by "Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
Published 11/20/2017 at 16:27
by "Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
Published 11/20/2017 at 16:27
Tags: Kia
STARS: 2
The successor to the Kia K900 will appear early next year. We probably won’t get it in the US during 2018 but it will likely come purely to establish the new nameplate. It’s been apparent since the Stinger “E” badges appeared that Kia Korea is entering the early phases for launching a premium brand (subbrand really) by 2025. Whatever the K900 successor is called will likely set the tone for the name of the new brand.
The K900 successor has an interesting designation as “RJ.” I’ll get into what that hints towards later but for now you can expect that everything you can get on the Genesis G80 will be available in the big Kia including an AWD system, the 3.3t V6, and the Tau V8. The new things will likely be a 10-speed auto, Kia’s next level of autonomous tech/driver aids/safety systems, connectivity, and the usual marketing fap fest riddled with delirious yet whimsically ironic Walt Whitman-like passages.
Back in 2015 — which was around the time when the Stinger was originally going to launch — Kia Korea was working on a name like Esentus, Esensus, or Esencis (basically Essence/Essential) to house their premium RWD vehicles. I hope those names are tossed for a word with meaning rather than a noise harbled together from words with meaning.
I do think a subbrand would be a better move than a spin off though. Thankfully it seems that’s the way the stormtrooper hits the tree, as they say!
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This is one of times where I put two posts into one large post. Im going to talk about why the RJ designation is notable.
Kia designating the car the “RJ” is important because it denotes a new platform group. We are getting to the point where saying this platform is shared with the Genesis G90 wont be accurate (though saying it is shared with the Genesis G80 would be closer).
You had the first generation Hyundai Genesis Sedan as the BH. Kia got the platform to develop the K900 and Hyundai used it to make the Equus. Since the aims were so close you can call them the same car even though each brand did their own thing with what they had. Now you have Kia taking that K900 platform and developing a new car from that instead of directly being given the G90 platform that was evolved from the Equus.
Since you have the brands working off their own projects you end up with every generation being pulled further and further away from the sibling’s similar project. That’s the reason why you’ll probably start hearing Genesis say they don’t share a structure with Kia though the platforms are related through a common starting point. This will be especially true when the Kia K900 successor comes out and everyone says that its platform is shared with the Genesis G90. At that point, through so many tweaks, the two cars will be the least similar platform competitors within the Hyundai Motor Group trio.
It’s pretty interesting stuff and the same is true between Audi, Porsche, Bentley, and Lamborghini. They will market the benefit and advancement of platform sharing for the first few cars. Time and new cars will come out from every brand and after awhile the platforms diverge so much that the brands will have a unique platform. Then the market changes and we start the process over again.
Hyundai has had about a decade with RWD cars now so this is sort of the genesis of moving upmarket and it all came from the Genesis Sedan.
K Designation (Will end up used by all brands)
Hyundai Genesis Coupe - BK
Kia Stinger Sedan - CK
Genesis G70 Sedan - RK
Likely Hyundai Sportscar (Formerly Genesis G70 Coupe)
Upcoming Genesis GV70 SUV
H Designation (The base for I and J Designations)
First gen Hyundai Genesis Sedan - BH
Kia K900 - KH
Second gen Hyundai Genesis Sedan/Genesis G80 - DH
Upcoming GV80 SUV (may receive I designation)
Likely Kia Luxury SUV (may receive J designation)
J (Eventually only for Kia Premium Subbrand)
Kia K900 Successor - RJ
I (Eventually only for Genesis Brand)
Hyundai Equus - VI
Genesis G90 - HI
Upcoming Genesis GT90 Luxury Coupe
Im just tossing the cars in that Im 85% certain will appear in the next two years. It is neat to look at how much has come out of and evolved from the Genesis Sedan and Genesis Coupe since they started being built back in 2008.
"Arrivederci" (arrividerci)
11/20/2017 at 16:36, STARS: 1
Interesting. I’d still be rather surprised if Hyundai Motor Group would take the chance with launching a second luxury brand, at least until they’re successful with Genesis.
"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
11/20/2017 at 16:46, STARS: 1
It’s a very weird relationship between the three brands right now since there is a lot more autonomy than ever and more to come. I’m hoping that Renault, Nissan, and Mitsubishi are taking notes because I think HMG has a great template (plus it’s pretty sweet revenge since HMG blueprinted Nissan’s RWD products).
"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
11/20/2017 at 16:48, STARS: 0
I know a couple with 2 Kias, and they’re dead reliable and well screwed together. I’ve been in one Uber Kia. Everything I know says the brand is good. However, will someone who wants a big Lexus think saving 30 grand to buy the Genesis, or 40 grand to buy whatever the Kia is called, take the bait? I’ve seen a few Genesis chauffeur driven, but it’s nearly all Lincolns, some Lexi, very few Maybachs, and some S Classes. Sure, NYC isn’t ground zero for this car, but they’d be wise to make it such that black car services (Dial 7, CarMel) want to buy them.
"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
11/20/2017 at 17:15, STARS: 1
It’s more for South Korea than anyone else. When Hyundai took control over Kia it was like GM buying Ford. The brands are still rivals rather than being the Chevy-Buick-Cadillac heirarchy we are used to. This means that when Hyundai launched Genesis everyone wanted to know why Kia didn’t launch a rival. Same thing would happen if Chevy launched Corvette as a Porsche-rivaling performance brand, within the same week there would be reports of Ford buying Shelby in order to make them a Porsche-rivaling performance brand.
However, since Genesis surprised everyone and decided they don’t want to be attached to Hyundai...well, Hyundai doesn’t actually have their own luxury brand anymore. So there is no longer an urgency to launch a Kia luxury brand in retaliation.
"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
11/20/2017 at 18:00, STARS: 1
And I will say the same thing I always say: if I’m on a job and they’re paying for the ride home, I’ll get into anything they send. Unless it’s that taxi from Scrooged ...
"for Michigan" (formichigan)
11/20/2017 at 18:03, STARS: 1
“E” badge? Looks like they’re gonna follow Hyundai’s lead and call their premium brand Exodus!
"ranwhenparked" (ranwhenparked)
11/20/2017 at 18:34, STARS: 0
Hyundai only owns ca. 39% of Kia, which no doubt makes them the biggest shareholder by far, but, still its below absolute control. They effectively operate as one organization, a la Renault-Nissan, but Kia still has a lot of other shareholders to please outside of Hyundai, and if they need to add a luxury brand to do it, then so be it. And if it works out, Hyundai benefits anyway.
"ranwhenparked" (ranwhenparked)
11/20/2017 at 18:35, STARS: 1
In keeping with Kia tradition, I’m assuming this will be both much better looking and slightly cheaper than the Hyundai on which it is based.
"LJ909" (lj909)
11/20/2017 at 19:47, STARS: 0
Nothing about this makes sense to me because of the fact Genesis exists and the weird dynamic between Hyundai Kia. Hyundai doesnt own them outright, so technically they are rivals. But they act as if they are one company. For one, they’ve never stated anything that said they wouldnt offer Genesis in Korea. So something here isnt adding up. Hyunda/Kia is going to have 2 luxury brands under them? That wouldnt make sense. As it stands now though the K900 and Stinger are out of place for the Kia brand itself though.
Should be interesting this next gen K900. Im sure we wont be getting it though. K900 sales here in the US have been VW Phaeton like. I think YTD sales through October were like 357 or something like that. It sucks because aside from the badge perception they are a steal used.
"Dasupersprint - base trim is enough" (dasupersprint)
11/21/2017 at 13:35, STARS: 0
Question for you: Do you think the G70 will be cheaper or more expensive than the Stinger?
Genesis has a more premium image, but can’t yet charge german prices. What do you think?
"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
11/21/2017 at 18:02, STARS: 1
The pricing will be relatively identical to the Stinger. If it’s over or under the Stinger then it won’t be more than a few hundred dollars.
"Dasupersprint - base trim is enough" (dasupersprint)
11/22/2017 at 08:43, STARS: 1
Good, that means the choice will be even tougher