It has been just about two years since Genesis became a brand instead of only a Hyundai model name, marking the Korean company’s full arrival in the luxury class. But where the G80 and G90 were still conceived in the Hyundai Genesis era, it is up to the next generation of models to assert the newfound position. A central part of that is the new design language currently being developed under Genesis chief designer Luc Donckerwolke. After spending most of his career within the Volkswagen Group and having served as chief designer of Lamborghini, Seat, and Bentley, Donckerwolke is aggressively putting together a global team.
“Genesis was born out of Hyundai, and now we are splitting the brands, creating teams, but at the same time keeping synergies,” said Donckerwolke. “We are synchronizing the brands, and that is the only way to make sure we don’t overlap.”
The Genesis and Hyundai design teams have already been separated in Korea and in the United States. “But we are not doubling all the functions, because then it would be impossible to have a constant flow of information,” he clarified. Donckerwolke has created the Global Genesis Advanced Studio in Europe, led by Sasha Selipanov. It is possible that Genesis will create its own design studios in other markets, including China, Japan, and India, he said.
A New Style
In September, Genesis launched the G70 sports sedan. It was designed before Donckerwolke joined the brand, but ...