Can Hyundai beat the luxury brands?

Hyundai is on a mission to beat the Europeans and Japanese at the high-end of the automobile spectrum. I've considered buying a Hyundai after driving them somewhat extensively on week-long vacations where I've chosen rental cars. I've driven both their sedans and SUVs and I've been extremely impressed with their quality, performance, and overall "driveability." From the article:

Bolstered by an incredible No. 3 ranking on J.D. Power and Associates' overall product quality list, putting Hyundai just behind Porsche and Lexus, Hyundai is now implementing a strategy of building better passenger vehicles than any of its European or Asian rivals and selling them at substantially lower prices.

Whether they can persuade people to buy their luxury cars or not is a big gamble. It seems that their niche is value. If they can convince high-profile consumers to make the switch from Porsche, Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes, bully for them. It just might be the wrong move.
Warren Brown - Hyundai's Mission Possible: Beat the Luxury Brands - washingtonpost.com