Hyundai’s commercial during the Super Bowl last January showed over-the-top dramatized glimpses into Lexus and BMW boardrooms, where executives angrily bemoaned Hyundai’s Genesis winning the 2009 North American Car of the Year award. While the emotions might have been exaggerated to comedic effect, awareness of Hyundai’s recent rise, at least among Japanese auto executives, is very real.
“Hyundai is awesome,” said Takanobu Ito, Honda’s chief executive, according to Autocar. “They are undoubtedly a threat because their products are cheap, and the quality is improving.”
Nissan’s chief designer, Shiro Nakamura, also acknowledged Hyundai’s improvement. “Hyundai is the biggest threat for the Japanese automakers. They have the technology, but they seem to have cheaper labor.”
Hyundai is also introducing highly competitive models in segments previously dominated by Japanese and German automakers, like the Genesis sport coupe and sedan. In August, the automaker said it would bring its Equus flagship luxury sedan to the United States market, though under a different name.
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