Sainsbury’s has ‘Taste The Difference’ and Tesco has its ‘Finest’ range, but supermarkets aren’t the only ones, both Toyota and Nissan currently sell premium ranges as separate brands, namely Lexus and Infiniti with success and most recently Citroen broke out its range to establish its boutique brand of DS and has seen it establish itself as a wholly separate entity.
It is rare though for a brand to be recognised as a class leader within a short space of time from launch as a leader, especially when it is yet to arrive in the UK. However Hyundai Motor Company’s Genesis, set for launch very soon, when it came a very close 2nd in a JD Power survey in the US.
As it stands there is little chance you’ll have seen on as there are only six dealers currently offering test drives of the Genesis - Bristol Street Motors Nottingham, East London Hyundai in Romford, Johnsons in Coventry, Edinburgh East's Macklin Motors, Richmond Hyundai in Guildford and Vantage Hyundai based in Stockport; however if you do, according to the survey, you can look forward to driving a car only bettered, for customer satisfaction, by the ubiquitous Porsche 911.
Sometimes, according to AutoCar “dynamically, Hyundai doesn’t adapt its cars well enough for Europe, it admits. Not this time, it says. The Genesis has one suspension set-up for its traditional markets; then there is another for mainland Europe; and a third for the UK. Lotus has completed much of the legwork for the Euro and UK spec cars, which is encouraging.”
The biggest question is whether or not it will sell? Traditionally Premium ranges of household names have failed to tackle the German Triumvirate of Mercedes, BMW and Audi, with these three making up (according to recent SMMT figures) 20.04% of the UK market compared to Infiniti, Lexus and DS’s 0.98%; indeed Mercedes in 2017 outsold Lexus (the most UK established of the ‘Finest’ ranges) by Fifteen to one!
What hope then for Hyundai’s ‘Taste the Difference’? Given that by the time the steering wheel has been put on the right side it’ll be close to 50 grand, will the E-Class, 5-Series or A6 even flinch?
For those that like to be different, the Genesis offers much, not least something no-one would have seen, and with its JD Power survey triumph apparently happy motoring ensues, but what about the rest? I’m sure that there were many Infiniti drivers who in 2008 got bored quickly explaining to their friends what their car was and the sales show that even today, Lexus, Infiniti and DS the ‘Finest’ ranges of a group whose main brands have a total market share of 12.23%, have failed to appeal to the UK car buyers.
What do you think, firstly can Hyundai do it ? And Secondly will you buy a Genesis?
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