Genesis, Hyundai Motor Group’s luxury brand, will open its first dedicated showroom this week just outside the South Korean capital of Seoul.
Set in a newly constructed shopping complex in the eastern suburb of Hanam, the Genesis Studio aims to raise the profile of the premium marque.
Genesis plans to open more dedicated studio spaces in other locales and in other countries, but the company has not revealed details yet, Automotive News reported on September 5.
The brand did ship its luxury cars to Iran with the Genesis and Genesis Coupe for sale in the secondhand car market; a Genesis model from 2013 costs in excess of 2.3 billion rials ($65,000).
The move foreshadows one way the company aims to set premium Genesis apart from its mass-market Hyundai sibling brand. The company has no plans to create a costly independent sales channel for Genesis, at least in the early years of the brand’s launch.
“You will see more exciting brand spaces to come in the near future,” Manfred Fitzgerald, head of the Genesis brand, said in a statement. “This space, located in a busy area, will serve to introduce our brand and to raise visitors’ curiosity around it.”
Genesis, as a separate brand created in 2015, is the Hyundai Motor Group’s attempt to break into the higher-margin luxury segment.
By 2020, Genesis will introduce six models, including the range-topping G90 sedan and G80 midsize luxury sedan that landed in the US market this summer. The rollout continues with the arrival of the smaller G70 sedan next year.
The showroom concept is based on the Motorstudio showrooms the company has created for the Hyundai brand in Seoul and Moscow. The studios aim to showcase the brands in conjunction with inspirational exhibits of music, art, culture and culinary experiences.
Visitors can check out Genesis models, test drive the cars, consult brand representatives and even make purchases, the company said. Executed in vintage concrete and rusted sheet steel, the Genesis Studio aims to convey a luxury value that prioritizes long-lasting beauty and prestige over flashy, decorative fashion, the company said.
