Hyundai and Prada Create Three Special Edition Genesis Sedans

 Hyundai and Prada Create Three Special Edition Genesis Sedans
Hyundai Prada Special Edition Genesis

Hyundai teams with fashion house Prada to create three special edition Genesis sedans

It's great to the see the Korean brands Hyundai and Kia working their way up the quality ladder.

They've come pretty close already to matching Toyota and Honda in terms of build quality, making very reliable cars. But they still lack the style appeal of even their Japanese rivals (let alone the Americans or Europeans) and that means there is still work to be done.

Here Hyundai has gone whole hog and hooked up with fashion house Prada to help boost its overall styling and interior design appeal on the Genesis sedan series. With the rear-wheel drive, V6 and V8 powered Genesis platform, Hyundai has unhesitatingly taken the plunge into the premium sector.

"We've made a name for ourselves as a quality automaker, and are now focusing on raising our brand image," said James Choi, Hyundai Motor's President of International Sales, in a company press release.

One of the cars will be unveiled at the 2009 Seoul Motor Show. The two others will be featured on display at the Prada Transformer, a temporary building adjacent to Seoul's Kyeonghee Palace which will house "different art, cinema, culture and fashion events from March to July 2009."

 

Source: Hyundai

Hyundai Motor Company & Prada to Create Three Special Edition Genesis Sedans

Hyundai Motor Company, South Korea's largest automaker, and Prada, one of the world's leading brands in the luxury goods industry, will collaborate to create three special edition Genesis sedans that will combine the best technology and industrial design with quality materials, craftsmanship and an innovative new approach aimed at creating a new driving experience.

One car will be unveiled at the 2009 Seoul Motor Show and then displayed at Hyundai Motor Company's headquarters in Seoul, while the other two will be auctioned at the Prada Transformer, a unique, temporary building that will accommodate a range of different art, cinema, culture and fashion events from March to July 2009*. The proceeds will be donated to a charity under the joint Hyundai Motor Company - Prada Transformer name.

Prada's design team will create three special edition Genesis sedans in Italy over a four month period, working closely with Hyundai Motor Company's engineers and own designers, using the house's signature materials.

"We've made a name for ourselves as a quality automaker, and are now focusing on raising our brand image," said James Choi, Hyundai Motor's President of International Sales. "We are extremely delighted that Prada, one of the best and most innovative luxury goods brands, has agreed to work with us and infuse their creative energy into our products."

Hyundai, which leaped into the luxury car segment this year with its new rear-wheel drive V6 and V8 sedan Genesis, is opening its doors wide open to innovative and creative ideas from the world's best. The special edition project will lay the foundation for future cooperation between the Korean automaker and other specially-selected partners.

About Prada Transformer

The Prada Transformer is a tetrahedron-shaped building, created by Rem Koolhaas and AMO, the think-tank of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). The Prada Transformer will be built adjacent Seoul's Kyeonghee Palace and will accommodate a range of different art, cinema, culture and fashion events from the end of March to July 2009. The project will be realised in partnership with LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor Company and Red Resource.

Established in 1913, Prada has built a reputation as a reference trend-setting brand in the luxury industry. Prada's interests transcend fashion, to embrace multi-faceted cultural initiatives that led to the creation in the early nineties of the Prada Foundation, which has become a reference institution in contemporary art and culture.

 

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 MTC MTC
Will Hyundai stop doing all these kind of marketing bs. No matter what they do, it's still a Hyundai.
November 12, 2008 11:24 am
 Motor_Yakuza Motor_Yakuza
Who cares, only s snob will be interested in such a car, I mean, u should be interested in how good a car is, and how it looks , not if it's a fashion house special edition.
November 12, 2008 11:57 am
 politz politz
the problem is: the average FIFTY years old MALE on a STRAIGHT marriage that buys a genesis does'nt give a damn about prada. stick that red italian logo on a white miata instead and see what happens.
November 12, 2008 12:41 pm
Is Prada owned by the Koreans now? First the LG Prada Phone...now this... Reminds me of the my dad's old Cartier Edition Lincoln from back in the 80's though!
November 12, 2008 1:44 pm
 radmeister radmeister
Does it really matter what the special edition is called or who it's made by? Hell it could be a Nike special edition, if the changes look good and are offered at a reasonable price anyone would buy it.
November 12, 2008 4:00 pm
 BabyMilo BabyMilo
if you are the kind of person who buys prada i dont think that you would want to buy a Hyundai
November 12, 2008 6:05 pm
 motorsport13 motorsport13
amen to that. no matter how good the cars is, u will be still be ashamed to say that u own a hyundai
November 12, 2008 8:15 pm
 chizz chizz
"But they still lack the style appeal of even their Japanese rivals (let alone the Americans or Europeans)" I actually think that Japanese cars have a better "style appeal" than the American's.......
November 12, 2008 6:57 pm
 Bremen_Koenigsegg Bremen_Koenigsegg
While I suffer the same stigmas about Korean cars as everyone here, I accept the Genesis as a sound attempt at infiltrating the entry-level luxury car market. That said, WHAT THE HELL, PRADA? Where is your sense of CLASS? Is it even possible for a metaphysical entity to sodomize itself? Because in my mind, that is all Prada has accomplished through this arrangement -- subjecting themselves to embarrassment in front of the entire automotive community. For starters, Italian fashion design studios serve a very limited role in the automotive world; second, when that purpose is served, it must be for a European product. Anything less is undermining the fragile customer recognition of the design house! Oh, this is a downward spiral, it is... Introducing the Kia Soul Dior Edition; a hot line of Gucci floor mats for your Sonata. Chanel air fresheners. I don't want to live in that world.
November 13, 2008 3:38 am
 Rembo Rembo
Ridiculous...Does Hyundai think Genesis can be the luxury car just depend on Prada??
November 23, 2008 1:04 pm