You, may have not noticed a gap between Hyundai’s 193.3 inches (4,910mm) long FWD Azera or Grandeur and the new 196.5 inches (4,990mm) long RWD/AWD Genesis, but the South Korean company’s brass has and plans to do something about it with the release of a new model, currently known under the codename, “AG”.
A report from Reuters citing a “a person with direct knowledge of the matter” says Hyundai’s upcoming sedan will be based on the underpinning of the Azera but will be even bigger and have a more conservative styling to target middle-aged buyers, mainly in South Korea.
“The ‘AG’ will fill the gap between the Grandeur and Genesis sedan…This is a much-needed car for Hyundai to ward off growing competition from imports,” the source told Reuters.
“The ‘AG’ has a more conservative design than the newly introduced Genesis and is largely aimed at appealing to the middle-aged consumer groups, because some of them have been quite discontent with the design of the Grandeur. The Grandeur’s emphasis on sleek styling appealed to more younger consumers,” the source said.
Hyundai wants to strengthen its foothold in the mid-sized and larger car segments that account for around 60 percent of the brand’s domestic sales, after reduced import tariffs gave Germany’s BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen groups a huge boost as they recorded double-digit sales growth last year, compared to a 4 percent reduction for Hyundai.
Local media reports that the as-of-yet unnamed Hyundai sedan could be previewed as early as next month at the Busan auto show in South Korea.
Below you will find two renders of the Hyundai AG, one made by Carscoops reader “Carpark” and the other from Korean website KKStudio.
By John Halas
Thanks to Miha and Hyundai-blog for the tip, and ‘Carpark’ for the render!
PHOTO GALLERY
