An upscale brand demands upscale showrooms. And that’s just what Genesis has in store (so to speak).
Though spun off from the Hyundai brand two years ago, Genesis models (like the $68,000 G90) are still sold out of the same dealerships as $14k Accents.
That’s all set to change, however, by the end of this decade. Speaking with Autonews, the brand’s US general manager Erwin Raphael outlined the need for separate dealerships.
“The reality is, many, many luxury customers tell us they love our products, they’re amazing, but I’m not going into a Hyundai store to buy it,” said Raphael. “It’s really hard to have the two cultures cohabitating.”
So the brand is currently writing the playbook that will see it establish stand-alone Genesis dealers across the country. That will mean a reduction in quantity, but an increase in quality.
Currently any of Hyundai’s 835 dealers across the United States can sell Genesis models, though selling the larger G90 has required a showroom-within-a-showroom (in which only 352 dealers have invested).
Though he didn’t outline an exact figure, Raphael said that the number of dealers selling Genesis models will be “substantially” reduced. The brand is currently scouting locations in individual markets to build fresh showrooms (rather than renovating existing ones).
The process is earmarked to wrap up by the end of 2020, by which time Genesis vehicles will be sold only out of dedicated showrooms, and no longer out of Hyundai locations.
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