Genesis is heading to Europe and it’s going in hotter than a Formula Drift champ with a stuck throttle thanks to an aggressive pricing structure that massively undercuts the German opposition, at least in the UK. The G80 range kicks off for Brits with the £ 37,460 (US$ 52,760) Premium Line 2.2-liter diesel that is more powerful and costs less than the equivalent BMW. That price doesn’t only substantially undercut the £ 40,265 BMW 520d SE, it’s also cheaper than the Five’s little brother, the £ 37,865 320d SE Pro. Compare the G80 with the Mercedes E-class and it’s the same story. The entry-level diesel E-class, the E220d Sport, stickers at £ 40,285.
Pair the G80’s 204 hp diesel motor with
the better equipped Luxury Line trim and the price grows £,4800 to £ 42,260. Or
you could sub the diesel for a 296 hp 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine
for £ 43,150 in Premium form, or £ 47,950 as a Luxury Line. Pricing for the GV80
SUV is every bit as bold. The starting point is the £ 56,715 2.5T, which
undercuts the entry level gasoline BMW X5, the £ 61,510 xDrive40 xLine, by
£ 4795, though the Bimmer does have a 32 hp advantage.
The most affordable BMW X5 on the UK
market is the xDrive30d xLine, which comes with a 282 hp 3.0-liter diesel and
costs £ 60,035. You could give up 40 hp and save a few quid by buying the
Mercedes GLE 300 d 4Matic, but the GV80 is more affordable again. Prices for diesel
versions start at £ 56,815 for a Premium Line model with the 274 hp 3.0-liter
motor and five seats. Adding a third row lifts that to £ 57,315, and upgrading
to Luxury Line means parting with an extra £ 5600.
Genesis needs to make a big noise if it
wants to crack the premium market in Europe. Lexus is still a bit-part player
despite being present on the continent for over 30 years, and Infiniti recently
pulled out having failed to gain traction. Undercutting the German brands will
certainly help and there’s a fully electric G80 launching very soon as well as
two more Genesis EVs. But the absence of a hybrid powertrain in both the G80
and GV80 at launch will deter plenty of buyers in a market still dominated by
CO2 figures.
