Hyundai aiming to launch a premium car in US next year

South Korean automaker Hyundai has said that they are planning to launch a car aimed at the U.S. premium segment next year.

The company aims to improve upon their image in this country which is the largest auto market in the world. Japanese companies are already proving to be a big challenger for domestic players like GM, Ford and Chrysler… Hyundai could now become their latest nightmare.

Hyundai spokesman Jake Jang said in a statement on their plans for the US market: “We will launch the ‘BH’ in the first half of 2008 in South Korea and will begin to sell the premium sedan in the United States, the major export market for the model, late 2008.”

With this they aim to take on the Toyota’s Lexus range of cars. The Hyundai’s version would feature a V-8 engine. The company aims to sell around 20,000 units of the BH in the United States a year.