This is the US-specification 2011 Hyundai Equus. A rare bird, indeed, which is why we made haste in strapping it down to a Dynojet chassis dyno and making it sing when we had the chance.
Hit the jump for more info, images and our dyno result.
The 2011 Equus' 4.6-liter Tau V8 was plucked intact from the Genesis. This all-aluminum V8 sports 32-valves and dual cam phasing. Whether in the Equus or Genesis, the Tau V8 delivers 385 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 333 lb-ft of torque at 3500 rpm on premium fuel (these numbers drop by 7 and 9, respectively, on regular).
We tested on 91 octane, as always, which is technically "premium" fuel here in California. In reality 91 is a crummy alternative to the real-deal 93 and 94 octane available elsewhere in the States. Whether 91 octane has any adverse effect on the Equus' ultimate power is anyone's guess.
As measured at the wheels, peak power of 321 horsepower arrived right before the Equus upshifted at 6,700 rpm. Peak torque of 291 lb-ft came at 4,950 rpm. This is a far cry from the 3500 rpm at which Hyundai pegs peak torque, and it's possible that if we were able to start the dyno pull from lower engine speeds we would have captured this true peak lower in the rev range.
Like most cars equipped with an automatic transmission, the Equus wanted to downshift when we layed into the throttle on the dyno. This would happen even when the transmission's manual gate was selected. Fourth gear was even more kickdown-happy than third, depriving us of a few hundred rpm at the start of the data, so we resorted to using third gear for the result you see above.
That little dip in the torque curve at 4,800 rpm was repeatable run after run. Speaking of repeatable, the Equus was among the most consistent cars on the dyno that I can remember -- the last few runs were all within a few tenths of a horsepower.
One surprise is how good the Equus' V8 sounded on the dyno as it tore through its rev range. It's a kind of restrained aggression, like silk tearing while submerged in a bucket of full-fat milk.
For those whom want more pop, Hyundai will introduce a 429-hp direct-injected 5.0-liter version of the Tau V8 for the Equus once it has been in the US for a year. For now, though, the 4.6 will suffice. We'll have complete driving impressions and such on the 2011 Equus in the coming days.
--Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
derrell says:
12:31 PM, 08/30/10
Yay for Hyundai. I hope this Equus does well here in the USA. I really like the direction that Hyunda is going in and the new products that are coming out really are eye catching to me. Of course there will be bashing because of the name of the vehical but everyone doesnt want a status symbol. Some prefer to stay under the radar. Good job Huyndai
half_ton says:
12:38 PM, 08/30/10
This was a nice read but dyno numbers can't answer the all important question . . . will this vehicle sell well against the established competition? Only time will tell.
to626n says:
01:17 PM, 08/30/10
@ half_ton
It will probably sell as well as the Genesis, which is to say that it will be in high demand about 6 months after the official launch and then taper off significantly in the following years until a refresh or a redesign. Don't get me wrong the Equus is well designed and engineered but it doesn't bring anything new to the Ultra Luxury Sedan class. If Hyundai can learn anything from the mess that VW called the Phaeton, it's that it has to be priced much, much, much lower than the Lexus LS, BMW 7, and MB S Class.
actualsize says:
01:33 PM, 08/30/10
At-the-crank power and torque readings are all well and good, but they allow the engine to be operated independently of the transmission's shift calibration. Wouldn't you agree that this is an unrealistic situation for an engine that will ultimately be mated to an autobox?
After all, the tranny wants to downshift because it's programmed to do so. What you saw on the chassis dyno is what people will experience on the road. For my money, the 4,950-rpm torque peak you measured IS the torque peak of the vehicle as a unit, a much more realistic configuration than measuring a disembodied engine on a stand.
I'll take it one step further. For my money, all SAE horsepower and torque certifcation tests should be done in the car, on a chassis dyno with the final transmission calibration in play. Horsepower and torque at the flywheel has never really mattered, in my opinion. At-the-wheels performance is the only performance that matters to me, and it's the only performance that should be advertised.
skidrive9 says:
01:39 PM, 08/30/10
"A rare bird, indeed"
omg I laughed when I read that
andy999 says:
04:38 PM, 08/30/10
320HP at the rear wheels sounds right on target for an engine rated at 385 Flywheel HP. To keep this power level in perspective, keep in mind, that many vehicles with that output would be capable of running a quarter mile in the low to mid 13 second range in stock trim, and with normal driving tactics. Obviously, this large luxury sedan may not hit that mark, but still has very ample power for most any normal driving conditions. The Hyundai Tau 4.6L based engine does sound very nice in the upper rpm band. For more high rev sound and excitement, look up the video of the Rhys Millen mid engine, 4.6L Genesis Coupe at speed. Definitely, worth a look and listen . . .
alpine6speed says:
05:12 PM, 08/30/10
A better looking LS for thousands less. Nice job
itm1221 says:
05:52 PM, 08/30/10
the engine is really quiet....
ne1butu2 says:
06:08 PM, 08/30/10
This is not an attractive car. A Buick LaCrosse is more appealing... which I never thought I would ever say about a Buick. I do like the wheels on the Equus. But I liked them since they were offered on the Bentley six years ago. This is no S-Class fighter. It's just a knockoff that will only compete with the Lexus LS, which is also a knockoff.
jm1212 says:
08:17 PM, 08/30/10
not alot for such a large car, especially torque
alex38 says:
08:25 PM, 08/30/10
I'll be the first to admit I'm a brand snob and my first choice in this space would be the S-Class followed by the 7-series.
Still, as strange as it sounds, I would have no qualms driving this Equus due to all of the positive press I've heard about the Genesis sedan/coupe. The 429-hp direct-injected 5.0-liter version of the Tau V8 sounds especially promising.
church123 says:
10:07 PM, 08/30/10
Well this certainly has to put the dyno of the 535i into a new perspective. While the 535i was a bit disappointing by BMW standards (more for the shape of the curve rather than peak numbers), it did put down 277 hp and 283 lbs-ft.
The Equus, also an auto tranny model, is rated 33 lbs-ft of torque and, 85 hp higher, yet it only put down 321 hp and 291 lbs-ft. Either the N55, mildly disappointing as it may be, is still underrated, or the Equus is a little overrated. I suspect the truth is that there's a little bit of both going on when you look at other tests on the same dyno. Heck the SVT Raptor put down 361 in spite of those huge and heavy tires and it is only rated 26 hp higher than the Equus.
church123 says:
10:25 PM, 08/30/10
Well this certainly has to put the dyno of the 535i into a new perspective. While the 535i was a bit disappointing by BMW standards (more for the shape of the curve rather than peak numbers), it did put down 277 hp and 283 lbs-ft.
The Equus, also an auto tranny model, is rated 33 lbs-ft of torque and, 85 hp higher, yet it only put down 321 hp and 291 lbs-ft. Either the N55, mildly disappointing as it may be, is still underrated, or the Equus is a little overrated. I suspect the truth is that there's a little bit of both going on when you look at other tests on the same dyno. Heck the SVT Raptor put down 361 in spite of those huge and heavy tires and it is only rated 26 hp higher than the Equus.
gts09 says:
11:05 PM, 08/30/10
Hyundai seems to be making a lot of smart moves lately in the car industry.
deductive reasoning states that.
Hyundai likes making smart moves.
dropping the 5.0 with 430hp in the Gen coupe is a smart move.
Therefore Hyundai will make the smart move and do so.
C'mon dont be stupid. they've got the momentum to do so and if they hit the right price point they will move em like hot cakes and have a lineup that literally competes with everything, (sept convertible market, which i bet that's what their surprise vehicle will be thats supposed to be debuting some time next year.)
redgeminipa says:
04:51 AM, 08/31/10
I've always had a soft spot for luxoboats. Cadillac in my young days and 7-Series as I matured. I'd rather drive this than an LS, and I could see myself behind the wheel of one.
andy999 says:
08:51 AM, 08/31/10
For many years, the typical, common differential of power output from rated flywheel HP to actual rear wheel HP has been around 15 to 20 percent. This dyno test actually shows the 4.6L Equus to be directly within that typical range, as per the peak numbers anyway. Any result much better than this would probably be a situation of a company either intentionally under-rating their product (for various strategic reasons), or a newer, more critical rating scale being used. At any rate, it will be interesting to see what type of numbers and power curve the new 5.0L Hyundai Tau engine can produce, once that becomes available for a test. The current output of around 320HP at the wheels, should be more than plenty for typical daily driving conditions, especially with Hyundai's all new 8 speed automatic, and very efficient electronic drivetrain management tech.
church123 says:
12:07 PM, 08/31/10
That is correct Andy, but since the SAE changed the way power numbers are measured 4-5 years ago (actually, they are measured the same, but they are corrected to a tougher atmospheric condition), the actual variance between dynojet and SAE flywheel hp has dropped from 15-18% down to 8-12%.
Hyundai is a little on the low side with this one, and in fact, I'd say in general their dyno plots are a touch on the low side. Nothing to worry about, and it doesn't mean there is any deception going on. Rather, they're rating their motors as high as they possibly can while other OEMs are beign more conservative with their published ratings, or building a lot more headroom into them.