Autoblog

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Hyundai Genesis

The story of what's underneath -- and inside -- the Hyundai Genesis is central to the story of the car and what Hyundai's trying to do with it. The body-in-white of the Genesis has a larger total body area than the Lexus LS460 and Mercedes S-Class. Yet ten years ago, if we had asked you which carmaker would create a rear-wheel-drive V8 sedan with a body structure that is larger, yet stiffer and lighter than the 5-Series or E-Class, would you have guessed it would be Hyundai?

Of course, you probably wouldn't have guessed that BMW would be selling all the MINIs it could make, or that Alfa Romeo would sell out a run of $200K supercars. The lesson: the games -- plural -- have changed for everyone. Follow the jump to find out how the Genesis is the spearhead of change for Hyundai and, if Hyundai gets its wish, the entire luxury segment. And be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res images below.

Click above for high-res pics of the 2009 Hyundai Genesis V6

Product placement inundates television imagery, from the blatantly branded soda tumblers on American Idol to more subtle appearances like what car Jack Bauer drivers. Looking to boost the profile of its new Genesis top-level sedan, Hyundai has secured the services of Davie Brown Entertainment, responsible for the masterful remake-a-palooza of the MINI in The Italian Job. Hyundais have been in film and television before, but the automaker is looking for more visible roles to help quietly promote its entry into Lexus territory. Pay-for-play deals will likely see the Genesis in movies where you'd see a 7 series BMW, Mercedes S-Class or a Lexus LS. Unfortunately, films for fall release that would coincide with the launch of the car have long wrapped production, so television is seen as the way to get a quick fix for Hyundai. Davie Brown has already had the car at several sets where it's been well received. When your favorite shows return after their summer hiatus, keep your eyes peeled for the Genesis. ER had a blatant endorsement of the Chrysler 300 when it first bowed, culminating in a street race and a dunk in the water, so we wonder what they could do with the Genesis?



[Source: Brandweek]

Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan.

Autoblog recently spent time in Korea driving pre-production versions of the new Hyundai Genesis. This is the car that, according to Hyundai, will usher in a new era of luxury. Them's big words, and we only got a limited amount of time to figure out how true -- or not -- they were. But the main thing you need to know about the Genesis is this: unless they pull a bait and switch on the price range they mentioned, the car will be worth every penny Hyundai charges. Follow the jump to find out why.

click above image to view Hyundai's Super Bowl commercials

The Super Bowl is this Sunday, and that means we get to see the best commercials that money can buy, and perhaps some football, as well. Hyundai was unsure whether it wanted to spend $2.5m a pop for two :30 spots (a voice over by the Dude doesn't come cheap), but in the end the South Korean automaker decided the Genesis sedan was a big-time product, and it deserved a spot on the world's biggest stage. We loaded both of Hyundai's ads after the jump, and we like what we see.

Hyundai deliberately shied away from any sort of pizazz or funny gimmicks, instead focusing on the virtues of its 375-hp rear-wheel-drive sedan. The silver Genesis on center stage, which is actually the Korean market model (note the winged "Genesis" hood badge and home-market grille), looks great in motion, and Hyundai didn't waste any time needling the luxury car competition. The two spots reference the Genesis having 7-Series and S-Class size with a price tag closer to that of the 3-Series or C-Class. Both spots knock the fact that most Super Bowl ads are about entertainment instead of great products, and both :30 ads drive home the point that Hyundai has a potential game-changer on its hands. We're not advertising experts, but we'd consider this $5m well spent. Follow the jump to preview the ads. Thanks for the tip, Alex!

[Source: Hyundai]

Click image for hi-res gallery of the Genesis

The spy photos were both detailed and plentiful, and today, any remaining mystery about the new Hyundai Genesis luxury sedan's looks can be put to rest. The car was previewed to the media in Korea this week, and the photos released by Hyundai show the Korean-market version of the car au naturale. Note the newly-unveiled winged Genesis emblem on the hood and wheel centers. The US-market cars should sport the familiar stylized "H" instead. Specific technical details are not given save for confirmation that the four-door Lexus-fighter will be offered with a 375 horsepower Tau V8 and a pair of Lambda V6's (3.3L and 3.8L). According to a company spokesman, the most expensive version of Hyundai's new flagship should come at around $40,000 USD depending on equipment (the V6 should sticker under $30K). Koreans will be able to buy the car in January, with US and Chinese sales to follow later in the first half of '08. The car's full dog-and-pony show reveal will take place next month at the Detroit Auto Show, and we'll be there to bring you all the details.

[Sources: Hyundai, International Herald Tribune]

What do you get when you cross a Lexus LS460 and and a BMW 5-Series (plus a healthy dollop of Toyota Crown -Ed.)? You get what appears to be the production Hyundai Genesis sedan. The front end looks as though it was ripped right off of the most expensive Lexus, with a strikingly similar set of headlights, a spot-on grille, and similar brightwork. Only the lower fascia wanders from the LS460. Out back, it appears that Hyundai took a pass on the classic Lexus C-pillar, but the Korean automaker's designers were obviously fond of the BMW 5-Series.

The big difference between the Genesis sedan and the vehicles it borrows from is that Hyundai likely has no intention of charging $60,000 for its RWD 4-door. While we're generally not a big fan of derivative styling, the Genesis looks pretty good for a RWD V8 sedan priced in the $30,000 range.

Thanks for the tip, Jose!

[Source: bobaedream]