Interview: Omar Al-Zubaidi, Head of Genesis Middle East & Africa

1. With a recent rise in the development and production of EVs in the market, how will the Genesis X Concept models make an impact in the region and what are the steps planned for their launch?

Genesis continues to keep innovation at its forefront with the development of its future models, with an outlook on the landscape of the industry in the coming years. With the rise in EV models, Genesis intends on revolutionizing the luxury automotive industry with some of the latest concept models from its ‘Genesis X’ concept series. Genesis is planning on launching at least six EV models in its lineup by the year 2030, while still producing the widely popular combustion-powered Genesis models.

To give an overview on the fleet and in the words of SangYup Lee, aHead of Genesis Global Design Center said, “The Genesis X Concept can be described as the ultimate vision of Athletic Elegance, the inherent design language of Genesis. The signature Two Lines theme and sustainable luxury will be blueprints for the futuristic designs and state-of-the-art technologies that Genesis seeks to adopt in its future models.”

The X Convertible concept lineage can be traced back to the X Concept, a two-door grand tourer that showcased Genesis’ Athletic Elegance design language. The X Speedium Coupe concept, the second car in the trilogy, displayed the brand’s signature Athletic Elegance in an even more progressive way. It also showcased an evolution of the Genesis Crest Grille, which evolved into a lighting signature to signify its electric powertrain. The X Convertible concept takes the X Speedium Coupe concept further up the emotional scale.

The Genesis X Speedium Coupe, which premiered on April 13, 2022, at Genesis House, a cultural space located in the heart of New York City’s Meatpacking District, is a concept car which incorporates Genesis’ DNA (Audacious, Progressive, Distinctly Korean), while looking ahead to the next wave of EVs, highlighting Genesis’ future as a true luxury electric vehicle brand. The model was born out of a ‘freestyle’ design exercise based on the Genesis X Concept led by the 2022 World Car Person of the Year, Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke.

2. Congratulations on the latest launches of the independent showrooms. Tell us more about your plans of expanding in the region

To date, we have successfully opened four standalone Genesis showrooms in the region, the first of which opened in Bahrain during 2021, followed by the second in Jeddah, KSA earlier this year. Two more showrooms were recently inaugurated in Muscat, Oman and Dubai, UAE along with a Genesis dedicated service centre in Kuwait. These will be followed by at least seven new standalone Genesis-dedicated facilities slated over the next two years.

The opening of dedicated Genesis facilities is in line with the major growth that the brand has achieved in recent years and a reflection of the demand for Genesis throughout the region. More importantly, our customers are the core, and creating the right infrastructure is essential for an unrivalled luxury experience.

3. Being a luxury Korean brand, how does Korean culture tie in with the philosophy of the brand?

Korean culture is seamlessly weaved through all facets of the brand, from the individual models to our work ethic and the importance given to hospitality, which runs throughout the entire workforce, be it senior management, our aftersales team and even our service agents.

An example of this is demonstrated through the X Convertible Concept, inspired in part by traditional Korean roof architecture, the interior design features Giwa Navy and Dancheong Orange colors, which lend the cabin a modern look and feel, befitting the car’s vibrant character. 

The primary interior color is Giwa Navy—named after “Giwa”, the roof tiles on Korean houses.  Meanwhile, Dancheong Orange—named after the traditional decorative colorings on traditional Korean wooden buildings— serves as a bold accent color, encircling the cabin in a two-line motif and featuring on the stitching of the seats and fabric.

The Genesis X Convertible concept’s exterior is painted in Crane White. White cranes represent nobility and sanctity in Korea, and Genesis wanted to weave these cultural elements into its colorways. The result is an exterior surface coated in white with pearl particles, achieving a luxurious sheen that dynamically frames the contrasting interior.

Similarly, Genesis House, which opened in New York in 2021, provides guests the opportunity to enjoy a traditional Korean cultural experience in the Library, the Tea Pavilion, Genesis House Restaurant and the Terrace Garden. Genesis House Restaurant, serving curated courses that were created in collaboration with Onjium—a Michelin-starred restaurant and traditional cultural research center in Seoul—offers a creative and elegant gastronomic experience that harks back to the Korean Noble class cuisine that took inspirations from what Joseon-era royalty once enjoyed in their palaces.

Our Korean heritage is at the heart of everything we do – from our elegant designs to the “son-nim” philosophy that defines our hospitality, Genesis strives to deliver a differentiated standard of luxury, not only through our products, but through the aftersales team to accommodate every step of the customer experience.

4. Luxury automotive brands have historically focused on design and comfort for the end-user. With a rise in new technologies, how does Genesis strike a balance to not only appeal to the aesthetic viewpoint in the market, but also growing trends in the technology available?

The emergence and development of technology has been a continuance process in the automotive industry, and the added layer of inspirational design and aesthetic is a vital factor for luxury automotive brands.

Some of our newer and award-winning topline models are an excellent demonstration of this. The G90, for example, exudes an effortless sense of luxury and refinement, one that is said to offer the most elegant interpretation of the brand’s design identity. This has been integrated throughout the innovative technology that can be found in the car, such as top-of-the-line glass and aluminum materials have been used to create the unique center console, where the electric dial-type Shift-By-Wire renders the G-Matrix patterns into real glass. This console features the brand’s Fingerprint Authentication System that enables users to setup and select their customized user profile, amongst other settings.

Additionally, the multi-chamber air suspension and braking systems help to maintain traction, to absorb the bumps, as well as to always keep full control of the powerful sedan.

Another example of innovative technology is Rear Wheel Steering (RWS), wherein the G90 actively controls the rear wheel steering angle, coupled with the front wheel steering, depending on the driving conditions to lower the number of body slips.

Keeping convenience and efficiency in mind, the G90 comes with the EasyClose system; once the driver enters the vehicle, this system closes the door without passengers needing to reach out and grab it. This feature is activated with a press of a button that is in several easily accessible places, including the first row’s center console, the second row’s armrests, and the door trims in both rows

Bringing it back to the design element, the exterior of the car boasts the G90’s status as a best-in-class sedan with the Clamshell Hood. The Clamshell Hood design features a single panel that combines the hood and fenders to eliminate panel gaps, lending the G90 its definingly sleek design.

The integrated technology and design in the G90 promise to provide one of the most relaxing, comfortable, and responsive driving experiences.

5. With the global economy in flux, and a recent bounce-back from the Covid-19 pandemic, what are the steps Genesis is taking to continue its growth despite the current market situation and global supply limitations?

Global pandemics and shifts in the economy are something that will always present to be a challenge across the entire automotive industry. It is therefore vital for brands to have a level of preparedness and to weave this through their plans for the coming years.

At Genesis, our focus will continue to remain on the customer experience, using our strong work ethic as the foundation for this. Being a relatively young company in this industry, we intend to persevere and come out stronger on the other side, just as we did post the Covid-19 pandemic.

Our excellent bounce-back can be seen right from our global showcase of the future EV concept as well as the recent launch of the various independent showrooms across the GCC. Genesis is dedicated on continuing its progression through the luxury automotive industry and establishing itself in the global market.

ENDS

About Genesis

As a design-focused brand, Genesis has introduced fascinating models that embody ‘athletic elegance’, including The G70, The G80 midsize luxury sedan and The G90, as well as The GV70 and The GV80. With Genesis Motor distributors based throughout the Middle East and Africa region, Genesis will be opening dedicated standalone showrooms in the region in the near future. For more information on Genesis and its new definition of luxury, please visit www.genesis.com

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Media Contacts:

Jessica Little

Seven Media

jessicalittle@sevenmedia.ae 

Rami Al-Salih

Genesis Middle East & Africa HQs

Rami.alsalih@genesis.com