If the Genesis is playing in the shallow end of the luxury market, the Equus is ready to swim in the deep -- especially those models with the Ultimate package, designed for owners more likely to be driven than to drive. That model comes with reclining, massaging rear seats, a refrigerator and a few other extra amenities. But even the Equus Signature package, which is expected to make up most of the car's sales, is awash with leather, chrome, wood and plenty of technological bells and whistles. According to Squatriglia:
"The roomy interior is slathered with butter-soft leather, with an Alcantara suede headliner, walnut (or birch) veneer and polished-aluminum accents. The infotainment and navi systems are intuitive and easy to navigate using the large knob on the center console. (Navi system is 2-D only, though.) And the steering wheel — heated, of course — feels absolutely fantastic. The front seats are heated and cooled, and the driver's seat offers a subtle massage that, frankly, feels great."

Not only that, but he also says the car is fun to handle, albeit a little underpowered with the 4.6-liter V8 engine's 385 horses and 333 lb-ft of torque being forced to power a 4,600-pound car that's nearly 17 feet long; luckily, it's a problem set to be addressed this spring in the form of a 5.0-liter V8 putting out 429 horsepower.

Did we mention that pricing for the Signature-package Equus is expected to be in the mere $50,000 range, and that the long list of amenities, minus those few elevated to the Ultimate package, are all standard? It's not that BMW and Mercedes-Benz need to be worried about being outclassed -- they certainly know how to build luxury -- but at that price for an Equus, they're going to have to worry about being undercut.