Hyundai Motor Co. on Tuesday launched the All-new Azera (badged as Grandeur in Korea) in hopes that the sixth-generation of the premium sedan model with a 30-year heritage help South Korea’s largest car maker recoup its share in the local market.

“The All-new Azera is born with Hyundai Motor’s ceaseless endeavor to innovate toward utter perfection, while inheriting 30 years of brand heritage from its predecessors,” Woong Chul Yang, vice chairman of Hyundai Motor Company and Head of R&D Center, said in the company’s press statement released on Tuesday.

The company claimed that the new luxury sedan comes with improved driving performance promising comfortable, convenient and safe driving experience with advanced safety features.

The chassis is made 34 percent stronger than the preceding model to ensure improved safety and driving performance, according to the company’s press release.

The luxury sedan is fitted in with Hyundai Smart Sense, a comprehensive Advanced Driver Assistance System tuned for driver safety, which includes Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keeping Assist, Active Blind Spot Detection, Driver Attention Alert, Advanced Smart Cruise Control and Around View Monitor.

Its exterior and interior also gets a big facelift from the previous model that was released five years ago. The company said its designers tried to make the new Azera to retain its “luxurious image” through simple and modern shapes while keeping its original looks.

The Azera comes with the largest cascading grille in the range and its unique LED headlamps combined with the heritage-inspired rear lamps to emphasize the sedan’s luxurious and imposing character, the company said.

The car’s length is 4,930 millimeters, while the width is 1,865 millimeters, height 1,470 millimeters and wheelbase 2,845 millimeters. It is 10 millimeters longer and 5 millimeters wider than its predecessor.

Hyundai Motor will sell the new Azera in four powertrain options in the Korean market, including 3.0 GDi or 2.4 GDi petrol engines, or a 2.2 diesel engine. A 3.0 LPi engine will also be available for fleet models. The 3.0 GDi petrol engine and 2.2 diesel engine will be fitted with a newly-developed eight-speed automatic transmission.

The number of pre-orders for the All-new Azera reached 15,973 units on the first day of taking pre-orders, a record high for the model. More than 27,000 cars have been booked from the first day of pre order on November 2 to Tuesday.

The All-new Azera is priced at 30.55 million won ($25,988.94) for the 2.4 GDi petrol engine model, 35.50 million won for the 3.0 GDi engine model, 33.55 million won for the 2.2 diesel engine model and 26.2 million won for the 3.0 LPi engine model.

The country’s biggest carmaker pins its hopes on the new Azera to help it restore its challenged status at home. Its domestic sales volume last month plunged more than 30 percent on year due to the lengthy labor strikes and lack of demand following the end of the government’s special tax incentive program on car purchases.

On Tuesday, Shares of Hyundai Motor remained unchanged at 133,500 won from the previous session.

By Lee Seung-hoon

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business News Korea & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]