Genesis Wants to Focus On Luxury Not Performance, so the Genesis G70 Won't Take on the 2019 BMW M3

TopSpeed

By Sidd Dhimaan

Published Jan 28, 2019

It feels sad to see it not being let off its leash despite being fully capable to take on the biggest dog on the market

For some reason, Genesis has not been able to establish itself as a premium brand that can go against the likes of the German three - Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. Although Genesis has done its bit to make its cars feel premium, they have lacked that X-factor and pizzazz that the rivals offer. This time, the brand has reiterated its stance on not making the lineup a set of performance-driven cars. So, put the bets back into your pockets, people; the G70 vs BMW M3 battle is not happening anytime soon.

Luxury Can Come With Performance, Genesis

At a time where companies look to take on their rivals even with the addition of the smallest of features, Genesis has dropped an opportunity to make a name for itself. Fitzgerald told Car and Driver flat out that a motorsports-derived program for the Genesis lineup is off the table." We're trying to set our base," he said. "We have to get the basics." Genesis says it wants to establish itself as a luxury brand, not a performance-oriented marque. This, coming from a man who spent twelve years as the design director for Lamborghini, pretty much contradicts his past work.

We Don't See Any Logical Reason To Back Down

Hyundai's product planner, Mike O'Brien, recently hinted at a spicier version of the G70 sedan in the near future. This sounded exciting since the G70 is a capable luxury sedan and it even won the 2019 Car of the Year award at the recently concluded 2019 Detroit Auto Show. When O'Brien dropped this news, we couldn't help but dream about a war between the BMW M3, the Audi RS4, the Mercedes-AMG C63, and the hotter version of the Genesis G70. It's actually quite surprising to see Genesis let go an opportunity that could have led to bigger things for the brand as a whole. The G70 has what it takes to be the crown-holder. The car drives like a charm, it looks fantastic, and even has the Hyundai's 'N' division to give it an under-the-hood-makeover that can make this car a threat to all its rivals.

Genesis Already Has A Powerful Engine

At the most, the G70 might be the subject of power upgrades in the future. Currently, the G70 comes with a 2.0-liter, turbocharged engine that produces 252 horses and 260 pound-feet of torque. The BMW M3, on the other hand, comes powered with a 3.0-liter, six-cylinder that produces 425 horses and 406 pound-feet of torque. Even if Genesis uses the engine plonked in the top-trim of the G90, it can stir up things without the headache of developing a new engine. The G90 is offered with a 5.0-liter, naturally-aspirated V-8 that churns out 420 horses and 407 pound-feet of torque.

Genesis' Priority Is To Crank Up Those Sales Figures First

The marque seems to be focusing on rolling out new crossovers, expand its dealership network, and become a brand loved by the masses more than just enthusiasts. Like I mentioned earlier, Genesis has not been able to prove itself as a real threat to Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, or even Volvo, for that matter. In May 2018, after Hyundai dealers complained, the company opened applications to all franchisees in the U.S. Fitzgerald said, "We're looking for partners who believe in this brand. This should not be a sprint to the finish line."

Do you think Genesis can attain better sales figures by rolling out a hotter G70? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.