Speaking at the New York International Auto Show, Hyundai Motor Group’s chief creative officer said he believed Genesis’ attention to detail when it comes to looking after customers will help the brand succeed.
Donckerwolke, a designer with some legendary models to his name, is in charge of making Hyundai’s sister brand stand out from the crowd.
The Belgian penned the iconic Audi A2, the Lamborghini Diablo, Murcielago and Gallardo as well as the Bentley Flying Spur before joining Hyundai in 2015 to help launch the Genesis brand.
Asked if he was worried about the rise of Chinese car makers – such as BYD and Omoda – Donckerwolke said this was not something that concerned him, despite the far Eastern rivals dramatically outselling Genesis in the UK.
‘If I would be worried, I would be in the wrong business,’ he said.
‘And the more competition you get, the better it gets. It means, like racing, that if you are not facing challenges and competition, why carry on when you’re in the comfort zone?
‘I think crisis and competition is the best way to get better.’
Genesis sales went backward in the UK last year by 11% – down to 1,210 cars. Chinese brands BYD sold 8,693 models, Omoda 3,629 and Ora 1,162 in 2024.
Genesis insiders told Car Dealer that despite the low sales figures ‘failure was not an option’ and 10 years after the brand’s launch, its plans for continued expansion in the UK were as firm as ever.
Donckerwolke said he had a lot of respect for the new Chinese car makers and admitted ‘a lot’ of his former colleagues had gone to work for them.
‘I believe there is a big advantage that we can offer, though – and that is in our service, and in the attitude we have to the customer,’ he added.
‘What we have been working very hard on, which is coming from the roots of being a Korean company, is to have a huge respect and attention to customers.
‘This is something that you cannot fabricate. You cannot create a brand and have a long success if you don’t take care of your customers.’
At the New York Auto Show, Genesis unveiled its X Gran Equator Concept (above). Billed as a Mercedes Benz G Wagon rival, it is likely to feature an electric powertrain when it arrives in 2028.
Elsewhere, it was touting its new race car, the the GMR-001 (below). Run by the Genesis Magma Racing team, it will compete in a forthcoming Le Mans race, possibly as soon as 2026, and has legendary former F1 racer Jacky Ickx as an advisor.
Donckerwolke insists these bold steps will help the brand stand out against the increasing competition.
Many in the industry believe the design chief has a huge job on his hands moving Genesis away from being regarded as simply ‘a posh Hyundai’ and elevated it to a luxury brand that’s taken seriously by buyers.
‘I don’t have a problem with that,’ he said, when asked how he moves Genesis away from Hyundai roots.
‘Why would we? We are one of the most advanced groups in the world.
‘I don’t work for a car company – I work for the Hyundai Motor Group, and I’m glad that I can do robots and that I can do advanced air mobility.
‘I don’t have a problem that Genesis belongs to Hyundai, and you know, Hyundai is a lot better than a lot of his competitors, and this is only the beginning.
‘And I don’t have any problem in having Genesis being seen as part of the Hyundai Motor Group by the customer either.’
Donckerwolke added that when he left Bentley 10 years ago to join Genesis, car nut Jay Leno asked him why he was going.
He said: ‘I told him I’ve got to play with new toys and that was going to be at Hyundai Motor Group.
‘And he agreed that you couldn’t make jokes about Hyundai anymore – and that was 10 years ago.’
Main Image – Luc Donckerwolke; copyright Car Dealer Magazine