The Genesis G90 will replace the current Hyundai Equus and top the new luxury brand's line-up.
Think of it as “déjà vu all over again,” or so the late Yogi Berra might have put it.
Hyundai is offering a first look at what the flagship of its new Genesis luxury brand will look like and, it seems, the G90 sedan will look a lot like the Vision-G concept that the maker rolled out for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance last August.
Also to be known as the G900 in the Korean market, the sedan “will deliver a concept of ‘New Luxury’ to our customers,” promised Hyundai R&D chief Woong-Chul Yang. “The G90 sits at the pinnacle of the Genesis brand and demonstrates how we apply our human-centered values to give our customer true satisfaction in every aspect of the vehicle ownership experience.”
(Hyundai announces all-new Genesis luxury brand. Click Here for the story.)
The Genesis G90 bears a strong resemblance to the Vision-G concept shown at Pebble Beach.
While Hyundai isn’t providing much detail about the new Genesis G90, the Vision-G concept measured more than five meters, nose-to-tail, in line with the current Equus, and rides on a wheelbase of about 3.7 meters. It was slightly narrower than the current top-line Hyundai model, the big Equus.
But the concept car was done up in coupe form and, noted U.S. design chief Chris Chapman, the dimensions were tweaked to keep it a more sporty look and feel. The basic silhouette and key cues carry over to the production model, of which Hyundai is offering up two renderings.
That includes the distinctive grille shape, the long hood, the wraparound LED headlamps, the roof line and broad C-pillar, and the short rear deck.
There are subtle differences in the flare of the rear fenders and the way the front bumper’s lower chrome strip wraps around the nose, but the show car clearly had a strong influence on the production model.
The Hyundai Vision-G concept making its debut at the Concours d'Elegance last August.
Suggesting he was influenced by the organic shape of “a polished river rock,” lead designer Chapman said he was determined to put some styling space between Hyundai’s luxury line-up and its more mainstream models. During the California preview of the Vision-G, the former BMW designer said he was going for what he described as a “slingshot stance.”
And where the current Equus model easily gets lost in the crowd, the goal was to craft a design that will have people “cross the street” to take a closer look, Chapman explained, adding that it “celebrates luxury with no apologies.”
(Click Here for more on the Hyundai Vision-G concept.)
The current Equus was Hyundai’s first effort to push into the Premium Luxury market, a segment dominated by the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and competitors like the new BMW 7-Series. That said, Hyundai officials used the word, “value” to describe their aspirations in the segment, meaning that they aren’t likely to push the Genesis G90 to a point where it is priced at Mercedes S-Class levels.
“Our version is definitely more attainable than cars of similar design, features and performance,” said Chapman.
The current Hyundai Equus.
The renderings of the Genesis G90 do not provide a glimpse of the interior. But it’s likely to feature a toned-down version of the Vision-G concept which revealed such touches as a curved, reconfigurable LED display, bronzed metal accents and pinhole-baffled leather seats with unusual spider web stitching.
For now, a statement from the Korean maker would only suggest that, “As the Genesis brand’s flagship model, G90 is a blueprint for change and innovation that will distinguish the Genesis brand. Majoring on ‘human-centered’ technology combined with engaging driving dynamics, G90 boasts a raft of world-best safety features and technological innovations to set itself apart in the luxury market.
The new Genesis brand will make its debut next year and will initially launch with two models, the G90 flagship and a remake of the current midsize Genesis sedan renamed the G80. By 2020, however, Hyundai plans to have six models in the line-up, including two luxury SUVs.
(In the beginning…how Genesis hopes to get off the ground. Click Here for the inside story.)