No Genesis for Oz

Hyundai Motor Corporation has nixed any prospect of a right-hand drive program for the Genesis large-car range. The Commodore-sized Hyundai has just taken out the award for North American Car of the Year and topped a comparison of like cars conducted by America's equivalent to 'Choice', Consumer Reports. Among the cars in that comparison were the new Nissan Maxima and the Commodore-based Pontiac G8 -- so the Genesis wasn't up against weedy competition.

Yet in spite of its quality, the rear-wheel drive Hyundai will not be making it to Australia -- not to Australian showrooms at least.

We will see the Genesis coupe on the stand at the Melbourne Motor Show at the end of February and those with tickets to Top Gear Live will see it there, says Ben Hershman, Senior Manager for Product Communications and Public Relations at Hyundai. That car is not for sale though -- and there won't be any other cars arriving here, just the two that Hyundai has brought here for display.

Hershman informed the Carsales Network earlier today that the factory had definitely decided against a right-hook Genesis.

"I can confirm that we won't be seeing either product [sedan or coupe] in the Australian market," he said.

"We've got a couple of cars here -- coupes --and what we want to do is... to showcase them over the year, to demonstrate Hyundai's technology and design advances.

"But to answer your specific question, we will not be selling that car here."

There are some vicarious glad tidings for Hyundai. The company was one that actually sold more cars in America during January than it had the year before -- by a substantial 14.3 per cent. Hyundai is gaining sales traction in America through its Assurance program and improving fortunes for the Sonata and Santa Fe.

And Genesis too is kicking goals in America. Here in Australia, the importer trusts that some of that car's cachet will flow down to the brand's other products that are actually on sale.

"Hyundai Motor Sales America are extremely pleased with how Genesis is performing sales-wise to date," says Hershman.

"The thing that's particularly poignant for Hyundai, as a global brand, is the Genesis sedan winning North American Car of the Year...

"So I guess the pieces of the puzzle for us is that we haven't got the sedan here, but the coupe will represent another face of where Hyundai's going globally. We've had an opportunity to bring the two [coupes] here, which we've done, and we'll be making the best use of those two cars to showcase the Hyundai brand in Australia."