September 19: Another brave move?

This is the newest arrival from a South Korean company, that is trying really hard to break into the luxury car market. Anyone who has read my blogs before or who professes to be any kind of a car person, knows that I'm referring to Hyundai. Tough road ahead guys, as only thirty years ago, things didn't look any too rosy for this company. A lot can happen in thirty years, just look at a few of the big car happenings....

1) GM declared bankruptcy
2) Oldsmobile and Pontiac close
3) Taurus was the best selling sedan in North America

And the list goes on and on. Hyundai has become a strong competitor with great quality and designs. Next step, a move into the luxury car market. Success? Possible? Probable? Everything is possible. Many things are improbable.

A history lesson, my friends. Remember this.......

Honda, the company everyone loved, introduces its entry into the luxury car market. Sold in separate showrooms, the Acura looked like a reasonable bet to succeed. Now back thirty years ago, no one had gone from humble beginnings to luxury car status or maybe even had aspired to to so. Where are they now? Struggling to find their place in the market for cars, but successful with two well respected suv's.

Another lesson from Toyota.........

Lexus has become the darling of those who like the idea of a luxury car as a sofa, an image they are working hard to change. Lexus has become the business school case study as a way to do things right, since they are the most successful of the "economy" brands to make the leap to sought after luxury name plate.

And then there is Nissan's Infiniti.......

Infiniti tried to sell to our heart strings. The initial ads showed rocks and streams and buds, but no cars. What did they think they were selling? A concept? An idea? Well folks, it sure wasn't a car, as the early sales showed. Infiniti has never really made the leap with anything but the G37, which after being established for many years in people's minds became the Q50. I'm in the car business, deal with these brands everyday and I'm still confused about which Infiniti is which.

And now with these other companies' successes and failures to emulate, Hyundai is making the leap to luxury status with the Genesis brand. Separate showrooms and very good cars. Some might say great cars. Next up, the camo'ed model shown above, the G70.......

 Just introduced at last week's Frankfurt show and enroute to North America next Spring as a 2019 model. Ready to take a run at BMW's 3 Series, Audi's A4 and Mercedes' C Class. For the time being, I'd hate to lead the lonely existence of a Genesis salesperson. Waiting expectantly for the next open minded client to come hesitantly thru the showroom's doors. Standing in line at the food bank, until sales ramp up enough to pay those never ending bills.

The big question.......can Genesis make the leap to luxury brand status for Hyundai? It's a rocky road, but they have plenty to history to follow. Whose sales will suffer due to the Genesis's success? With a strong corporate car face, good looks and great reviews (so far), this struggle will be fun to watch.

My advice? Get your Genesis, but lease it. Don't you dare take the risk of buying one. As always, time will tell.

Until next time......