HYUNDAI’S luxury offshoot Genesis has unveiled its first flagship store outside Seoul, South Korea, and a shopping precinct retail-based outlet could follow in Australia as the brand expands its reach globally next year.

Dubbed the Genesis Studio and situated in what the company called a new “cultural complex” in Hanam, 30km east of the CBD, the outlet follows in the footsteps of other brand-building stores that allow customers to learn about the vehicles and their features without the purchasing pressure of a dealership.

“This space, located in a busy area, will serve to introduce our brand, and to raise visitors’ curiosity around it,” said head of the Genesis brand Manfred Fitzgerald in a statement.

“We have also developed diverse concepts of brand spaces that fit for different objectives, so you will see more exciting brand spaces to come in the near future.”

The brand further added in a statement: “Genesis plans to open diverse concepts of brand spaces in major markets. As the first dedicated brand space for Genesis, the site in Hanam will inspire other Genesis brand spaces around the world.”

It leaves the door open to a brand space – featuring experts speaking with customers in a lounge-like environment, with individualised consultation for test drives and purchasing – in other markets such as Australia.

Locally, the current Hyundai Genesis will receive a facelift in March next year, when it will be rebranded the Genesis G80, and in late 2017 it will be joined by the smaller BMW 3 Series-sized Genesis G70 to form a duo with unique branding in select Hyundai dealerships.

Hyundai Motor Company Australia (HMCA) corporate communications general manager Bill Thomas acknowledged, however, that establishing Genesis as a luxury brand in its own right would require a larger exercise beyond dealership rebranding, and that could extend to a flagship outlet.

“We need to make a statement with the Genesis brand, and that kind of facility might work really well as a point of difference (from other manufacturers),” Mr Thomas told GoAuto.

“We’re really looking at all different markets and how they’ve launched Genesis that distinguishes it as its own brand, so that (flagship store) is certainly something we’ll be looking at along with a number of other alternatives.

“You would need to make sure it’s properly launched as its own brand, whether that takes shape as its own event or maybe some sort of facility such as a brand centre. Everything is on the table at this point.”

Following the G70 and G80 is an expected Genesis SUV and large luxury coupe in a similar style to the Vision G concept unveiled last year, as the brand attempts to position itself as a value-based luxury car rival to the likes of Infiniti and Lexus, but also the traditional German triumvirate of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

By Daniel DeGasperi