Hyundai Genesis New York Concept previews 3 Series rival

Usually associated with cars that cater to the budget segment, Hyundai has lately been hard at work on their sub-brand Genesis which aims to roll out cars which do not compromise on luxury or sportiness. Their latest concept was unveiled at the New York Auto Show, aptly christened New York Concept. Basically a thinly-disguised version of the Genesis brand’s upcoming G70, the New York Concept is directly aimed at cars like the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes C-Class.

The New York Concept is distinctly ‘premium’ looking, with its long bonnet, cab-back profile and short front overhang, with a broad mesh grille and slim headlights giving the concept width and an aggressive stance. The interior is suitably impressive, with four individual, sculptured leather seats bisected through the cabin by a centre console that runs the length of the cabin, a massive 21″ curved display screen and ‘Human Machine Interface’ that responds to gestures and swipes.

Details about the powertrain are limited right now, but Hyundai has confirmed that a 2.0-litre, direct-injected engine sits under the hood and is helped out by an unspecified hybrid system. That's good for 242 horsepower and 350Nm of torque, which puts the new Genesis on roughly equal footing with most of its 2.0-litre, turbocharged competitors. And like those competitors, the engine will be backed up by an 8-speed automatic.

Stunning looks aside, the Genesis New York Concept has a long way to go just to make it into production, let alone challenge BMW. The compact luxury segment is as competitive as ever with high caliber offerings from BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, Cadillac, and even Alfa Romeo. To survive in this segments signals a company's ability to survive in segment requires incredible fortitude. Genesis looks set to at least be able to get its foot in the door, but whether it will have staying power remains to be seen.

Expect to see something closer to production later this year.