@wheelsaustralia 15
keen to rely on technology rather
than cubic capacity for its future
performance models.
Genesis design chief Luc
Donckerwolke was quick to dismiss
future Genesis V8 models.
“As much as I like V8s ... the
electrification is going to be a
main element [for performance],”
Donckerwolke explained.
“Emissions have to be reduced
drastically; today a V8 is not
exactly responding to that.”
Elsewhere, the Genesis G70 is
expected to up its luxury game to
tempt buyers into a car that will
share underpinnings with the more
at the core
this brand”
rdable Stinger.
fter a tentative toe in
tralian waters, Genesis will
ch locally with a massive
n-sheet product offensive that
will introduce an entirely fresh
design direction, that includes
headlights which abandon the
traditional ‘eye’ look.
The man behind the pen,
Donckerwolcke, is also responsible
for the exterior design of the
Lamborghini Gallardo, Bentley
Flying Spur, and Skoda Octavia
among others.
Marketing gurus at Genesis
are using case studies from the
development of Lexus and Infiniti
brands to avoid the usual ‘luxury
arm’ pitfalls, with the customer
retail experience given key priority.
TOBY HAGONhief Manfred Fitzgerald
Mercedes has used the mid-life update of its
luxury sedan flagship, the S-Class, to debut a
family of all-new six-cylinder engines, a more
advanced suite of semi-autonomous tech and
some minor styling tweaks. The return to
straight-six propulsion includes both a 3.0-litre
diesel donk in two power outputs and a 3.0-
litre petrol, dubbed M256, that uses an electric
compressor to help eliminate lag. Tech wise, the
suite of driver-assist systems now integrates with
the sat-nav and will alter braking, acceleration
and steering for upcoming curves and junctions.S-Class spruced up
Any new brand takes time
firstly to be noticed, and,
secondly, to be considered a viable
challenger that people aspire to buying.
And you can multiply that for newcomer luxury
brands, which are competing with some of the
biggest, most respected names in the car business.
Witness the challenges of Infiniti and Lexus. Each
has been around almost 30 years, and each doesn’t
have anything like the pull of Mercedes-Benz.
The challenges are numerous. Genesis must define
itself as a brand and what it stands for. It has to
establish a viable dealer network, get its message out
and begin convincing at least some affluent buyers to
pass over the established players – which many will
have existing relationships with – and take a chance
with the largely unknown.
Then there’s the issue of producing cars that people
actually want to buy, something that’s not as easy
as it sounds.
Hyundai’s long road has already begun, though.
There are already hundreds of Genesis hire cars
chauffeuring people all over Australia. While those
cars are Hyundais, they’ve given tens of thousands of
people an insight into how far Hyundai has come.
Speak to the drivers and many say people are
surprised to learn it’s a Hyundai, not an Aston Martin
(blame the winged badge). That healthy first step has
taken a few years, but the hard work is still ahead –
and will be for many decades.
“It’s going to take time,” admits Kate Fabian,
former Hyundai Australia marketing executive
and the woman now in charge of establishing
Genesis in America.
Fabian has studied the ups and downs of other
brands, including Lexus and Infiniti. But she says
Genesis will focus more on customer service and the
ownership experience rather than the metal. “It’s not
just about the product; we’re about the experience,”
says Fabian. “Unlike a lot of the other luxury brands,
including BMW, Mercedes and Audi [where] it’s all
about the machine.”
Whether Genesis succeeds longer term will
probably depend on the appetite of future
management to wear big losses during what is sure
to be a long gestation.
TOBY HAGONOMMENT
RANDING
IRON
Alternative
C
B
edge off performance.
But expect the overall equation
to boost acceleration as part of a
push towards hybrid performance.
As for a V8, it appears Genesis is
propulsio
are
of
affo
A
Aus
laun
cleaGenesis c
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