Genesis CEO Implies a New-Gen G80 Sport Could Happen

The strange year that is 2020 is not deterring the Genesis luxury brand from launching two key vehicles: the next-generation 2021 Genesis G80 sedan and the compatriot 2021 Genesis GV80 midsize SUV. Both hit dealerships in the United States in late October.

The two new vehicles have a healthy reservation bank waiting to be filled, Mark Del Rosso, president and CEO of Genesis Motor North America said. The 2021 Genesis GV80 has about 18,000 reservations and the number keeps growing, especially since the new SUV was featured in a SuperBowl ad in January.

And the new G80, which moves to the same rear-wheel-drive architecture as the GV80, was revealed in March and has 3,000 reservations to date, Del Rosso told media in a virtual briefing.

Six New Genesis Models by 2021

Despite a pandemic that has forced many automakers to delay vehicle programs, the fledgling Genesis is staying on schedule with plans to launch six new models by the end of 2021. That includes the new Genesis G90 full-size luxury sedan, the sporty Genesis G70 (which was the 2019 MotorTrend Car of the Year), and now the G80 and GV80.

Still to come are a compact SUV—the GV70—that shares underpinnings with the G70 sedan and comes to the U.S. next year. The final car was originally planned to be a coupe, however, things changed and Genesis will instead introduce a midsize battery-electric crossover next year in its place—the first pure electric vehicle for the brand.

Genesis is the luxury brand of the Hyundai Motor Group, which has Hyundai and Kia as its mainstream brands. Genesis is only five years old. Starting with the G90 that was introduced in 2016, formerly the Hyundai Equus, the brand’s initial car-only lineup was redone with a new design language referred to as “athletic elegance,” which debuted on the refreshed 2020 G90.

Start Hollering for G80 Sport

Executives would not say if there is a Sport model in the new G80’s future. “Let your imagination run wild,” Del Rosso said. “Stay tuned on Sport. You never know.”

SangYup Lee, senior vice president, head of Global Genesis Design, shared that being a young brand is exciting. Heritage can be an asset or a burden when it comes to design, and he sees Genesis creating a vision, defining itself, and building its heritage now.

For now, all production will remain in Korea as the automaker works to establish the brand.

The post Genesis CEO Implies a New-Gen G80 Sport Could Happen appeared first on MotorTrend.

from MotorTrend https://www.motortrend.com/news/genesis-g80-sport-details/