Hyundai plots smaller Genesis
Korean car-maker to lock horns with the Mercedes C-Class, BMW 3 Series and Lexus ISHyundai has confirmed its second-generation Genesis coupe for Australia by 2015 and the new Genesis sedan is also likely to be sold here, but now the Korean car giant appears to be eyeing a slice of the compact prestige segment.
According to reports, a downsized Genesis model to be positioned below the BMW 5 Series-size Genesis sedan will match the sporting rear-wheel drive layout of mid-size luxury leaders like the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Lexus IS.
US journal Automotive News states the new vehicle is known by the codenamed ‘RK’ and is now well into its planning phase.
It’s believed the smaller Genesis will be slightly larger than the 3 Series, which would enable the company to pitch its greater interior space as a selling point (to offset the deficit in snob value vis-à-vis its German competitors).
No precise details regarding the vehicle’s tech spec are as yet known, but it’s likely to source much of its hardware from the larger Genesis sedan and coupe, new iterations of which are due to emerge within a year.
The new mid-size sedan’s drivetrain choices are expected to include four-cylinder turbo and V6 power, possibly mated to the company’s new 10-speed automatic transmission, which will eclipse (at least in terms of number of ratios) ZF’s recently launched nine-speed auto.
Unlike the current Genesis sedan (pictured), which is offered solely in left-hand drive format, all future Genesis models will be available with their steering wheel on either side, enabling them to be sold globally.
The smallest Genesis – for now -- would obviously have great potential in burgeoning Asian markets, as well as here. The ‘medium’ segment (as it’s dubbed by industry statistician VFACTS) is currently dominated by the C-Class (3476 sales until the end of July) and 3 Series (3284 sales), while Audi’s A4 is a distant third with 1610 sales.
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