With Kia launching the Tasman and Hyundai creating a next-generation electrified pickup, the plain query for the group’s luxurious arm is: the place is the Genesis ute?
In accordance with Genesis chief inventive officer Luc Donckerwolke, you shouldn’t maintain your breath – however he hasn’t fully killed the concept, both.
Chatting with Australian media on the launch of the Magma sub-brand in France, Mr Donckerwolke poured chilly water on the prospect of a luxurious dual-cab within the vein of the failed Mercedes-Benz X-Class.
When requested instantly if there was room for a pickup within the Genesis lineup, Mr Donckerwolke was blunt concerning the model’s present priorities.
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“I’m undecided that matches the model,” Mr Donckerwolke stated.
“We’ve got a whole lot of different issues to do. And I believe principally, we’re focusing extra on excessive efficiency and GT [Grand Touring] fashions.”
Mr Donckerwolke, who admits to proudly owning and driving a Ford F-150 Raptor personally, believes that introducing a utilitarian car proper now poses a danger to the model’s fastidiously cultivated “Athletic Class” picture.
“We’ve got to be sure that we aren’t diluting the model with one thing which is extra utilitarian,” he stated.
Nonetheless, the design boss stopped wanting a definitive “by no means,” leaving a sliver of hope for these dreaming of a Korean rival to the Ford Ranger Raptor or a luxurious tow rig.
“I’m not saying that this won’t occur,” Mr Donckerwolke conceded.
“However I’m saying that now, now we have so many different priorities… I don’t suppose that that is the proper factor for Genesis [right now].”
The feedback recommend that whereas the Hyundai Motor Group’s ladder-frame platform (debuting underneath the Kia Tasman) is technically obtainable to Genesis, the luxurious marque is prioritising its Magma efficiency rollout and coupe ideas over chasing business car gross sales.
That leaves Kia to fly the ute flag among the many Hyundai Motor Group manufacturers, although it’ll quickly have firm.
The Hyundai model is launching a body-on-frame ute within the US earlier than 2030 and can be set to supply a ute co-developed with Normal Motors in Latin America. It additionally already has the Santa Cruz which shares its car-like unibody platform with the Tucson.
Luxurious manufacturers haven’t loved nice success within the ute area. Moreover the X-Class, which was produced for lower than 4 years, there have been efforts by Cadillac and Lincoln previously, however neither model nonetheless provides a ute in the present day.
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