If you are one of American Express’ very special customers, and have US$16.3 million in assets and an annual household income of around US$1.3 million, you may be granted the privilege of one of their black Centurion Cards.
Simon Cowell has one, as does Kanye West, Denzel Washington and Lindsay Lohan. Interestingly, and of more concern to readers of this blog, you might also be the proud owner of a Hyundai.
During the course of a presentation at the South Korean automaker’s Ann Arbor engineering and research centre, Hyundai’s U.S. Chief John Krafcik revealed that some 6% of “Black Card” holders own a Hyundai – a percentage shared with those who own Bentleys and Audis.
Sitting above the former budget brand are such auspicious (and inauspicious) nameplates as Acura (7%), Ferrari (8%), Lexus (11%), Porsche (15%), Mercedes-Benz (21%) and BMW (22%).
What attracts “Black Card” holders to Hyundai? I can’t say, but it’s becoming increasingly clear the brand is repositioning itself against bigger fish than second-hand Toyotas.
The 2012 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec, for instance, packs a 429 hp (320 kW) V8 and an 8spd automatic transmission. The result is a 0 to 60 mph (0 – 100 km/h) in 5.1 seconds, or dangerously close to what the outgoing generation BMW M5 can do in terms of acceleration.
Sure, the Genesis may be a less dynamic drive and not appeal to the same demographics as the M5, but clearly, Hyundai’s throwing down the glove to its Bavarian would-be competitor.
How long before we see Kanye West rolling around in a blinged out Equus or a drunken Lindsay Lohan blowing over the limit in a Genesis Coupe?
By Tristan Hankins
