The Legacy 600 is based on the ERJ 135 model, but includes added range with extra fuel tanks in the tail and forward of the wing, added winglets and an extensive drag reduction. It is certified to 41,000-foot (12,000 m) altitude versus 37,000 feet (11,000 m) for the airline configuration. Launched in 2000 at the Farnborough Airshow, the Legacy carryies 16 passengers for 3,050 nautical miles (5,650 km) or 8 passengers for 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km). The Legacy family includes the Legacy Shuttle, which is an ERJ 135 with a 19-seat passenger cabin configuration as standard (it does not have the same range as the Legacy Executive / Legacy 600). Although the Legacy is derived from the regional jet family, the airframe underwent a number of changes. Some changes include the addition of winglets (Executive only) to provide increased lift and improve efficiency with reduced drag of the tip vortex. Otheradditions include fuselage strakes, underbelly and cargo compartment tanks and the Honeywell Primus 1000 avionics suite. The Legacy is powered by two Rolls-Royce AE3007-A1E Engines.
The Legacy 600 competes on the upper end of the small to mid sized range of business jets. It has nearly the opposite design progression as the rival Canadair Challenger. The Legacy 600 was derived from the established ERJ family of regional jets, while the Canadair Regional Jet was developed by Bombardier from the Challenger business jet. Both lines of aircraft are competitors. Embraer has since launched lines of aircraft such as the Phenom 300 and the Lineage 1000 to compete with Bombardier in all markets.