to an exclusive tender for a luxury yacht,” Aston Martin's CEO told the British magazine Autocar. Others have compared it to designer luggage.
Meanwhile, Hyundai is reportedly bringing over its Equus luxury sedan (see photos below the article in today's slideshow) to rival the Lexus LS460 and Mercedes-Benz S550. It already sells the car in Korea and sells the slightly smaller Genesis in the U.S. for up to $43,000.
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Hyundai had been showing the Equus in the U.S. to gauge consumer responsiveness to a Hyundai that will be priced near $60,000, and results were apparently favorable.
Like its competitors, the Equus is a full-size rear-wheel-drive car with a powerful V8 (the same 4.6-liter that's offered in the Genesis) and lots of luxury gadgets.
Hyundai has not officially confirmed the Equus for the U.S. market, but Autoweek magazine's anonymous source caught few pundits by surprise, as the automaker has never shied from an opportunity to prove itself.
The mid-luxury Genesis sedan has sold between 1,000 and 1,500 units per month since it went on sale in the U.S. about nine months ago, which is far below the best-sellers in its class but on par with several established competitors. Hyundai will expect very low volume for the Equus.
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