Hyundai So Screwed It's Banking on the Genesis Coupe

"Wobbles the Mind" (wobblesthemind)
05/24/2016 at 22:10 • Filed to: Hyundai

HND-9 Concept (2013)

Alright, we got a road map for the Genesis model launches. The personal limo Genesis G90 launched Winter 2015. The oversized executive sedan G80 goes official late Summer or early Fall. Then the G70 compact sedan will be launched this Winter or Spring 2017. Right now though, I’m wondering why is there a 3 year gap before the Genesis (brand) coupe is launched?

The G70 compact sedan is supposed to be launched at the end of 2016 (aka this year), while the sports coupe wont launch until the end of 2019. That would be around the same time as the refresh of the G70 Sedan. So this Genesis (brand) coupe must be pretty different from the Hyundai Genesis Coupe (aka HyGenCo because this is getting confusing). Rather than freaking out and pretending this confirms Genesis is launching an Audi R8 competitor in 2020, I’m going to calm my loins and be reasonable for a change.

Here’s what’s probably going on, Hyundai is using the HyGenCo as the glue that holds all these brand launches together. Right now, Hyundai is launching a luxury brand in “Genesis” and a performance brand in “N,” all while maintaining it’s own Hyundai brand vehicles. The 2017/2018 HyGenCo is likely being reworked to be more luxury focused over sport focused (think G37 instead of 370Z). Once the Genesis brand has 3 sedans and 2 CUVs, dealers will likely have invested the money in creating separate areas or dealerships dedicated to the new brand and by 2020 that new sports coupe for Genesis Motors will be the new home of the sports coupe formerly known as HyGenCo. A repeat of the way the Hyundai Genesis Sedan effortlessly morphed into the Genesis G80 through a slight facelift. In the case of the HyGenCo becoming the Genesis Sports Coupe, it will go from being a modernized Infiniti G37 to an Infiniti Q60 level competitor.

“Why doesn’t Hyundai just move the Genesis Coupe to the Genesis brand now and save us the confusion?”

Great question! I mentioned the HyGenCo being the connection between Genesis, Hyundai, and “N” Performance. The issue that the Hyundai car brand is moving its most interesting vehicles to a different brand and eventually that brand will NOT share a showroom with their rental ready offerings. You know, those two RWD luxury sedans and the upcoming 3-series attacking sedan mentioned earlier. All of which happen to be the most logical choices for a performance brand to work on. Thus you put in all this work in creating a luxury division and a performance division, then 3 years later your dealer’s separate the brands leaving the most interesting models in your Hyundai showrooms to be a 200hp Elantra Sport Sedan and maybe a 240hp Elantra “N” Hatchback.

However, your Genesis showroom has three sedans, two CUVs, and a sports coupe that all are available with engines between 300hp-500hp, electric motors, RWD biased platforms, the best materials and engineering the Hyundai Group can get, upscale service, newly built buildings, and that HTRAC (aka Hyundai Traction) AWD system you designed but is currently only on the G80 and G90 and ZERO Hyundai models. Hell, Hyundai doesn’t even offer an AWD sedan or coupe while that’s all of Genesis’ lineup!

At the same time as this Genesis divorce, our dearest little sister Kia will have a RWD large luxury yacht, a RWD 4-door coupe, a 200hp subcompact hatch, and a large luxury SUV that makes you wonder why Bentley and Infiniti couldn’t get it right.

The simple answer to the question of the purpose in Hyundai holding onto a coupe who’s name now belongs to another brand is that Hyundai has choosen to screw over its regular car brand immensely. Thus the Hyundai car brand has to hold onto the HyGenCo until it can figure out what needs to be done to keep people considering a Hyundai over a Genesis or Kia. One brand gets all the best stuff the Hyundai Group has to offer, whioe the other brand gets the same stuff but with an extra 6 or 12 months after that stuff is introduced into some $30k Hyundai, which is extra time to make that equipment perform better before selling it to people for less.

“Help me, Genesis Coupe. You are my only hope! (Unless that small pickup works out) .” - Hyundai Motors

DISCUSSION (14)

ranwhenparked > Wobbles the Mind
05/24/2016 at 22:19

Coupes are the least popular body style right now, save for convertibles. The crossovers are going to be the volume sellers, except maybe in Korea, where sedans are still popular.

They need to get the G90 out first as a halo model, to set the tone for the brand in the same manner as the LS and Legend, and then quickly follow it with the products customers actually want to have any hope of surviving on the marketplace. All the while working within the financial constraints of a publicly traded company with multiple brands and products to manage, so the coupe goes to the back burner for a while until the higher priority stuff’s out of the way.

My question is what’s going to take the current Genesis Coupe’s place in the Hyundai lineup. Are they going to bring back the Tiburon name?

Chasaboo > Wobbles the Mind
05/24/2016 at 23:48

I read the Jalopnik article today about the Turbo Veloster, and thought wow, that’s the car for me. I went to the dealer, and discovered it’s only 0.2 of a second faster than my Honda Fit 0-60. Hmm, that spells no sale in my book.

Sam > Wobbles the Mind
05/25/2016 at 01:59

Nobody has commented on the fact that Genesis is a luxury arm of a luxury brand (okay, so a large part of Hyundai isn’t really *that* luxury, but it's more upscale than KIA) which is an arm of a normal brand. I think this may be the first time any automaker has had a luxury version of their luxury brand.

Textured Soy Protein > Sam
05/25/2016 at 02:22

Hyundai is not a luxury brand at all. It’s like if you called Chevy a luxury brand in relation to Pontiac.

random001 > Wobbles the Mind
05/25/2016 at 06:37

I have had decent experiences with the Hyundai dealership, but I can't wait to be able to walk in to a clean, updated Genesis dealership for all my service needs. Hell, even the Subaru dealership and service are miles above the Hyundai. Do you think they will accept my R-Spec as a real Genesis???

random001 > Wobbles the Mind
05/25/2016 at 06:39

Also, what is that SUV?

Also also, no such thing as a four-door coupe. Literally impossible.

random001 > Wobbles the Mind
05/25/2016 at 06:40

Also also also, I love you Wobbles, for your dedication.

Wobbles the Mind > random001
05/25/2016 at 09:40

That is the Kia Telluride Concept from earlier this year. I don’t know, they are using the term coupe to explain the rooflines rather than number of doors. It makes sense when you think about stretching a coupe so much that keeping the door in proportion to the body would be impossible to get in and out if if anything is parked by you. Thus they slot in another set of doors.

Kinja'd!!!

Wobbles the Mind > random001
05/25/2016 at 09:42

Lol, no problem. You make it sound like I’m a Vietnam Veteran!

random001 > Wobbles the Mind
05/25/2016 at 10:06

Is this more like a Korean Veteran?

random001 > Wobbles the Mind
05/25/2016 at 10:11

That Telluride looks pretty sweet. I think I remember it now that you mention it.

I know it's a thing, I know everyone is now doing it, thanks Mercedes, but the dictionary definition of "coupe" is a 2 door version of a sedan. 4 doors is a sedan. Darnit.

Wobbles the Mind > random001
05/25/2016 at 12:17

But it IS a 2 door version of a sedan, just with bonus entry/exit flaps for increased convenience and safety!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Sam
05/25/2016 at 19:20

I think this may be the first time any automaker has had a luxury version of their luxury brand.

Nope. Actually wrong on multiple counts, as insane as it may sound. Lincoln had Continental as a completely separate in-house luxury brand, Chrysler (which was between luxury and upscale - think Buick or BMW) had Imperial in a similar way, and even GM toyed with that idea with their Cadillac De Ville lines, which were originally upscale alternative versions of the normal Cadillac sedan and coupe and marketed exclusively. So yes, luxury brands can have luxury brands.

Vítor > Sam
05/26/2016 at 21:43

Following the same logic, in VAG you have Seat, the basic brand - Skoda, which is a very small upgrade- VW, the ‘‘luxury’’ version of Seat - Audi, the proper luxury brand - Bentley, which sits quite above Audi - and finally Bugatti, which doesn’t need introduction.