Hyundai to create its own luxury marque?

[vrazzhledazzle]

An articles from yesterday...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. — Hyundai Motor America announced today that it will unveil the Concept Genesis at the 2007 New York Auto Show. According to the company, the new concept sedan points the way toward a future premium rear-wheel-drive sedan.

Hyundai's rapid rise in the U.S. market has led the Korean company to commission a new luxury sedan that will slot above the current Azera flagship. Although no additional details about the Concept Genesis were released, the existence of this premium sedan has been no secret.

Various prototypes have been caught testing over the past year, each one revealing a little more about this new Hyundai that's expected to cost roughly $30K-$35K. It rides on a 116-inch wheelbase, which puts it in the same league as the Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series in terms of size.

Although a V8 engine was rumored to be in the works, a prototype caught with its hood open revealed a V6 driving the rear wheels.

The interior features broad swaths of wood trim on the dash and center console. Leather trim covers nearly everything else. The backseat appears to offer generous legroom on par with anything short of a Lincoln Town Car.

What this means to you: Hyundai will soon have a sedan for nearly every budget, and if it's anything like its current products, the production version of the Concept Genesis will have a very competitive price to go along with its long list of features and industry-leading warranty

There is Acura, Lexus, Infiniti, and now Genesis?? Personally, I think its very possible. I think Hyundai is testing the waters by moving up to more and more premium sedans. But why do all Asian cars look the same?? I'm getting a Camry feel from this sketch...

Edited March 14, 2007 by vrazzhledazzle

[Variance]

An articles from yesterday...

There is Acura, Lexus, Infinity, and now Genesis?? Personally, I think its very possible. I think Hyundai is testing the waters by moving up to more and more premium sedans. But why do all Jap cars look the same?? I'm getting a Camry feel from this sketch...

1. Infiniti not Infinity.

2. Hyundai is Korean, not Japanese.

3. All Japanese cars don't look alike.

4. I think Hyundai could very well create its own luxury brand eventually. The Genesis is about as far as they can go I think as far as what people will pay for a "Hyundai".

[vrazzhledazzle]

1. Infiniti not Infinity.

2. Hyundai is Korean, not Japanese.

3. All Japanese cars don't look alike.

4. I think Hyundai could very well create its own luxury brand eventually. The Genesis is about as far as they can go I think as far as what people will pay for a "Hyundai".

1. Whatever, I was typin fast

2 - 3. I mean Asian. I know perfectly well that Hyundai-Kia is South Korean, I just though that the sketch looked influenced by Jap carmakers like Toyota and Mitsubishi (yea, I don;t know how to spell that either).

4. Agree

[CARBIZ]

True, all Japanese cars look...well, Japanese.

[vrazzhledazzle]

True, all Japanese cars look...well, Japanese.

I meant they have that trying-to-be-aggressive, but really its just bland.

[daves87rs]

That car needs a better look.

[Cory Wolfe]

*cough*Amati*cough*

Anyways, yeah, while I don't think all Asian vehicles look alike, that sketch certainly looks derivative. It seems to be a mix of Lexus GS and Toyota Avalon. Eh.

Edited March 14, 2007 by blackviper8891

[Dragon]

Hyundai Motor America announced today that it will unveil the Concept Genesis at the 2007 New York Auto Show. According to the company, the new concept sedan points the way toward a future premium rear-wheel-drive sedan.

sounds like Genesis will just be a new top level RWD car, not an entire brand

even though it looks like a sleek Cmary, I like the looks of it in the sketch

[Flybrian]

Sorry, but for a 'concept,' that thing is a sorry excuse. Zero originality and typical Hyundai derivations.

[Hudson]

sounds like Genesis will just be a new top level RWD car, not an entire brand

You're right that the article only discusses the new model, but Hyundai has been looking into a Lexus-like brand for a number of years now. Hyundai, the company, is being very aggressive in its marketing in the US while dealers are a little more conservative. Additions like the minivan and the bigger Santa Fe are good for the US market but Hyundai may be rushing a bit with this new sedan (I saw it in person a few years back) and their desire to have a full-sized pickup.

[Z-06]

That's a FUG

[Drew Dowdell]

The best way to tell the quality of a concept is if you can tell which brand designed it without looking at the badges.

Take the badges off the SIXTEEN and you can still tell it's a Cadillac

Take the badges off the G8 and you can still tell it's a Pontiac

Take the badges off the Charger and you can still tell it's a Dodge

Take the badges off the LaCrosse <concept> and you can still tell it's a Buick

Take the badges off this..... and what is it? It's a G.A.S.

[Intrepidation]

Sorry, but for a 'concept,' that thing is a sorry excuse. Zero originality and typical Hyundai derivations.

It's probably a prototype, not really a true concept.

[vrazzhledazzle]

sounds like Genesis will just be a new top level RWD car, not an entire brand

even though it looks like a sleek Cmary, I like the looks of it in the sketch

I know the article doesn't say Hyundai is planning a new brand. That was just MY forecast of what might happen considering how Hyundai has been trying to push further and further upmarket with the Azera and now the Genesis (which will be produced).

I mean, even today, when I see the Hyundai badge, I think of cheap-0 cars like the Accent and Kia Rio (which is also build by Hyundai). In other words, I wouldn't pay more than 35,000 even for an ultra-lux Hyundai.

[Robert Hall]

I mean, even today, when I see the Hyundai badge, I think of cheap-0 cars like the Accent and Kia Rio (which is also build by Hyundai). In other words, I wouldn't pay more than 35,000 even for an ultra-lux Hyundai.

I wouldn't pay more than 25k for a Hyundai..they just still have a cheap image in my mind..over 30k and Asian, I'd go for an Infiniti or Acura...

[Drew Dowdell]

The only way I'd buy a 35k Hyundai is if they built the Pheaton <as is> and sold it with a 100k mile warranty.

[FAPTurbo]

The only way I'd buy a 35k Hyundai is if they built the Pheaton <as is> and sold it with a 100k mile warranty.

You know... that's not a bad idea. I'm sure they could pull it off too...

[Windy-57]

Yeah, I saw this earlier and thought, "Hmm, Hyundai is going to build Camry's now...that's odd."

It's still too early for Hyundai to try and do something like this.

1. If this is supposed to be the start of a luxury brand, their dollars would be better spent solidifying their lineup and cleaning up their issues with Kia.

2. If this is supposed to be a range topper, they already have one, the Azera. So rather then dumping money into another top model, they should be investing more in the next-gen Azera.

Hyundai is rushing into too many things at once. I could easily see this blowing up in their face and seriously setting them back. Wouldn't that be fun to watch, not to mention GMDAT would blow up even more than it already has.

[Cadillacfan]

Their first model should be called the Phil Collins and make it for pretentious a**holes who think they're better then people who buy cars from the rest of the line . They should eventually spin the car off into its own Phil Collins brand that will try its hardest to be popular but will end up always being in the shadow of the Genesis brand. Too much? Absolutely.

[balthazar]

Has no one looked at azera sales? I've seen 2- no one's buying them, why would anyone buy a yet more expensive car, esp from a company that stuck 'GT' emblems on the anti-GT: the elantra

[CSpec]

Take the badges off the G8 and you can still tell it's a Pontiac

Gotta disagree with you on that one. It looks like any sporty sedan, it just has the Pontiac grill.

[vrazzhledazzle]

Gotta disagree with you on that one. It looks like any sporty sedan, it just has the Pontiac grill.

Well people who know cars know its a Pontiac. Now as for people that don't - they saw my background, a G8 with badges and all, and thought it was a BMW

[Dragon]

Pontiac hasn't found its own style yet, so to be able to tell that a grill-less G8 would be obvious as a Pontiac isn't possible to me. Unless of course you just want to say that Pontiac's style is just Holden's style with a hood scoop.

seeing a G8 with a Mitsu, Honda or any other number of badges on it wouldn't' make me think, hmm, dat ain't right.

[aaaantoine]

Pontiac hasn't found its own style yet, so to be able to tell that a grill-less G8 would be obvious as a Pontiac isn't possible to me. Unless of course you just want to say that Pontiac's style is just Holden's style with a hood scoop.

seeing a G8 with a Mitsu, Honda or any other number of badges on it wouldn't' make me think, hmm, dat ain't right.

Mitsu badge, maybe. But a Honda badge on that grille would confuse the crap out of me.