With Kia launching the Tasman and Hyundai developing a next-generation electrified pickup, the plain query for the group’s luxury arm is: where is the Genesis ute?
In response to Genesis chief creative officer Luc Donckerwolke, you shouldn’t hold your breath – but he hasn’t completely killed the concept, either.
Chatting with Australian media on the launch of the Magma sub-brand in France, Mr Donckerwolke poured cold water on the prospect of a luxury dual-cab within the vein of the failed Mercedes-Benz X-Class.
When asked directly if there was room for a pickup within the Genesis lineup, Mr Donckerwolke was blunt in regards to the brand’s current priorities.
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“I’m undecided that matches the brand,” Mr Donckerwolke said.
“Now we have plenty of other things to do. And I believe mainly, we’re focusing more on high performance and GT [Grand Touring] models.”
Mr Donckerwolke, who admits to owning and driving a Ford F-150 Raptor personally, believes that introducing a utilitarian vehicle at once poses a risk to the brand’s fastidiously cultivated “Athletic Elegance” image.
“Now we have to make sure that that we aren’t diluting the brand with something which is more utilitarian,” he said.
Nevertheless, the design boss stopped wanting a definitive “never,” leaving a sliver of hope for those dreaming of a Korean rival to the Ford Ranger Raptor or a luxury tow rig.
“I’m not saying that this can not occur,” Mr Donckerwolke conceded.
“But I’m saying that now, we now have so many other priorities… I don’t think that that is the appropriate thing for Genesis [right now].”
The comments suggest that while the Hyundai Motor Group’s ladder-frame platform (debuting under the Kia Tasman) is technically available to Genesis, the posh marque is prioritising its Magma performance rollout and coupe concepts over chasing industrial vehicle sales.
That leaves Kia to fly the ute flag among the many Hyundai Motor Group brands, though it’ll soon have company.
The Hyundai brand is launching a body-on-frame ute within the US before 2030 and can be set to supply a ute co-developed with General Motors in Latin America. It also already has the Santa Cruz which shares its car-like unibody platform with the Tucson.
Luxury brands haven’t enjoyed great success within the ute space. Besides the X-Class, which was produced for lower than 4 years, there have been efforts by Cadillac and Lincoln up to now, but neither brand still offers a ute today.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
