Hyundai to launch Genesis GV80 SUV in S. Korea this month

SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- Hyundai Motor Group, South Korea's biggest carmaker by sales, said Wednesday it will launch the Genesis GV80 SUV in the domestic market this month to strengthen its SUV lineup.

Hyundai has released the first images of the GV80, the first SUV model to be sold under Hyundai's independent Genesis brand ahead of its local launch.

The much-anticipated, three-row GV80 will become the fourth model in the Genesis lineup, currently composed of the G70, G80 and G90 sedans.

"Over the last four years, Genesis established itself as a respected luxury brand with superior vehicle quality and a lineup of class-leading sedans with charismatic and discriminating style," William Lee, executive vice president and global head of the Genesis Brand, said in a statement.

With the launch of the GV80, Genesis will elevate expectations for excellence within the luxury SUV market, he said.

Like its sedan siblings, the GV80 will be based on a rear-wheel-drive platform unique to the Genesis brand; all-wheel drive will be optional. The "V" in the GV80 marque represents versatility that only a Genesis SUV can offer, the statement said.

"The GV80 allows us to expand our definition of athletic elegance design language to a new typology, while retaining sublime proportionality and sophistication of form," Hyundai Motor Group's Chief Design Officer Luc Donckerwolke said.

Signature Genesis design elements stand out on the GV80. Surrounded by the high-tech quad lamps, the crest grille emphasizes seriousness consistent with the positioning of the GV80. The parabolic line runs smoothly along the side with precise execution, accentuated by power lines above each 22-inch wheel, the statement said.

The G-Matrix pattern that appears in light fixtures throughout the exterior, as well as the design of the wheels, is inspired by beautiful orchids seen when diamonds are illuminated by light, it said.

The interior of the GV80 focuses on the beauty of open space, characteristic of the elegant South Korean architectural aesthetic, Hyundai said.

Minimalism is in the detail, with a commanding driving position surrounded by high mounted control surfaces. The slim air vents stretch across the front to highlight the width of the cabin featuring minimal physical buttons with the new touch-screen climate control. The center console is equipped with a jewel-like, rotating electronic gear selector, providing an exquisite balance of simplicity and glamour, it said.

The flagship GV80 also comes with semi-autonomous driving technology and a set of advanced safety features, such as center side air bags, a highway driving assist system and the forward collision-avoidance assist-junction turning (FCA-JT) technology, which helps prevent collisions with vehicles that come from the front when turning left at intersections.

Hyundai plans to release the prices of the GV80 and other details, which will be available in global markets this year.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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