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Hyundai Motor launches independent "Genesis" luxury car brand

Xinhua, November 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

South Korea's top automaker Hyundai Motor on Wednesday launched a new premium car brand "Genesis" to compete with European and Japanese luxury brands in the global market.

Hyundai has been selling luxury sedans under the name of Genesis since 2008, and decided to independently sell its luxury cars with the "Genesis" brand, the company said in a statement.

In the initial phase of the brand launch, the lineup will be the second-generation "Genesis" large-sized sedan and a super-sized luxury sedan scheduled to be rolled out next month.

During the next five years, Hyundai plans to add four more models for a full lineup, including a mid-sized sedan, a large-sized sport-utility vehicle, a luxury sports coupe and a mid-sized SUV.

Hyundai's separate brand was launched to have a showdown in earnest with European and Japanese brands such as Toyota's Lexus, Volkswagen's Audi, Nissan's Infiniti and Mercedes Benz in the global luxury car market.

Hyundai is the world's fifth-largest automaker by sales combined with those of its affiliate Kia Motors.

Hyundai Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun told reporters that a growing rate of demand for luxury cars surpassed the rate of other general vehicles greatly, saying that the new brand was launched to take this opportunity sufficiently.

To strengthen its design capability, Hyundai has hired former Bentley chief designer Luc Donckerwolke scheduled to join the company from the first half of next year.

Donckerwolke had been in charge of designing cars for Volkswagen brands of Audi, Lamborghini and Seat since 1992, before serving as Bentley's chief designer from 2012. Enditem