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Where is Hyundai's upscale Genesis brand going, and what is it, anyway?

"Genesis is the beginning, where everything sprung from. That's where the light is, and that's where we see ourselves." Manfred Fitzgerald. A genesis is an origin story, a new start. So when Hyundai had accomplished its original mission of achieving near parity with the top Japanese marques in the middle-class car market and decided to attempt to move upscale into the profitable luxury automotive sector a few years ago, it made some sense that this was the moniker it bestowed to its spinoff brand. "Genesis is the beginning, where everything sprung from," says Manfred Fitzgerald, the global brand chief. "That's where the light is, and that's where we see ourselves." But now that genesis has turned to germination. A pair of production sedans have been launched, the G80 and G90 luxo-barges. A smaller, 3 Series-fighting sedan, the G70, was previewed as a concept in last year's New York Auto Show. And now, last week in New York, the brand showed something in the all-important crossover category, the GV80. Powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, it's a look ahead at what Genesis' SUV line could be like, though the fuel-cell element faces hurdles. View 2 Photos "We have great resources with our brand partners in fuel-cell technology, so when it came to alternative propulsion, this was a natural," says Fitzgerald. "Not just for the US market, but looking at this globally, this is the best technology, but there are a lot of pain points to overcome, especially in terms of infrastructure." Genesis has promised us a handful more cars by 2020, including a coupe and another crossover. Expansion into additional vehicle realms ought to help flesh things out a bit. Though the brand can't really flesh things out any less. Only Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Smart, and Bentley sold fewer cars so far this year, and two of those brands are a century old and Italian, one is a century old and extremely exclusive, and the other is irrelevant in the United States. Given that company, where does that place Genesis? After a recent test drive in a G90, we have to say that we're not sure. The styling is acceptable, if a bit derivative and anodyne. The level of delight is quite lackluster. And the ride is cushy, quiet, and competent, but no better than a contemporary Buick. In a category in which excellence and exquisiteness are the point of entry, what does Genesis represent, what is its category-killing feature or component or capability? "We are known for being audacious.

Genesis bringing an EV concept and G90 to New York Auto Show

It's official, the entire Hyundai Group has plans for the New York Auto Show. During the Hyundai Sonata press launch in South Korea, design head Luc Donckerwolke told Roadshow "You'll have an electric show car for Genesis." This year will be the charm for Genesis and EVs, after showing the GV80 SUV concept and its hydrogen fuel cell powertrain in 2017, and the electric Essentia coupe concept last year. We will also see the production version of the U.S. market Genesis G90 and its mongo grille. The premium brand's debuts will join the new Sonata sedan and Venue crossover, and an as-yet-unnamed Kia show car expected to be our version of the SP Signature concept potentially called Tusker. Hyundai-Kia isn't getting its electric razzle dazzle ready for New York alone. Auto Express reports the group is working on a new electric car platform to serve the carmaker the same way Volkswagen's MEB architecture serves the German group's brands. At the moment, the only four EVs in the South Korean automaker's range are the Hyundai Kona and Ioniq, and the Kia e-Niro and Soul. They are all built on ICE platforms, the Kona and e-Niro still proving popular enough for this year's planned UK-market production to sell out already. According to a "company insider," the dedicated EV platform is around two years away and will focus on B- and C-segment cars. That's the same year that Genesis is expected to have its EV ready, but unless the luxury arm has plans to dip its grille into C-segment waters, Genesis likely has other EV platform plans. By 2025, Hyundai and Kia have said they'll have 14 EVs in the combined lineup as part of 38 electrified offerings. Whatever's on the way could prove far more radical than today's offerings. Donckerwolke told Auto Express that in order to attract the future EV buyers that aren't necessarily car people, "[You] have to ask whether you want science fiction or whether you want to conform. We can create something that doesn't appeal to someone in the traditional sense." If the head designer gets his way, 3D-printing will help whip up those attractions. Last year's Essentia concept showed off 3D-printed carbon fiber ornament, but the potential goes much further.

Hyundai's new i30 is America's new Elantra GT

Hyundai pulled the wraps off of the European-designed i30 hatchback ahead of the Paris Motor Show, and the automaker confirmed that it will appear in the United States next spring under the Elantra GT name. The exaggerated curves and swoops from the previous model were discarded in favor of straighter, subtler lines. According to Hyundai, the i30 represents the future of the brand's design, and the "Cascading Grille" will be its signature. On the inside, the i30 features a wide dashboard that is slightly less driver-oriented than the Elantra sedan. Hyundai also uses a touchscreen set out from the dash, which is popular yet polarizing with consumers. In addition to being styled in Europe, other parts of the i30 were also developed and tested over there, and the car even spent some time at the Nurburgring. The chassis is 22-percent stiffer and steering that is 10-percent more direct, Hyundai says. The car also features a McPherson strut front suspension and multi-link independent rear suspension. Europeans will get a variety of engine choices, but only one of them is likely to come here: a turbocharged 1.4-liter gas four-cylinder that makes about 140 horsepower. The other engines are smaller and less powerful gas engines and variations on a 1.6-liter diesel. It's also possible that it could get the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine in the Elantra, or the turbo 1.6-liter engine in the Veloster Turbo and other Hyundais. Hyundai also announced the i30 would spawn a few variants. It didn't give any specifics on body styles aside from saying the i30 would have a "family of unique products." The i30 will be the first Hyundai with an N version. For those out of the loop, N is the performance brand Hyundai has been preparing to launch. The company also said the i30 N would arrive in 2017. Hyundai only confirmed with us that the standard i30 would be coming to America, but it would make sense for Hyundai to bring the hot version as well, even if it comes a little later than in Europe and/or South Korea. We certainly wouldn't turn it down, especially if it sounds like the current prototype. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 Hyundai i30: Paris 2016 View 12 Photos Related Gallery 2017 Hyundai i30 View 10 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Paris Motor Show Hyundai Hatchback hyundai elantra gt