Unveiled at the last New York Auto Show, the Hyundai Genesis served as a message to Japanese and German carmakers: Hyundai wants to have its share of the luxury car segment. Since then, Hyundai engineers have been working on finishing the production car. These new spyshots reveal the latest changes.
On the outside, the front grille has lost its round corners in favour of Hyundai’s angular look. The three large stripes have been replaced by five thin stripes. The front headlights seem to have increased in size and the nice curves of the front bumper have been replaced with an unremarkable design. In a way, the front face has lost the concept car finesse and its style has weakened. This is a pity as the concept car design appeared to be close to production.
Hyundai never unveiled the interior of the concept car, but some spyshots were available on the internet in mid 2005. Hyundai has upgraded the interior with the latest technology. The navigation system has adopted a bigger screen while its controls have been replaced with a knob similar to the BMW’s iDrive. The wheel has lost its American influence to become more Japanese.
Even if the new exterior changes suggest a weaker design than the concapt car, the inside improvements are welcome. The Genesis will be sold with a choice of two engines, a V6 already available on the Azera/Grandeur and the new V8, which will produce more than 300 bhp. As for the price, it will be less than £14,800/€22,000/$30,000 for the entry-level. The last stumbling block might be the carmaker’s brand image. In order to improve its image, Hyundai hired Joel Ewanick in February. Ewanick has impressive credentials: in the past he has worked on improving the brand image of both Porsche and Lexus.
Source: KGP Photography
