Hyundai Genesis New York Concept Unveiling – Video

Introduced by Genesis chief designer Peter Schreyer at—you guessed it—the New York auto show, the New York concept shows an attractive, athletic, yet subtle face to the world.
Luxury-car companies love to preview the future with concept cars that establish a so-called “design direction” and overall ethos for the brand. And so the fledgling Genesis, eager to jump right into the global luxury-car pool, is following the well-established template set before it with the unimaginatively named New York concept. This hybrid-powered, cleanly styled sedan concept is meant to foreshadow the future of Hyundai’s Genesis brand—specifically, it’s a glimpse at the upcoming Genesis G70 that has its sights set on the BMW 3-series.
Introduced by Genesis chief designer Peter Schreyer at—you guessed it—the New York auto show, the New York concept shows an attractive, athletic, yet subtle face to the world. We appreciate that Genesis doesn’t call it a “four-door coupe,” although its rakish, sloping roofline is certainly inspired by cars like the Audi A7 and the Mercedes-Benz CLS. Lexus could learn a thing or two from the Genesis concept’s hexagonal grille that’s distinctive without being garish, while the rear haunches bulge ever so slightly to emphasize the car’s rear-wheel-drive proportions. For a concept car, it’s refreshingly short on ridiculous design details, although the large wheels, extravagant lighting, and front fender grilles probably will be toned down for production.

Its subdued looks may be a bit derivative, but the Genesis concept, with its hybrid powertrain, sits out the horsepower wars running rampant among other luxury brands. A 2.0-liter four-cylinder combines with an electric motor to make just 242 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque—the combo pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission. If that sounds like a relatively unimaginative drivetrain for a concept car, you’re right. But it also sounds production-ready.