2012 Hyundai Genesis priced from $34,200; new 5.0 R-Spec to start at $46,500
05-26-11, 08:19 AM
#16
Guest
Posts: n/a
Like the guys have already stated, this is a fantastic deal. This car is pushing the luxury car makers. 
The problem continues to be that Hyundai can't decide what they want or are going to be. The Genesis and Equus seem like solid, entry level luxury cars, but the rest of their line up is definitely aspirational at best. Until they figure out where they want to be they are going to struggle with a mixed perception from consumers. Most non-enthusiasts will still perceive Hyundai as the crapboxes they were 10 years ago, regardless of their slick marketing campaigns.
The problem continues to be that Hyundai can't decide what they want or are going to be. The Genesis and Equus seem like solid, entry level luxury cars, but the rest of their line up is definitely aspirational at best. Until they figure out where they want to be they are going to struggle with a mixed perception from consumers. Most non-enthusiasts will still perceive Hyundai as the crapboxes they were 10 years ago, regardless of their slick marketing campaigns.
I hope the R-spec helps sales, that is simply a lot of car for the money. Most Genesis sell at/under invoice and they still don't meet sales goals.
05-26-11, 08:42 AM
#18
Yeah, and they recently stated no luxury brand is coming, so they are trying to make Hyundai as a whole something maybe seen as more prestigious than Honda/Toyota/Ford etc but clearly not a luxury brand though they offer a couple of luxury products.
I hope the R-spec helps sales, that is simply a lot of car for the money. Most Genesis sell at/under invoice and they still don't meet sales goals.
I hope the R-spec helps sales, that is simply a lot of car for the money. Most Genesis sell at/under invoice and they still don't meet sales goals.
You take a bunch of consumers in Honda/Toyota/Ford who have never thought of themselves in the Tier 1 car buying market and give them something they can afford and call it 'luxury', you've effectively lowered the bar. Those buyers can't compare the Genesis or Equus to a Lexus/Benz/BMW because they've never owned one are are most likely to be satisfied with whatever you give them.
They then target us (Tier 1) with offering up some good engine choices that aren't being met by anyone in that price range. So then we can decide whether we can live with less quality but more power.
It's a very smart move on their part but the one market they lose out on is the category I fall into in having owned of their POS products in the past and have worked my way up to Lexus. They'll need a $75k LFA to get me to go back, lol
Last edited by oohpapi44; 05-26-11 at 08:59 AM.
05-26-11, 08:56 AM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
05-26-11, 08:59 AM
#20
Lexus Fanatic
I'm not convinced that was the right decision, but time will tell. It definitely hurt Mazda, though, when Ford axed the proposed upmarket Amati division....the Miller-cycle-engined Millenia just never caught on with a Mazda badge.
05-26-11, 09:02 AM
#21
Lexus Champion
That's what I think everyone skips over. When Hyundai rolled out the Genesis it came with the statement that they wanted to redefine 'luxury'.
You take a bunch of consumers in Honda/Toyota/Ford who have never thought of themselves in the Tier 1 car buying market and give them something they can afford and call it 'luxury', you've effectively lowered the bar. Those buys can't compare the Genesis or Equus to a Lexus/Benz/BMW because they've never owned one are are most likely to be satisfied with whatever you give them.
They then target us with offering up some good engine choices that aren't being met by anyone in that price range. So then we can decide whether we can live with less quality but more power.
It's a very smart move on their part but the one market they lose out on is the category I fall into in having owned of the their POS products in the past and have worked my way up to Lexus. They'll need a $75k LFA to get me to go back, lol
You take a bunch of consumers in Honda/Toyota/Ford who have never thought of themselves in the Tier 1 car buying market and give them something they can afford and call it 'luxury', you've effectively lowered the bar. Those buys can't compare the Genesis or Equus to a Lexus/Benz/BMW because they've never owned one are are most likely to be satisfied with whatever you give them.
They then target us with offering up some good engine choices that aren't being met by anyone in that price range. So then we can decide whether we can live with less quality but more power.
It's a very smart move on their part but the one market they lose out on is the category I fall into in having owned of the their POS products in the past and have worked my way up to Lexus. They'll need a $75k LFA to get me to go back, lol
They have an opportunity with their new products to really sway some buyers that want more out of their cars, but aren't willing to pony up Tier 1 dollars. If they are encroaching on true luxury cars, they should be able to eat the downmarket marques lunch easily. Many of us have questioned their strategies over the past couple of years, but as we see their evolution taking greater shape, it does look like their poised for some big, big successes going forward.
05-26-11, 10:05 AM
#22
Lexus Champion
05-26-11, 10:16 AM
#24
Lexus Champion
05-26-11, 05:35 PM
#28
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I don't think it's that Hyundai said they won't be doing a luxury line - they just aren't right now. They did some research and decided the costs of launching a new luxury line would have been immense - several billion dollars, and that right now (ie, economic downturn) it made more sense to just sell the cars at a value price under their existing brand.
This creates a positive halo for a brand that badly needs its perception readjusted, and distancing themselves from it with a new brand isn't the objective right now. If you sell less Genesis'/Equus' in the first generation, but bring up immensely the public perception of the Sonata/Elantra with that brand halo, and sell more of those, you end up with more long term gains. It's good strategic thinking.
My guess is that in 2014-2015, when the Equus/Genesis/Genesis Coupe are getting long in the tooth, they will release the second generations all in one swoop under a new Genesis brand name and dealership network. By 2015 they will have completed most of the Hyundai brand name regeneration, and we should be enough out of the economic downturn that it would make sense to make those expenditures for a full luxury dealership experience.
There's rumors that a full-size Genesis-line SUV is underway too, so they may just wait until they can complete a full lineup of Acura/Lexus/Infiniti fighters before launching the new brand.
Plus, they're on the leading edge of engine technology, and I would bet you ANYTHING there's some magic going on behind closed doors to add forced induction to the 5.0 Tau and a two-door chassis for it to play with, to create the first Korean supercar. That would be one of the final steps in making their emergence complete.
This creates a positive halo for a brand that badly needs its perception readjusted, and distancing themselves from it with a new brand isn't the objective right now. If you sell less Genesis'/Equus' in the first generation, but bring up immensely the public perception of the Sonata/Elantra with that brand halo, and sell more of those, you end up with more long term gains. It's good strategic thinking.
My guess is that in 2014-2015, when the Equus/Genesis/Genesis Coupe are getting long in the tooth, they will release the second generations all in one swoop under a new Genesis brand name and dealership network. By 2015 they will have completed most of the Hyundai brand name regeneration, and we should be enough out of the economic downturn that it would make sense to make those expenditures for a full luxury dealership experience.
There's rumors that a full-size Genesis-line SUV is underway too, so they may just wait until they can complete a full lineup of Acura/Lexus/Infiniti fighters before launching the new brand.
Plus, they're on the leading edge of engine technology, and I would bet you ANYTHING there's some magic going on behind closed doors to add forced induction to the 5.0 Tau and a two-door chassis for it to play with, to create the first Korean supercar. That would be one of the final steps in making their emergence complete.
05-27-11, 12:01 AM
#29
Lexus Test Driver
I just recently bought a Genesis coupe (pretty much different altogether) but while i was at the dealership i did sit in the Gen 4dr as well as the Equus and i was quite impressed.
At least theres no immediate update for the coupe with a 5.0 or id smack myself silly right now...
At least theres no immediate update for the coupe with a 5.0 or id smack myself silly right now...
