THE GENESIS G70 2018 REVEALED!
Hyundai has revealed its Genesis G70 sedan in Seoul, ahead of its Q1 launch in Australia!
The G70 shares its critical bits – engines, platforms and gearbox – with the hotly anticipated Kia Stinger. But the Genesis is chasing a more premium feel over Kia's out-and-out performance flavour.
This does not mean the G70 will be a slouch – not at all! In fact, the most powerful variant will squeeze 272kW and 510Nm from its twin-turbo V6, propelling the all-new Genesis to 100km/h in a quick 4.7 seconds and pushing on to a flying top speed of 270km/h!
It does share its key performance components with its sibling Stinger, with the same mechanical limited-slip differential, adaptive dampers and dynamic torque system available, and Australian cars will be exclusively rear-wheel-drive.
The G70 sedan is actually shorter (at 4,685 mm long, 1850mm wide and 1400mm high), making it 157mm shorter, 18mm narrower and a 70mm shorter wheelbase than the Stinger – all of which we expect to shave off kilos off the curb weight as well.
Hyundai's Genesis was launched as a standalone sub-brand in 2015 in an attempt to poach sales from the premium marques. Only two models have been released to date – the G80 large sedan launched last year and the G90 limousine which only appeared overseas. As such, the Genesis brand has not yet made too much of an impact in Australia.
However, executives are hoping that the G70 will help put the Genesis brand on the radar, pitching their premium mid-size sedan into a hugely competitive segment currently dominated by the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Year-to-date sales see the C-Class having shifted 5643 units, as well as yet another Mercedes in the CLA, which moved 2303 units. BMW's 3 Series sits in third place with 1865 sales.
Making an even smaller dent in those number would be considered a victory to the new-to-market Genesis, and Hyundai executives are "quietly" confident that the G70 is just the car to do it!
"We are very aware we are entering an incredibly competitive segment with G70 – in many ways it's the toughest market segment of them all, where customers are extremely discerning, and where luxury and refinement must be delivered in a compact and affordable package," explains Bill Thomas, Hyundai's general manager of external affairs.
"But we are quietly confident in our ability to design and engineer a high-quality luxury product. The Genesis G70 showcases that ability."
"It's not realistic to think we can take customers away who are bolted-on to the established German brands. But there will be a certain segment of the market who will be looking at interesting new products, and they're the people we're after."
The Genesis G70 will be offered in three specification levels (yet to be named) and with two petrol-powered engines. A third diesel option will also be offered internationally, but won't be available in Australia.
The safety offering of the car seems quite powerful as well, with AEB, forward collision warning and a semi-autonomous system that Genesis is calling Highway Driving Assist. Regarding the interior, Genesis is promising premium quality, with Nappa leather, aluminium and quality materials.
The smallest engine, a turbocharged 2.0-litre unit, will generate 190kW and 353Nm, and will be pairing with the only gearbox on offer – an eight-speed torque converter automatic – channelling power to the rear wheels. Hyundai has yet to reveal performance figures for its smaller engine.
The top pick, however, is definitely the 3.3-litre bi-turbo V6 paired with the same eight-speed automatic also driving the rear wheels only, which will produce a speedier dash to 100km/h than its Kia stablemate by 0.2 seconds. Launch control, dynamic torque vectoring and adaptive dampers will also make an appearance, although Hyundai is yet to confirm final spec details.
When it comes to pricing, it's all still a bit of a mystery.
Hyundai has high hopes for the Genesis brand in Australia, with a plan to launch a shop-in-shop dealer network as early as next year – installing a dedicated Genesis area inside existing Hyundai dealers – as well as introducing Genesis-specific sales and service staff.