NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: Genesis G70 for Oz

Hyundai's Genesis luxury sub-brand will be given a shot in the arm next year when the company unleashes its all-new G70 mid-size prestige sedan in Australia, previewed here as the Genesis New York Concept.

If the local Hyundai operation gets its wish the G70 will be offered to Aussies powered by a sizzling 270kW/510Nm 3.3-litre turbo-petrol V6. Even better, there's also a high-performance Genesis G70 N on the way to rival the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C 63.

Exact timing for next year's G70 launch in Australia is not confirmed yet, but Hyundai Australia's Public Relations Manager Guido Schenken confirmed the vehicle will offered in right-hand drive and that "the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 is the engine we're pushing for".

Roughly the same size as a BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class but expected to cost significantly less -- potentially under $50,000 -- the new G70 will be based on a bespoke rear-wheel drive platform packing an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The concept vehicle is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol worth 180kW which could form the entry-level engine offering.

At the global premiere of the Genesis New York concept at the 2016 New York motor show today, Schenken told motoring.com.au "The G70 new compact Genesis is coming to Australia in 2017, and we see it as a rival to a BMW 4 Series or an Audi A5."

That suggests Hyundai will position the G70 as a mid-size luxury four-door 'coupe' like BMW's 3 Series-based 4 Series Gran Coupe and Audi's A4-based A5 Sportback, although a proper two-door coupe and a five-door SUV is also being developed from the same platform.

"We're not getting into detail about what the final G70 product will be at this stage, other than to say this concept may be quite close in dimensions and proportions to what the Genesis G70 will end up being."

The Korean car-maker's N performance division has already been fettling the all-new medium prestige car, but the fruits of this flavoursome union are not likely to ripen for another few years yet.

"As we currently understand there's a G70 N in development," said the Hyundai Australia spokesman, "but we don't know whether it'll be sedan or coupe or both."

It's not clear if the G70 N will be offered with V8 power but Schenken says a modified version of the twin-turbo V6 would do nicely.

"We're excited by the prospects of this car, particularly given the potential to develop an engine like the 3.3-litre twin-turbo, when the N team works its magic with that car."

Genesis insists it can be a bona-fide rival to luxury Euro brands like BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and also Japanese marques Lexus and Infiniti, and the Genesis New York Concept has a bold interior to prove it.

Upholstered with tan leather and suede, the driver is greeted with a massive 21-inch curved 'floating' screen that combines instruments and infotainment and features smartphone-inspired touch interfacing. Copper, stainless steel and aluminium highlights are also in evidence inside the cockpit.

In Australia the Genesis sedan is sold via Hyundai dealerships but this will have to change if the brand is to be taken seriously by luxury car buyers.

Indeed, by the time the G70 lands in Australia the car could well be sold via bespoke Genesis dealerships.

"As we move to separate the Genesis brand from Hyundai going forward, we're going to look at optimising the way we sell Genesis and we will probably cut back to around 50 Genesis dealerships [from 160] in Australia," said Schenken.

The idea will be to offer "a more specialised customer experience" and the Hyundai Australia executive observed that "we don't know if they'll be fully stand-alone [showrooms] or contained within existing Hyundai dealers."

The original Genesis large sedan (think E-Class or 5 Series size) has been on sale in Australia for more than a year, and will be given a mid-life facelift in the first-half of 2017 where it will be renamed the Genesis G80.

It's expected the G70 will follow later in 2017 as the second Genesis vehicle offered in Australia but there are no plans to offer the limo-sized G90 here, because it's built as a left-hand drive only vehicle at present.

Sales of Genesis vehicles in Australia totalled just 540 for the entirety of 2015, but as a direct rival for top-selling German mid-sizers, next year's new G70 should give the brand a much-needed sales boost.

"We think a small sedan has great potential in the Australian market," said Schenken. "A small rear-drive luxury car with a powerful twin-turbo V6 could do wonders in attracting new buyers to the brand."