“Ten years of Genesis. It’s the moment to kick off for the next ten, because we’ve laid the foundations and now we need to build on them.” Have all your dreams come true? “I’m happy they haven’t, because we have many other dreams.”
Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer and Chief Design Officer for the Hyundai Motor Group, that is the supremo of design, is not overwhelmed by the celebrations for the milestone.
A young luxury brand
“This is just the beginning,” he says: “We are the youngest luxury brand and we are proud of its success, but we have only produced a first generation of cars. We are fortunate not to be burdened by the ballast of the past, but I always say that it takes four or five generations for the brand to be consolidated and stable. That’s why every single project is important.”
A company voted to technology
Enthusiastic – it’s in his nature – but realistic, Donckerwolke emphasizes how Genesis has benefited from the Group’s commitment to technology in all its forms: its luxury brand also serves as a testing ground for technological solutions that will later be rolled out to the larger brands – Hyundai and Kia – for whose design he is also responsible.
Testing ground
He cites the example of the fully digital design process, first introduced at Genesis “so as not to destabilize” the two larger brands, which later followed suit. “Genesis not only offers luxury products; it’s also a testing ground for the entire Group. Everything is digital, nothing is on paper, so all three of our design studios are constantly updated, and when one goes to sleep, the others pick up and continue working.”
The taste of luxury
He cites the example of the fully digital design process, first introduced at Genesis “so as not to destabilize” the two larger brands, which later followed suit. “Genesis not only offers luxury products; it’s also a testing ground for the entire Group. Everything is digital, nothing is on paper, so all three of our design studios are constantly updated, and when one goes to sleep, the others pick up and continue working.”
A new design philosophy: Athletic Elegance
As it approaches its tenth anniversary, having already established itself among the pinnacles of four-wheeled luxury, Genesis has eight vehicles – not including derivatives – in its lineup (although more will be added very soon): the G70 Shooting Brake, G70, G80, G90 (and G90 long-wheelbase) sedans, and the GV60, GV70, GV80, and GV80 Coupé SUVs. The first cars to showcase Genesis’ new DNA, culminating a process begun in 2016, were the GV80 SUV in 2020 and the G80 sedan in 2021, followed by the rest of the range (the GV70 in 2021 and the G90 sedan in 2023). Both embodied the essence of the new design proposed in 2018 by the Essentia concept and the subsequent X Concept. For Genesis, it marked the birth of a new design philosophy, one that still guides the brand today: it’s called Athletic Elegance.
(Supplement to A&D no. 276)
