Description
The Hyundai Genesis (Korean: ?? ????) is an executive four-door, five passenger, rear or all-wheel-drive full-size luxury sedan manufactured and marketed by Hyundai. The Hyundai Genesis debuted in 2008 until Genesis spun off as a separate entity in 2017, rebadging the vehicle as the G80. Introduced in concept form at the 2007 New York International Auto Show, and internally designated as the BH model, the Genesis was expected to cost $533 million to develop. Hyundai began marketing the first generation Genesis worldwide (except in Europe) in 2008 as a “premium sports sedan”. The second generation Genesis (model DH) debuted in Seoul, Korea in November 2013[5] followed by the 2014 North American International Auto Show[7] and Toronto Auto Show. It is marketed worldwide. On 4 November 2015, Hyundai officially separated Genesis into its own luxury division, Genesis Motor. The leap into a stand-alone, luxury brand came on the heels of marked success in the luxury market, paired with consumer demand for the Genesis name.
Introduced in March 2007 as the “Concept Genesis”, the sedan was designed by Hyundai as a “progressive interpretation of the modern rear-wheel drive sports sedan”.Hyundai conceived the idea for the Genesis in 2003. The body design took three years and the total cost of the program was $500 million over a development period of 23 months. Reliability testing ran for 800,000 miles.
Hyundai reportedly benchmarked the BMW 5 Series (E60) sedan during the Genesis’ development; the company’s press release indicates the Genesis body in white exceeds the BMW in torsional rigidity by 14%.[14] The production Genesis sedan received a five-star crash rating in every category from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.[15][16] Hyundai markets the Genesis as offering “the performance of a BMW 5-Series and the interior packaging of a 7-Series at the price of a 3-Series”.
Reviewing the Genesis 4.6 at its US introduction, automotive journalist Dan Neil called the absence of brand emblems at the front of the Genesis “a move that subverts the grammar of luxury”.
