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The world of Premium automobiles is, at least in Europe, firmly in the hands of the ABM group (Audi, BMW, Mercedes), and outsiders have always had a hard time stealing market share from the trio. The latest addition from the Hyundai group is obviously not impressed by this and is starting with its luxury brand genesis the attack on the established sizes.
The brand not only focuses on the products, but has also developed its own sales strategy that is intended to convince the customer. "We follow the Korean philosophy, according to which every customer is above all our guest", explains the German Genesis boss Benjamin Winkler, who used to work for the luxury company LVMH. At the same time, Genesis is returning with its sales outlets to the city centers, from which the classic car dealerships have withdrawn in recent years. “For us, only the best locations count. We opened our first German base on Theatiner Strasse in Munich and on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich, ”said Winkler, describing the brand's strategy.
Perfect service should convince
There, the prospective customer does not meet the classic salesperson, but rather “a Genesis Personal Assistant who will also accompany our customers after the purchase and who will take care of all questions relating to the car.” In the coming years, “ten to twelve further bases are being created, ”says Winkler, looking ahead.
The personal assistant organizes the workshop visits, has the Genesis picked up if necessary, a replacement vehicle delivered and the vehicle brought back to the customer. "With our program, we want to give the customer time and save stress," explains Winkler. The so-called Care Plan is valid for five years (or up to 75.000 kilometers), during this time it includes the guarantee, maintenance services, breakdown assistance, an optional rental car and over-the-air updates to the software and maps.
Only the 80s in Europe at the moment
Right from the start, when they started developing the premium brand eight years ago, the people in charge at Genesis had their sights on the European market, but initially launched their fleet in Korea, China and the USA. For the European start, the vehicles were tested in 15 countries, and of course the Nürburgring, the toughest test track, was a must.
The Genesis range currently consists of the G80 sedan and the GV80 SUV. Both vehicles were developed jointly by the teams in Korea and the European development center in Rüsselsheim. A 2,5-liter four-cylinder turbo gasoline engine (304 hp) and a 2,2-liter four-cylinder diesel engine (210 hp) are available as drive. The price list starts at 46.900 euros for the petrol sedan with rear-wheel drive. The all-wheel drive version costs 51.700 euros. The SUV starts at 62.200 euros. Power is transmitted by an eight-speed automatic, which works largely unnoticed and always delivers the right gear ratio.
Comfort comes first at Genesis
In both models, the person behind the steering wheel looks at a tidy collection of instruments, and the selected materials and workmanship meet the premium standards. The tasks of the infotainment system are controlled via a 14,5-inch central screen. For the chassis, the developers chose a set-up geared primarily to comfort, which does not change significantly even if one of the four possible settings (Eco, Comfort, Sport, Smart) is selected. However, the Comfort driving mode best suits the character of the two models. With “Smart”, the sensor system registers the driver's behavior and automatically adapts accordingly.
Comfort at the highest level
During the journey, the chauffeur and passengers are largely spared acoustic nuisance. For this purpose, special glass is used in the front and the front doors, and the light-alloy wheels were also designed in such a way that rolling noise is suppressed. The so-called ride preview system uses a front camera that detects unevenness and transmits this to the electronically controlled damping.
The two current models will soon be followed by more.
The G70 sedan and the compact SUV GV70, which are part of the BMW Dreier, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 segments, will soon kick off. The G70 Shooting Brake comes a little later and will then be the fifth Genesis model in Europe. The model designed by Design Director Luc Donkerwolke (formerly Bentley, Lamborghini, Skoda, Seat, Audi) was actually developed exclusively for the European market, but is now facing a global career. The drive range extends from 200 to 245 hp. The prices for the model will probably start at around 40.000 euros. In the coming year, more models, including those with electric drives, will follow.