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Genesis poaches Italdesign and ex-Lamborghini design chief Filippo Perini

Only a couple of days after Kia landed ex-Infiniti and BMW man Karim Habib, the Hyundai Group scores another coup. Genesis lured Filippo Perini away from his job as head of design and innovation at Italdesign to lead the South Korean luxury brand's Advanced Design Studio Europe. Genesis said it hired Perini for his "expertise in both advanced and production design, as well as in leading design teams in streamlining digital design processes." From his side, Perini gets to bring his 24 years of luxury expertise to the evolution of the Genesis brand and Genesis' effort to reach brand perception parity with the segment goliaths.   And Perini has impressive experience. He started in 1995 as a designer at Alfa Romeo for five years, eventually taking over Alfa's exterior design. His pencil work has been seen on everything from the 1995 Alfa Romeo GTV to the 2001 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. A two-year stint at Audi turned into a job as head of exterior and interior design at Lamborghini in 2004, with Perini taking over Lamborghini's entire design department from 2006 to 2016. In those roles, he participated in or oversaw the designs of the 2006 Miura Concept, Reventon, Estoque, Aventador, Gallardo LP570-4 Superleggera, Urus, Aventador J, Veneno, Huracan, and Asterion LPI 910-4. Or, put more simply, almost every Lamborghini that has created the momentum Lamborghini enjoys today. In 2015, Lamborghini sold 3,245 cars, a record for the brand at the time. The Sant' Agata carmaker will sell more than 8,000 cars this year, and has had to unveil plans to cap production. In 2016, after Giorgetto Giugiaro and son Fabrizio left Audi subsidiary Italdesign, the Volkswagen mothership put Perini in charge. In his short tenure, he's done the Huracan-based Zerouno, the China-market FAW A50, and the DaVinci we saw earlier this year. Seems it was time for a new challenge. Perini will report to an alum in Luc Donckerwolke, the chief design officer at Hyundai Motor Group who ere ago designed the Lamborghini Murcielago. Perini takes over the European Advanced Design Studio next Monday, Sept. 16.

Genesis pledges to introduce GV80 and GV70 crossovers soon

Hyundai established its upmarket Genesis division to lock horns with Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. All three brands sell more crossovers and SUVs than sedans in America, so the burgeoning South Korean firm is preparing two high-riding models it hopes will hit the competition where it hurts. The first Genesis-branded soft-roader will borrow key styling cues and its name from the GV80 concept (pictured) unveiled during the 2017 New York auto show. Motor Trend learned it will begin arriving in showrooms in early 2020, meaning it will break cover before the end of 2019, possibly at the Los Angeles auto show opening in November. The concept's high-tech, hydrogen-powered drivetrain won't make the leap from the show floor to the showroom floor, however. Most examples will come with a V6 engine – a V8 is unlikely at best – and a gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid model could add electrification to the SUV's resume later in the production run. When it lands, it will compete in the same market segment as the Q7, the X5, and the GLE. The model offensive will continue in 2021 with the launch of a compact crossover tentatively called GV70. Little is known about the model, and we haven't even seen it as a concept yet. But Motor Trend added the two GVs will represent the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Many of the company's recent concept cars are currently zig-zagging towards production, bouncing back and forth between the requirements of executives, the dreams of engineers, and the realities of the new car market. The on-again, off-again Essentia coupe that stole the spotlight at the 2018 edition of the New York show will add a dose of emotion to the Genesis range when it makes its debut in the early 2020s, according to the magazine. And the Mint is the latest concept to escape from the minds of the company's design team. It's a city car, though it's not shaped like a conventional econobox, and it might get fast-tracked to production, too.  What remains to be see is whether the Mint will join its peers in American showrooms. None of the German brands that Genesis identifies as rivals sell their smallest models here.

Genesis GV80 SUV spied showing off its production lights

The Genesis SUVs are certainly late to the game, but we’re seeing evidence theyÂ’re getting closer to production. This particular tester appears to have both production headlights and taillights shining through the camouflage. Our previous set of GV80 shots still featured the tester units, and these give the front end a much more polished look. WeÂ’re definitely fans of the slim LED fixture Genesis is using up front — headlight fixtures just keep getting smaller, allowing manufacturers more freedom with front end design. ThereÂ’s too much camouflage to see any wild LED DRL signature through there, but it looks like the crossover is going to have a pretty neat headlight design. Then those LED taillights are seen poking through in back, too. All we get to see are three red horizontal lines in the small section thatÂ’s opened up. Horizontal design could signal something like a full width wraparound taillight fixture. ItÂ’s tough to tell with the intense cladding out back, though. As for other changes between this tester and ones weÂ’ve seen previously, this one doesnÂ’t have the weirdly gigantic exhaust outlets on it. ItÂ’s difficult to discern any kind of an exhaust system in the darkness under there, but we imagine Genesis has it tucked up and away from sight. Then we get to see the large crossover with brighter wheels versus the black itÂ’s been testing with. The wheel design is already pleasing to our eye, looking grand and luxurious.  Strangely enough, the front end actually has more cladding around the diamond mesh grille than the last test car we saw. That one appeared to be doing some mountain endurance testing, though, so Genesis may have needed to open it up a bit to get maximum cooling. Genesis hasnÂ’t given us a solid date to expect the GV80 yet, but it is supposed to be revealed at some point in 2020.

Genesis GV80 crossover spied with less camouflage, huge wheels

We got our first good look at the Genesis GV80 in spy photos earlier this year, and now we're going for round two. This one drops some of the camouflage and is more revealing than the first bout of winter testing we saw. Instead of cladding and armor up front, it's mostly just skin-tight printed camouflage. This defines some elements for us like the air intakes on the corners of the front bumper and even the headlights. The grille itself is more visible than before, and the diamond mesh grille design is even clearer. Genesis clearly isn't shy in showing that particular element off, and it looks even bigger than what we can see uncovered. The hood itself still has all the padding on it, but there most likely isn't anything too nutty under there anyway. We're sure your eyes are popping out of your heads as much as ours are at the size of the wheels. The previous GV80 we saw had much more conservative, smaller wheels than this one does. If we were to put a number on it, we'd say they're 21s. That's no surprise given the giant wheel frenzy we're in today, but you do always give up soom comfort for that style. This particular wheel setup will most likely be reserved for the highest trim GV80s out there. The deal out back is largely the same as before. We're still greeted by the lovely tent-hatch thing that conceals the SUV's final form. Two massive outlets for exhausts are chiseled out, but the exhaust itself appears to only exit from one side on this test vehicle. Perhaps this indicates different powertrain choices will have a different number of exhaust port outlets, or that one side of the production exhaust won't actually be functional. Curiously enough, this GV80 is tugging along and testing with a BMW X5 — it's pulling it from a tow hook in the rear. We saw shots of a Kia Sorento prototype doing the same exact thing the other day. Whatever they're doing, it's peaked our interest. Genesis has previously said the GV80 will debut sometime for 2020, but we're halfway through 2019 at this point. It doesn't seem like we're terribly close to being able to buy a Genesis crossover, but that far-off release date sure doesn't seem very far off anymore. Featured Gallery Genesis GV80 spy photos View 15 Photos Spy Photos Genesis Crossover SUV Future Vehicles Luxury

Hyundai Group design chief wants more differentiation between models and brands

Luc Donckerwolke, the man who oversees design at Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, is determined to get more differentiation into the model range. He not only wants greater visual separation between all the models in the range, he also wants more distinction between Hyundai Group cars and others in the respective segments, and global distinctions so that a Hyundai in China doesn't necessarily look like one built for North America. He told Autocar, "We will not have a global design language because otherwise it's too rigid. [The alternative is] more work, but it's more flexible." Donckerwolke gets an extreme look at the results of homogeneous design, because an enormous number of cars on the road in South Korea are Hyundai Group products. "[Our] core task is to differentiate the design philosophy of the three brands, not least because we have a big [around 70%] share in Korea. We need to differentiate each model, otherwise the landscape is too homogeneous." Top-down, each brand gets a design brief. Hyundai will be Hyundai's "sexy, seductive and sensuous, sporty, eager and stylish," holding onto its value proposition while adding emotion. Kia will be "young, challenging and cool — cooler than before," said brand design chief Byungchul Juh, with Donckerwolke adding that it's about "streetwear — bold, fresh and young." And Genesis is "haute couture." Donckerwolke characterizes the design philosophy as not "Russian dolls but ... chess pieces, with a look that reveals its own charismatic character. For example, Kia's used to be about the tiger nose grille, separate headlights and the lower intake. Now it's going to be more of a mask that will deliver sportiness and a presence." Kia designer Juh said, "There will be a distinct version of tiger face for each segment, and we'll keep the tiger nose grille. In principle it's the same, but there's a different interpretation for each segment, and more of a 3D feeling. We're moving from a nose to a face." The sketches we've seen of Kia's coming small global crossover take a first step, and we're told the next Sportage will make more impact than the new Tucson. As for Hyundai, the next Sonata will "be the design flag-bearer." We wait to see how much of the vehicle all of this affects. But right now, look at the 2020 Elantra and Sonata from the front three-quarter; ignore their front fascias, and they're two sizes of one sausage.

2020 Genesis G80 will not come with a V8

The 2019 Genesis G80 offers three engines, those being a 3.8-liter V6, a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6, and a 5.0-liter V8. When the 2020 model arrives later this year, it will not be bringing a V8 with it. Genesis brand CEO Manfred Fitzgerald told Car and Driver, "The G80 range will be topped off by the V6." That is almost certain to mean a decline in horsepower for the next G80 - not an unusual step among the Hyundai Group - as the 3.3-liter is currently down by 55 hp and seven pound-feet of torque on the 5.0-liter. The usual culprit takes the blame, Fitzgerald saying, "We really have to pay close attention to markets and legislation and hedge our bets. Don't expect another evolution of the V8." The note on evolution is taken to mean that the coming G80 signals the beginning of the end for the 5.0-liter Tau V8 in the entire Genesis lineup. That means the recently revealed G90 could be the last V8 man standing for the South Korean luxury brand. We don't know what will lead the way under the G80 SUV's hood, but in a world where V8-powered performance SUVs are burning gas and grabbing cash, the lack of a V8 - even if not the Tau unit - would come as a bit of a surprise. Fuel economy requirements have certainly played a part, even though the V8 only loses one mile-per-gallon in city, highway, and combined driving to the 3.3-liter. We've read rumors that the brand has two four-cylinder engines in development, one of them a turbocharged 2.5-liter with up to 300 hp. Another rumor figures the V8 could be replaced by a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The sedan ushers in the next step in Genesis' design language, and the unique selling propositions Car and Driver describes as "futuristic details and proportions." Based on spy shots, what we've seen is a great deal of detailing that points to a substantial evolution of the current car. There's a shield-shaped grille cutting through reworked intakes, the door handles have been moved below a pair of wider shoulders and stronger shoulder lines, the side mirrors get new door-mounting locations, the trunk follows the slope of the rear window, and the rear fascia presents one flush surface. The G80 makes its public entrance in September in South Korea, and it should reach American shores before the end of the year. Related Video:

Genesis 'very, very serious' about getting Essentia EV coupe on the market

The hopes for a production version of the 2018 Genesis Essentia electric coupe concept won't go away, not even within Genesis. The South Korean luxury brand has said it will soon announce plans for its first luxury EV that will come to market in 2021. When Motoring spoke to the brand overlord Manfred Fitzgerald at the New York Auto Show, Fitzgerald said the 2021 vehicle won't be the Mint concept just shown at the show. Motoring figures that marks the Essentia as the go-to EV, with Fitzgerald telling the outlet, "We're still pursuing the one [concept] that you saw last year in a very, very serious manner and hopefully we'll make an announcement in due time." Another reason for Motoring to deduce the Essentia as the "mystery battery-powered vehicle" is that whatever's coming in 2021 will ride on a dedicated EV platform. A production Essentia would do just that, perhaps also carrying over into production a three-motor setup powerful enough to get the car from zero to 60 in three seconds. All three brands in the Hyundai-Kia Group have stated before, and did so again at the N.Y. show, that they tend to create concepts with production intent. Fitzgerald said, "We're serious about everything we do," and that he was working to get the Mint to make production as well. "I will fight to the very end to have this car into production and have it as you're seeing it right now on the road," he told Motoring. "I think this is an invention of a new typology of vehicle, and I think that's something that will resonate with people out there." This isn't the first time an outlet has taken vague statements to mean production certainty for the Essentia concept. We were in this same place last September after Genesis North American boss Erwin Raphael spoke conditionally about what the Essentia concept would be if it were adapted for production. His hypothesizing turned into reports that Raphael gave "the first full confirmation that the Genesis Essentia is headed for production," which Genesis shot down. We can't see we're any closer now to a confirmation now. All we know is the brand plans to have an EV on the market by 2021 or 2022, and that EV will ride on a dedicated architecture. Since Genesis doesn't have any EV out right now, any EV it creates — Essentia or not — would ride on a new platform. But when it comes to the Essentia, dreaming is a popular thing to do. Genesis Mint Concept View 19 Photos

Genesis Mint is a minty-fresh luxury electric city coupe

NEW YORK — Genesis wowed us at the last New York Auto Show with a slinky sports car concept in the Essentia, so expectations were high for its new concept. What Genesis gave us is the Mint concept car, a two-seat electric city coupe. It's not what we were expecting, but it is pretty nifty. The car wears its electric powertrain on its sleeve with no visible grille up front. But the pentagonal grille design introduced on the Essentia and refreshed G90 is visible in the creases and lower lighting. The whole car is very organic, and the cockpit is jet fighter-esque with its large rounded windows. Interestingly, the greenhouse stops well short of the rear. The thick rear pillar also is reminiscent of the Toyota C-HR. Inside, the cabin is minimalist. Surfaces are covered in tan leather and metal accents. The rectangular steering wheel is surrounded by small circular screens with info and functions the driver can use. In the middle of the wheel is an instrument screen. The only seating is a two-person bench seat, and it can apparently swivel toward an open door for easier access. This is a feature previously seen on 1970s General Motors products. Behind the seats is the cargo area, which is accessed by wild scissor-style doors. Genesis didn't say much about the powertrain except that it is electric. The company claims it should go 200 miles on a charge and supports fast charging up to 350 kW. Confusingly, the cockpit features three pedals, suggesting a manual transmission. But there doesn't appear to be a shifter, and there isn't much need for a manual in an electric. There are no signs of the Mint coming to production. And with the market constantly demanding crossovers, we can't think of much reason to introduce a two-door coupe. Still, it would likely be a neat, sporty little thing if it did reach production.

Genesis teases small New York Auto Show concept

Here's a curve ball. Hyundai-Kia Group design honcho Luc Donckerwolke already confirmed Genesis will bring an electric concept to the New York Auto Show. On top of that, Genesis overseer Manfred Fitzgerald told Roadshow that said concept "will push the envelope definitely further. ... A lot of people will be surprised." We are one of those people. According to four teasers on Genesis' Instagram page, what we could be looking at is a compact electric hatchback or compact crossover thingamabob. We combined two of the images into the photo above, and all we know for certain is that the show car is small and has a pointy front end. The first teaser was merely the phrase, "Small is the next big thing." The rear-end teaser photo — which reminds us of a Nissan Juke stretching its back legs — was captioned, "Compact will soon get a whole lot more captivating." The front shot in profile was labeled, "Design that will soon defy the eyes," the front fascia picture, "Sometimes the biggest surprises come in the smallest packages." We've had three years of grand Genesis concepts in New York, from the New York Concept luxury sports sedan in 2016, the GV80 SUV concept in 2017, and last year's languorous Essentia electric coupe. This year we're expecting some grand reality, being the production version of the U.S.-market G90 sedan. This little guy is, however, could end up being the biggest thing on the Genesis stand. Rumor says we'll see the whole thing at 7 tonight EST. Stay tuned.

Chevy Blazer and Easter Jeeps | Autoblog Podcast #576

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder and Assistant Editor Zac Palmer. They do a rundown of the latest news, including rumors of the Toyota Tundra and Tacoma sharing a platform, Jeep's insane Easter Safari concepts and an upcoming "entry level" performance Ford Mustang. Then they talk about driving the new Chevrolet Blazer and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, and compare driving the Genesis G70 to the Kia Stinger. Finally, they take to Reddit to spend someone's money on a new crossover. Autoblog Podcast #576 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Toyota Tacoma and Tundra to share a platform? Jeep Easter Safari concepts "Entry level" performance Mustang? Cars we're driving: 2019 Chevy Blazer 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 2019 Genesis G70 Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: