News wire services are reporting that 700 Genesis sedans bound for the U.S. have already been pre-sold and Hyundai has received over 20,000 inquiries since the vehicle's unveiling in Detroit.
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Hyundai has already presold 700 Genesis sedans in U.S.
Posted on: May 26th, 2008
Filed under: Hyundai, Industry News

The Hyundai Genesissedan won’t launch in the U.S. until later this summer but Hyundai says that dealers have already presold 700 units of its luxury car along with more than 20,000 customers who have expressed interest in the car.

Hyundai will spend more than $80 million on a marketing campaign for the new Genesis - the most it has spent to launch any vehicle in the U.S. The Korean automaker plans to sell only 30,000 in the first year with pricing to be between $30,000 and $40,000.

“Genesis will help sell all Hyundai vehicles,” said Joel Ewanick, vice president of marketing for Hyundai Motor America. “This car will allow us to reach new customers and talk up quality like we never have.”

Hyundai will offer the Genesis in a variety of powertrains choices including a 3.3L V6 that produces 268 horsepower and a 3.8L V6 that produces 290 horsepower and a peak torque of 264 lb-ft. The range topper Tau 4.6L V8 produces 375 horsepower giving the Genesis the ability to do 0-60 in less than six seconds.

2009 Hyundai Genesis:

2009 Hyundai Genesis 2009 Hyundai Genesis 2009 Hyundai Genesis
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Sources: http://www.carsbuynews.com/2008/05/26/700-...yundai-genesis/

http://www.egmcartech.com/2008/05/26/hyund...s-sedans-in-us/

http://www.topspeed.com/

This post has been edited by acronis: May 26 2008, 07:24 PM

It is interesting that this article references the 3.3L and was published just 2 days ago. I thought they had decided not to sell the 3.3L in the U.S.

You're correct the 3.3 will not be offered but it was EPA approved. I think Hyundai USA decided not to go with it but HMA Corp wanted to have in their back pocket just in case.

They are pricing from $33,000. to $38,000 which is for the 8 cyl. rwd. I just wonder what will happen to the Azera, which has been so poorly presented. I also hope that the suspension on the Genesis is more sophisticated than what is presently on all of the Hyundai models. I am happy with my Azzy and Sonata, but will certainly test drive the Genesis and wait for the car to prove itself.
Don

It's interesting, it almost seems like they're trying not to overlap Azera's turf too much with that originally promised "starting under $30k" model, which would have, of course, been the 3.3L model.

Both due to the tough economy right now, and high gas prices, I would actually think they'd have a stronger potential for success on the low end of the model range (3.3L) than the high end (4.6L), even WITH Azera in place and overlapping prices by about $2k. I'm sure a lot of luxury buyers right now are considering what models can deliver a real luxury experience with a smaller, more fuel-efficient engine. So in the next year or so, Genesis's first year, a lot of new-car buyers will gravitate towards models that still have wood trim, nice stereos, leather seats, other bells & whistles, but have tuned 4- and 6-cylinder motors that can crank out power in the mid-200s to low-300s. Of course the Lambda-II does that, but it's a big V6... Hyundai will have to tweak it to get even BETTER mileage than Lambda, to compete with IS350's 18/25mpg figures.

I would probably have brought in the 3.3L and just watched how sales run for the first year. Betting once fuel costs go down (probably this winter, unless more Nigerians explode their pipelines) the sales would trend up towards the 3.8s and 4.6s at that point, and they could drop the entry model for '10.

Note that the 5-series offers 3 engines (not including M5)... and that the 3.3L would still "offer more horsepower and torque than 528i", just like the Azera 3.8 claims. The E-class offers 3 engines (not including E63), and the 3.3L would offer equal HP and torque to E350 and more hp (but less torque) than E320 bluetec. It makes a strong case for itself.


Now comparing to the Germans' model lines, we shall wait with bated breath for the direct-injection version of Tau, which MAY also be bored & stroked up to as much as 5.5L. One of the recent articles quotes a Hyundai engineer as saying that a tuned 4.6L Tau with direct injection and other planned tweaks could touch 400hp... imagine that, on top of a 5.5L engine... (IMG:http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/confused/confused0079.gif)

I believe Hyundai is testing the waters for the Genesis Sedan before they offer the 3.3 model, they are spending millions on the advertising, if the sales are great the smaller engine will be offered in the future it would be great if they put a turbo I4 or at least offer a hybrid version and a diesel engine.

I have not seen evidence of Hyundai spending "millions on advertising" on anything, let alone Genesis. So far as a diesel engine option, in my area diesel is $5.04 gal, a buck over 87 Oct.