Flagship Genesis G90 lands in Europe | GRR
The Genesis G90 was revealed at last weekend's Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard. The car is due to go on sale in Germany and Switzerland first, though UK sales are still to be confirmed.
That's a shame because it's a handsome-looking machine with a shut line-free front end, confident rear hunches and a rear end that looks part Hyundai Ioniq 6 streamliner, part Bentley Flying Spur. Its two-line headlights and Crest Grille are fast becoming trademarks of the brand.
Its luxury limo ambitions are even clearer from the inside, where Genesis tells us the G90 is a car that can "satisfy both customers who take the wheel themselves and those driven by chauffeurs".
You get the usual array of vast infotainment screens enveloped in a combination of posh leather, glass and wood trim pieces. Metal buttons aren't in short supply either but should make the Genesis easier to use on the move than more screen-biassed rivals like the Mercedes S-Class.
The Genesis gets separately operated sunroofs in the front and back. Things get more limo-like in the back, where the G90 is available with a three-passenger bench with outer seats that recline electrically or in long–wheelbase form with two uber-luxurious chairs. All models get a 10.2-inch touchscreen on the backs of both front seats.
Luxury gadgets include massaging seats, passenger doors that close electrically, remote parking, a head-up display, a 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo and a fragrance dispenser.
Backing up the luxurious interior is a creamy 390PS (287kW) 3.5-litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine that sends power to the rear (or all four) wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It returns just over 25mpg in the combined cycle. Long-wheel-base models get a mild-hybrid version of the same engine.
As if to consolidate the G90's luxury credentials, Genesis doesn't quote performance figures; instead, the press release mentions Chauffeur brake mode that allows you – or indeed your driver – to pull up to the lights as smoothly as possible.
Camera-led air suspension should also help life pass by as smoothly as possible. It scans the road 100m ahead, priming the multi-chamber springs to best deal with the road surface, steep climbs and inclines. It's self-levelling, so the G90 should stay flat even with a heavy load.
Rear-wheel steer is another feature you'll welcome if you've tried to pilot a luxury barge through streets crawling with cars and people. It gives the G90 the turning circle of a mid-sized saloon and makes it more stable at speed.
Packed with sound-deadening, double-glazed windows and a noise-cancelling stereo, the Genesis should also be very quiet.
If the G90 is a sales success in Germany, which has similar taste in cars to the UK, the big saloon will likely be bound for our shores. Expect a price tag that significantly undercuts the nearly £93,000 you'll need for a basic Mercedes S-Class.