Spy Shots: 2012 Hyundai Azera frolics in the snow *UPDATE: Not the Azera

2012 Hyundai Azera – Click above for high-res image gallery

UPDATE: We mistakenly called this the 2010 Hyundai Azera. It's in fact the 2012 Kia Optima. Please click here to read the full update.

In its current form, the Hyundai Azera (known as the Grandeur outside the U.S.) has been around since 2005, and despite the new Sonata's push upmarket, Hyundai apparently still sees the need for another model to slot in between its new Camcord competitor and the Genesis Sedan.

Although a refreshed Grandeur was revealed for other markets late last year, judging by these latest spy shots, Hyundai is hard at work on a more thorough makeover, complete with an even more coupe-like roofline, Sonata-inspired fascia and chrome strip extending its way atop the front fender.

The four-wheel independent suspension is sure to remain, and Hyundai is likely to continue offering a choice of V6s – a 263-hp 3.8-liter or a 234-hp 3.3-liter – each mated to a six-speed automatic. We'd expect a small bump in output when the all-new Azera debuts late next year as a 2012 model.