Latest news with #LucDonckerwolke
Forbes
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Looking Back At Genesis' Cutest And Most Outrageous Concept Car
Designed around city living, the Mint brings luxury on a small scale Cast your mind back to 2019, with no idea of what was to come, the world was quietly optimistic about entering the 2020s. Before city life as we know it was swiftly dismantled, Genesis unveiled its Mint concept, a two-seater compact luxury model aimed at taking the stress out of city driving. Although it's not made its way into production, glimpses of the concept have appeared in things like the GV60's crystal ball feature. To find out what made the Mint so special and such a step away from the rest of the brand's lineup, I spoke with Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer and President of Hyundai Motor Group. It may be small in stature but it's pocket-sized luxury Trinity Francis: What was the initial brief for the Mint concept? Luc Donckerwolke: The brief was to demonstrate that luxury is not linked to size. To the contrary. Size imposes limitations. Genesis should make evident that our Son-nim, our honored guests, can be treated to the highest level of refinement, technological advancement and groundbreaking design regardless of size. Francis: How did you maximize interior space? Donckerwolke: The flat floor of the electric platform allowed a better distribution of the furniture to optimize ergonomics—in the spirit of Alec Issigonis when he created the original Mini. The interior is structured like a living space, with a sofa and an instrument panel that both rotate around their middle axis to facilitate ingress and egress. There is no big screen, rather circular digital touchscreens surround the steering wheel to allow instinctive commands without losing sight of the road or contact with the steering wheel. Usually scissor doors make a statement on supercars but Genesis decided to reinvent the idea. Francis: Can you explain the design process behind the rear reverse-opening scissor doors? Donckerwolke: The concept was created while observing the illogical approach to accessing a vehicle's cargo area—the user having to go first to the rear of the vehicle, leaving the sidewalk to deposit his or her shopping bags, and then return to the side to enter the vehicle. A side trunk access through scissor doors that do not intrude on the sidewalk is therefore practical and logical. Francis: How was technology integrated into the interior design? Donckerwolke: The vehicle features every function a driver needs, but the displays are unobtrusive. The small gauge cluster sits within the steering wheel itself, further augmenting the perception of space, and the six small readouts—finished in copper to allude to the vehicle's electric power source—around the steering wheel added a high-end, luxurious aspect to the concept's interior design. The interior matches minimalism with ease of use Francis: Can you explain the interior and exterior colour choices? Donckerwolke: The matt mint green and cognac leather colorways are a nod towards traditional luxury cars but done in a more modern and fashionable way. The Mint's diminutive size is already a step away from tradition—most luxury cars are quite a bit larger—but we sought to accentuate the modernity of the concept by playing with more contemporary colors. Francis: How has it (or not) influenced Genesis production models since and why? Donckerwolke: Concept cars like the Mint are designed to communicate the design philosophy and the design elements to the audience. The quad lamps that transport the brand's Two Lines signature and the G-Matrix graphics—first seen on the Essentia concept but also repeated in the interior of the Mint—were carried over into production, as was the parabolic line on the side and the concave section at the rear of the car. At their core, concept and show cars allow us to push the envelope, experiment, and see what is possible. It allowed the design team to escape their comfort zones and devise solutions—such as the rear doors—that are truly fresh and innovative. The charging port is located just above the Genesis lettering at the rear Francis: Were there any inspirations that influenced the design? If so, what were these and why were they influential? Donckerwolke: The Mint concept was one of the first instances where we showcased our Beauty of White Space interior design philosophy. This is derived from a Korean aesthetic, in which design is pared back and minimalistic, accentuating certain details but leaving space between these elements to bring a sense of calmness to the cabin. European furniture also utilizes the concept of minimalism to great effect, emphasizing clean lines to avoid clutter and focus on the essential. Craftsmanship is another aspect that is visible in both cultures; this is represented in high-quality materials such as the cognac leather and gunmetal balustrade. Francis: What is your favourite element of the design and why? Donckerwolke: My favorite aspects of the design are its atypical three-box typology and the clean, uncluttered, and genuinely luxurious cabin. We achieved this by looking at what modern city dwellers value in their daily lives and home décor and devised an appealing product that is very much aligned with Genesis' values as a brand. For now, we'll have to wait and see if the Mint ever materializes in a production form Francis: What were the key challenges in this project? Donckerwolke: Some of the key challenges were to get internals to appreciate that luxury could be found in small packages. That is not typically the case. When luxury buyers look to a vehicle purchase these are often very large vehicles that have a big footprint. Traditionally this conveys status, which is synonymous with luxury. We had to turn that preconceived notion on its head to develop a car that blends classic proportions with modern, minimalist, and luxurious design but that is compact enough to fit in modern day metropolises. Francis: Are we likely to see any Mint-like concepts or a production Mint from Genesis in the future? Donckerwolke: Stay tuned.
Edmunds
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Edmunds
Genesis Will Go Racing Next Year With the GMR-001 Hypercar
But that isn't true of the Genesis Magma Racing car. The model shown at this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans looks like a flaming orange ball of fire. The most subtle detail is what Genesis calls the "anti-wedge" — think of it as a parabolic line that runs along the side of the car, giving it a fluid, curvy appearance. You can see this design detail across Genesis' road-going vehicle lineup and it's a key component to the brand's sophisticated design language. Incorporating the anti-wedge element into the hypercar is a bold move, as other manufacturers' cars are riddled with flat panels and straight lines. If BMW's Le Mans car is Kate Moss, the Genesis skews more toward Marilyn Monroe. But don't think that the anti-wedge is just there for looks. The curvy body design also helps the car achieve the maximum 4:1 downforce-to-drag ratio as specified for LMDh cars. Genesis' lead designer, Luc Donckerwolke, said that his aim was to keep the design functional. "There is no styling that will not generate performance," Donckerwolke said. "There are no elements that are there just to make it look cool. It's all about aerodynamic performance." The car should stand out even at night thanks to the traditional two-bar Genesis light signature. Featured in both the front and rear of the GMR-001 car, the lights on this car are pure Genesis goodness. The car also has a stunning orange paint job that darkens to red toward the rear of the car. This hue shift is intentional — it represents a temperature change as your eyes move closer to the car's engine and exhaust.
Korea Herald
15-06-2025
- Automotive
- Korea Herald
Genesis to expand into Western Europe to tap luxury EV demand
Hyundai Motor Company, Korea's largest automaker, announced plans to expand its luxury brand Genesis into France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands with a lineup of electric models, accelerating its push into the European market, where traditional local luxury brands still dominate. The announcement was made on Friday during the 24 Hours of Le Mans — one of the world's largest motorsports events — with Hyundai Motor Group Chief Design Officer Luc Donckerwolke and Xavier Martinet, head of Hyundai Motor and Genesis' European operations, in attendance. Genesis is set to begin deliveries in the four new markets starting in early 2026. The initial lineup will include the electric sport utility vehicle GV60, the electrified version of the GV70 SUV and the upcoming GV80 electric coupe. Details regarding sales channels and strategies for each country have yet to be disclosed. 'Our entry into these important markets is a pivotal moment for Genesis. We are moving now to deepen our long-term presence and commitment across Europe,' said Martinet. 'This is the most significant market expansion since we launched in Europe in 2021 and is the start of our next phase of measured, strategic growth and sporting brand direction.' After entering Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland in 2021, Genesis is now expanding into all major electric vehicle markets in Western Europe. According to SNE Research, Europe accounted for 20.9 percent of global battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle sales between January and May, the largest share outside China, with 26.2 percent year-over-year growth during the period. Hyundai Motor Group has rapidly increased its presence in the region's EV market with compact, affordable models such as Kia's EV3 and Hyundai's Kona Electric and Casper Electric, achieving 45 percent year-over-year growth between January and April. However, the luxury EV segment continues to be led by established local brands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, presenting recognition challenges for newer entrants like Genesis. Hyundai's expansion seeks to tap into potential openings as local automakers adjust the pace of electrification amid concerns over demand and profitability. The company expects the luxury EV segment to grow further, potentially comprising half of Western Europe's luxury car market by 2027 as new internal combustion engine vehicle sales are phased out by 2035. As part of efforts to showcase its technological capabilities, the brand plans to expand its presence in global motorsports through its Genesis Magma Racing team, established in late 2024. It aims to enter the Hypercar class of the International Automobile Federation's World Endurance Championship, one of the most prestigious endurance racing series in the world, next year.
The Drive
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Watch the Painstaking Process of Wrapping a Race Car
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Car wraps—and I mean really good ones—take time. Even when you have a slabby canvas like a Tesla Cybertruck or Volkswagen the application process might be easier, but not necessarily look good. And then you've got the high-aero curves and whatnot of a race car. Genesis released an ASMR video of the team wrapping the racing livery onto its Le Mans hypercar, and it's a fascinating behind-the-scenes watch. The roughly 15-minute video is an expedient look at the easy and not-so-easy parts of car wrapping. Depending on who you ask, wrapping a full vehicle takes anywhere from several hours to several days, though a consensus seems to be two to three days. But Genesis' brief window provides plenty of vinyl drama. The ordeal begins with tape. Just as you would tape off edges before painting a wall for guidance and protection, Genesis design boss Luc Donckerwolke is seen applying and readjusting tape strips on the cockpit glass. Because wraps are applied in sections, the pieces need to be perfect. Beverly Braga From the prep work of painstakingly cleaning every airflow vent of dust and laying out the pre-cut sections for visual confirmation to the application process of precision cutting, heating, stretching, and smoothing out the vinyl, it's all captured in detail. The Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar livery isn't one pre-printed sheet. It's actually multiple overlays for the team name lettering, the Korean-inspired characters, and the color gradients. The end result is satisfying, but the video also doesn't come close to showcasing how vibrant the GMR hypercar truly is. Thankfully, we only have to wait until next year to see the newest endurance racer on the grid. Beverly Braga has enjoyed an eventful career as a Swiss Army knife, having held roles as an after-school teacher, film critic, PR manager, transcriber, and video producer – to name a few. She is currently a communications consultant and freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous outlets covering automotive, entertainment, lifestyle, and food & beverage. Beverly grew up in Hawaii but roots for Washington, D.C., sports teams.
The Advertiser
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Why this major carmaker thinks in-car screens have reached their peak
In this era of wall-to-wall screens, you'd be forgiven for thinking in-car displays are taking over automotive interiors, and that buttons and switches are going the way of the dodo. Hyundai reckons that's not the case. "We will see a return of the analogue, and the reduction of screens. It's going to take one or two generations," Hyundai Motor Group chief creative officer Luc Donckerwolke recently told media including CarExpert. "Depending on the type of vehicle, you will see less screens." He explained this will be different depending on the type of the vehicle. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "Mainstream vehicles will utilise screens mainly for a couple of generations. Basic cars will have the bring-your-own-device parameter, and the luxury cars will certainly have screens but they will be seconded by voice control. "You will see less dependence on these screens." Genesis last month revealed its X Gran Equator concept, a luxury off-roader that has four small screens looking more like gauges, but no traditional touchscreen. In an age when even the cheapest Kia Picanto has a touchscreen, vehicles without one are rare – at least in Australia. You can buy a Suzuki Jimny Lite here featureing a more 2000s-style bank of buttons and knobs, while in the Japanese market various entry-level vehicles like the Toyota GR86 RC simply have a blank where a touchscreen would be. Some recently revealed vehicles such as Amazon's Slate electric ute feature a smartphone mount located where you might expect a touchscreen to be. Citroen's C3 comes standard with a smartphone dock, which the company says uses an app and the car's NFC wireless capabilities to quickly connect the phone to the car. "Simply, people have their phone and normally they have everything that they need in terms of applications and utilities in their phone," said Mr Donckerwolke. Genesis' design chief isn't just seeing the future of in-car displays through the prism of a designer, and he raised safety concerns about a trend that has become increasingly prolific among, in particular, Chinese brands. "We have to make sure that screens are not forcing you to go into sub-menus for operations that we required only one touch of a button for before," he said. "If you rely only on screens, you are tending to go away from the fact to have the hands on the steering wheel and the eyes on the road which is for me the most important factor of safety." Many brands like Tesla, Xpeng and Leapmotor utilise virtually no physical switchgear, with almost every function accessible via the touchscreen or by using the voice assistant. Digital instrument clusters and infotainment touchscreens have also been joined by separate climate control screens (see: Audi, Land Rover) and passenger displays (see: Jeep, Ram, Porsche). You'll find rear climate displays in some brands' vehicles (eg: Tesla) as well as rear displays for viewing media (see Genesis, GMC, Lexus). As screens have permeated through interiors, some brands have introduced enormous screen assemblies. Mercedes-Benz's MBUX Superscreen incorporates a digital instrument cluster, infotainment touchscreen and passenger display under one piece of glass. Cadillac and Lincoln have gone even further, having not only one continuous pillar-to-pillar screen in some of their luxury vehicles but also a separate touchscreen underneath for controlling key functions like the climate control. Even Hyundai's own Genesis brand has an expansive – if not quite pillar-to-pillar – 27-inch display incorporating the instruments and infotainment. The risk here is what looks fabulous on the showroom floor could look out-of-date just a few years later. That's arguably more so with luxury cars, where all the wood and leather and craftsmanship can be undermined by outdated user interfaces – something premium brands didn't have to worry about in decades past. "I think that the main issue with big screens as well is you have to always update the contents, and other industries do that much better than the automotive industry," said Mr Donckerwolke. "There is a danger to have big screens and not the right quality of contents." Content originally sourced from: In this era of wall-to-wall screens, you'd be forgiven for thinking in-car displays are taking over automotive interiors, and that buttons and switches are going the way of the dodo. Hyundai reckons that's not the case. "We will see a return of the analogue, and the reduction of screens. It's going to take one or two generations," Hyundai Motor Group chief creative officer Luc Donckerwolke recently told media including CarExpert. "Depending on the type of vehicle, you will see less screens." He explained this will be different depending on the type of the vehicle. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "Mainstream vehicles will utilise screens mainly for a couple of generations. Basic cars will have the bring-your-own-device parameter, and the luxury cars will certainly have screens but they will be seconded by voice control. "You will see less dependence on these screens." Genesis last month revealed its X Gran Equator concept, a luxury off-roader that has four small screens looking more like gauges, but no traditional touchscreen. In an age when even the cheapest Kia Picanto has a touchscreen, vehicles without one are rare – at least in Australia. You can buy a Suzuki Jimny Lite here featureing a more 2000s-style bank of buttons and knobs, while in the Japanese market various entry-level vehicles like the Toyota GR86 RC simply have a blank where a touchscreen would be. Some recently revealed vehicles such as Amazon's Slate electric ute feature a smartphone mount located where you might expect a touchscreen to be. Citroen's C3 comes standard with a smartphone dock, which the company says uses an app and the car's NFC wireless capabilities to quickly connect the phone to the car. "Simply, people have their phone and normally they have everything that they need in terms of applications and utilities in their phone," said Mr Donckerwolke. Genesis' design chief isn't just seeing the future of in-car displays through the prism of a designer, and he raised safety concerns about a trend that has become increasingly prolific among, in particular, Chinese brands. "We have to make sure that screens are not forcing you to go into sub-menus for operations that we required only one touch of a button for before," he said. "If you rely only on screens, you are tending to go away from the fact to have the hands on the steering wheel and the eyes on the road which is for me the most important factor of safety." Many brands like Tesla, Xpeng and Leapmotor utilise virtually no physical switchgear, with almost every function accessible via the touchscreen or by using the voice assistant. Digital instrument clusters and infotainment touchscreens have also been joined by separate climate control screens (see: Audi, Land Rover) and passenger displays (see: Jeep, Ram, Porsche). You'll find rear climate displays in some brands' vehicles (eg: Tesla) as well as rear displays for viewing media (see Genesis, GMC, Lexus). As screens have permeated through interiors, some brands have introduced enormous screen assemblies. Mercedes-Benz's MBUX Superscreen incorporates a digital instrument cluster, infotainment touchscreen and passenger display under one piece of glass. Cadillac and Lincoln have gone even further, having not only one continuous pillar-to-pillar screen in some of their luxury vehicles but also a separate touchscreen underneath for controlling key functions like the climate control. Even Hyundai's own Genesis brand has an expansive – if not quite pillar-to-pillar – 27-inch display incorporating the instruments and infotainment. The risk here is what looks fabulous on the showroom floor could look out-of-date just a few years later. That's arguably more so with luxury cars, where all the wood and leather and craftsmanship can be undermined by outdated user interfaces – something premium brands didn't have to worry about in decades past. "I think that the main issue with big screens as well is you have to always update the contents, and other industries do that much better than the automotive industry," said Mr Donckerwolke. "There is a danger to have big screens and not the right quality of contents." Content originally sourced from: In this era of wall-to-wall screens, you'd be forgiven for thinking in-car displays are taking over automotive interiors, and that buttons and switches are going the way of the dodo. Hyundai reckons that's not the case. "We will see a return of the analogue, and the reduction of screens. It's going to take one or two generations," Hyundai Motor Group chief creative officer Luc Donckerwolke recently told media including CarExpert. "Depending on the type of vehicle, you will see less screens." He explained this will be different depending on the type of the vehicle. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "Mainstream vehicles will utilise screens mainly for a couple of generations. Basic cars will have the bring-your-own-device parameter, and the luxury cars will certainly have screens but they will be seconded by voice control. "You will see less dependence on these screens." Genesis last month revealed its X Gran Equator concept, a luxury off-roader that has four small screens looking more like gauges, but no traditional touchscreen. In an age when even the cheapest Kia Picanto has a touchscreen, vehicles without one are rare – at least in Australia. You can buy a Suzuki Jimny Lite here featureing a more 2000s-style bank of buttons and knobs, while in the Japanese market various entry-level vehicles like the Toyota GR86 RC simply have a blank where a touchscreen would be. Some recently revealed vehicles such as Amazon's Slate electric ute feature a smartphone mount located where you might expect a touchscreen to be. Citroen's C3 comes standard with a smartphone dock, which the company says uses an app and the car's NFC wireless capabilities to quickly connect the phone to the car. "Simply, people have their phone and normally they have everything that they need in terms of applications and utilities in their phone," said Mr Donckerwolke. Genesis' design chief isn't just seeing the future of in-car displays through the prism of a designer, and he raised safety concerns about a trend that has become increasingly prolific among, in particular, Chinese brands. "We have to make sure that screens are not forcing you to go into sub-menus for operations that we required only one touch of a button for before," he said. "If you rely only on screens, you are tending to go away from the fact to have the hands on the steering wheel and the eyes on the road which is for me the most important factor of safety." Many brands like Tesla, Xpeng and Leapmotor utilise virtually no physical switchgear, with almost every function accessible via the touchscreen or by using the voice assistant. Digital instrument clusters and infotainment touchscreens have also been joined by separate climate control screens (see: Audi, Land Rover) and passenger displays (see: Jeep, Ram, Porsche). You'll find rear climate displays in some brands' vehicles (eg: Tesla) as well as rear displays for viewing media (see Genesis, GMC, Lexus). As screens have permeated through interiors, some brands have introduced enormous screen assemblies. Mercedes-Benz's MBUX Superscreen incorporates a digital instrument cluster, infotainment touchscreen and passenger display under one piece of glass. Cadillac and Lincoln have gone even further, having not only one continuous pillar-to-pillar screen in some of their luxury vehicles but also a separate touchscreen underneath for controlling key functions like the climate control. Even Hyundai's own Genesis brand has an expansive – if not quite pillar-to-pillar – 27-inch display incorporating the instruments and infotainment. The risk here is what looks fabulous on the showroom floor could look out-of-date just a few years later. That's arguably more so with luxury cars, where all the wood and leather and craftsmanship can be undermined by outdated user interfaces – something premium brands didn't have to worry about in decades past. "I think that the main issue with big screens as well is you have to always update the contents, and other industries do that much better than the automotive industry," said Mr Donckerwolke. "There is a danger to have big screens and not the right quality of contents." Content originally sourced from: In this era of wall-to-wall screens, you'd be forgiven for thinking in-car displays are taking over automotive interiors, and that buttons and switches are going the way of the dodo. Hyundai reckons that's not the case. "We will see a return of the analogue, and the reduction of screens. It's going to take one or two generations," Hyundai Motor Group chief creative officer Luc Donckerwolke recently told media including CarExpert. "Depending on the type of vehicle, you will see less screens." He explained this will be different depending on the type of the vehicle. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "Mainstream vehicles will utilise screens mainly for a couple of generations. Basic cars will have the bring-your-own-device parameter, and the luxury cars will certainly have screens but they will be seconded by voice control. "You will see less dependence on these screens." Genesis last month revealed its X Gran Equator concept, a luxury off-roader that has four small screens looking more like gauges, but no traditional touchscreen. In an age when even the cheapest Kia Picanto has a touchscreen, vehicles without one are rare – at least in Australia. You can buy a Suzuki Jimny Lite here featureing a more 2000s-style bank of buttons and knobs, while in the Japanese market various entry-level vehicles like the Toyota GR86 RC simply have a blank where a touchscreen would be. Some recently revealed vehicles such as Amazon's Slate electric ute feature a smartphone mount located where you might expect a touchscreen to be. Citroen's C3 comes standard with a smartphone dock, which the company says uses an app and the car's NFC wireless capabilities to quickly connect the phone to the car. "Simply, people have their phone and normally they have everything that they need in terms of applications and utilities in their phone," said Mr Donckerwolke. Genesis' design chief isn't just seeing the future of in-car displays through the prism of a designer, and he raised safety concerns about a trend that has become increasingly prolific among, in particular, Chinese brands. "We have to make sure that screens are not forcing you to go into sub-menus for operations that we required only one touch of a button for before," he said. "If you rely only on screens, you are tending to go away from the fact to have the hands on the steering wheel and the eyes on the road which is for me the most important factor of safety." Many brands like Tesla, Xpeng and Leapmotor utilise virtually no physical switchgear, with almost every function accessible via the touchscreen or by using the voice assistant. Digital instrument clusters and infotainment touchscreens have also been joined by separate climate control screens (see: Audi, Land Rover) and passenger displays (see: Jeep, Ram, Porsche). You'll find rear climate displays in some brands' vehicles (eg: Tesla) as well as rear displays for viewing media (see Genesis, GMC, Lexus). As screens have permeated through interiors, some brands have introduced enormous screen assemblies. Mercedes-Benz's MBUX Superscreen incorporates a digital instrument cluster, infotainment touchscreen and passenger display under one piece of glass. Cadillac and Lincoln have gone even further, having not only one continuous pillar-to-pillar screen in some of their luxury vehicles but also a separate touchscreen underneath for controlling key functions like the climate control. Even Hyundai's own Genesis brand has an expansive – if not quite pillar-to-pillar – 27-inch display incorporating the instruments and infotainment. The risk here is what looks fabulous on the showroom floor could look out-of-date just a few years later. That's arguably more so with luxury cars, where all the wood and leather and craftsmanship can be undermined by outdated user interfaces – something premium brands didn't have to worry about in decades past. "I think that the main issue with big screens as well is you have to always update the contents, and other industries do that much better than the automotive industry," said Mr Donckerwolke. "There is a danger to have big screens and not the right quality of contents." Content originally sourced from:
