What Will It Take for Hyundai Genesis To Sell in Europe?

[News Man]

Here are 5 solutions that can help Hyundai Genesis to sell in Europe. Reported by Keith Griffin of TorqueNews.com.

There's a problem Hyundai is having in Europe. Consumers see it as a value brand, which could be problematic for the launch of the 2015 Hyundai Genesis, a vehicle that needs to sell in Europe to become a true global success. There are things the Korean automaker needs to do to make it succeed.

“Until now, we did not launch any luxury cars in Europe, which shows how tough the premium segment is,” said Lee In-cheol, vice president for Hyundai’s international sales division in a New York Times article. “Now we think the market is ready.”

So, is the market ready for the 2015 Hyundai Genesis? Here are some solutions for how to do it. Feel free to add you own:

• Don't sell it as a luxury vehicle at a value price. Sell it at a luxury price
• Emphasize how well it has done at Nürburgring – the famous German test track. Korean commercials emphasize that point. European advertising should too.
• Embrace Spanish-language media in the U.S. Sounds strange but speak to a Spanish-speaking automotive writer in the U.S. and tons of their traffic comes from Spanish speaking countries, including Spain.
• Adapt the Equus service model to Genesis sales. Make the European buyers feel like royalty.
• Get a charismatic leader to move the brand. John Krafcik, the recently departed head of Hyundai Motors America, was the face of the brand. Hyundai needs to find a similar leader for Europe.

 

[PMCErnie]

Hyundai missed the boat by not offering a Diesel engine option. Better have one by '16.

 

[Mark_888]

Depends on the price. The Genesis Sedan is highly discounted in the USA, compared to what they sell it for in Korea, Russia, Middle East, or even Canada.

Also, people tend to drive much smaller cars in Europe than in the US due in part to the fact that gas costs more than twice as much there (due to government taxes on gas). Not only are the cars in Europe smaller, the engines on larger cars tend to be smaller. In Germany, for the BMW 5 series, they have a 520 (2 litre 184 HP) and 528 (2.0 litre 245 HP) versions available (in addition to the 535 and 550 sold in the US), not even counting the diesel 2.0 litre versions (518, 520, 525, etc).

More than likely, the introduction of the Genesis in Europe would be similar to that in the US, done to improve the brand image of the Sonata, Elantra, etc.

 

[jtreadway]

News flash...Hyundai IS a value brand, and that is actually their strength. The Sonata, Azera, Genesis, and even the Equus, all make their living by delivering 80% of the features of their upscale (read BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus, Infiniti) brethren, for 20-30% less cost. Add on a much better warranty, great reliability, and voila! Good sales volume and good profit margins. BTW, Hyundai has only one vehicle that even comes close to fitting in the "luxury" range, and it is not the Genesis. It is the Equus which, surprise surprise, has positioned itself as a very richly appointed ride that costs much, much less than an S-class Merc, a 7 series Beemer, or an A7 series Audi. So let's stop wishing Hyundai is something they are not, and let's celebrate what they are! Damn good cars that deliver a great value proposition for a larger percentage of they buying public, and not a brand that delivers overpriced, unreliable, expensive to maintain, "Ultimate Driving Machines". :> P.S. The new Genesis will not sell well in Europe, or anywhere else for that matter, because it is just too damn ugly, IMHO. Flame on.