The Korean manufacturer Hyundai already had the Genesis premium brand but it still made a car that could compete with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 2012. It was the Hyundai Equus, a bargain luxury car.

Hyundai tried to upscale their cars with the Equus, which was launched in 2010 as a 2011 model on the U.S. market. It was meant to be a competitor for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series and Lexus LS.