The Hyundai Genesis is the most upscale car from the Korean automaker ever. Sales start this fall for the sedan and next year for the coupe.
I’ve been critical of Hyundai for the past two decades though I will say that the company has made great strides when it comes to quality. After all, the Hyundai Excel which came stateside in 1987 isn’t a fair measuring tool on how the Korean automaker is holding up. Rather, vehicles like the Sonata, Entourage, and very soon the Genesis are the best examples of what Hyundai is making today.
Speaking of the Genesis, the one problem I have with this beautiful car is that it is going to be called a Hyundai. No slap at the Hyundai name, but when you’re trying to go upmarket with your products you need to develop a fresh line to market your goods. Toyota has done that successfully with Lexus, Honda with Acura, and Nissan with Infiniti. That’s why you see a clear delineation between Cadillac and Chevrolet and should see the same between Ford and Lincoln (unfortunately not enough of one).
The Genesis coupe is going to be a different beast then the sedan, a rear wheel driven vehicle that the company expects will compete with the best that BMW, Audi, and Mercedes can throw at it. A tall order indeed to step on Teutonic turf, but that is exactly what Hyundai has in mind with the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
Toward making the Genesis Coupe a legitimate performance car, Edmunds is reporting that the company is already working with aftermarket tuners to measure the coupe. 20 aftermarket product companies were invited to Hyundai’s North American headquarters in Fountain Valley, California last week to review the coupe including suppliers who might provide seat covers and performance parts.
The move is unusual as the production Genesis Coupe won’t hit the market until 2009, but Hyundai is attempting to establish the car right away as a serious contender. Given that performance enthusiasts enjoy tweaking and customizing their rides, available aftermarket parts and accessories could be available as soon as the Genesis Coupe hits Hyundai showrooms.
Hyundai plans to offer a pair of powerplants in the coupe including a 310-hp 3.8-liter V6 and a 223-hp, 2.0-liter, turbocharged, inline four-cylinder. Production begins this December with 2010 models arriving in dealerships in February 2009. Prices haven’t been established but are expected to begin in the low 20s and top out just above $30K.
The Genesis coupe is going to be a different beast then the sedan, a rear wheel driven vehicle that the company expects will compete with the best that BMW, Audi, and Mercedes can throw at it. A tall order indeed to step on Teutonic turf, but that is exactly what Hyundai has in mind with the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe.