Hyundai Motor Group chairman Chung Mong-koo on Saturday visited the group’s steel-making affiliates to ensure quality control of steel sheets that are used in Hyundai and Kia brand vehicles, especially the long-anticipated new Genesis.

“Steel sheets are crucial to the success of new vehicles, including the new Genesis,” Chung was quoted as saying during his visit to the Dangjing plants of Hyundai Steel and Hyundai Hysco, the two Hyundai-affiliated steel makers that were recently merged.

The revamped Genesis, the first redesign since its debut in 2008, will be unveiled at a Seoul hotel on Tuesday, with the chairman in attendance. It will be Chung’s first appearance at a launching event since the one for Kia Motors’ K9 in May last year.

“Coupled with the completion of the third Dangjin furnace, the recent merger between Hyundai Steel and Hyundai Hysco enables us to produce more strengthened, lighter automotive steel products,” he said.

According to Hyundai Motor, ultra-strong advanced steel alloys give their vehicles an edge in crashworthiness, weight and cost, with the material covering 51 percent of the new Genesis body compared to 20-30 percent in the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Audi A6.

The carmaker has planned this new vehicle ― project name DH ―since 2009, with the aim of developing a globally competitive luxury sedan.

Among other things, the new Genesis is the first Hyundai sedan to be equipped with an all-wheel-drive system, called the HTRAC, that electronically controls the torque split between the front and rear axles depending on road and driving conditions.

Adding to high expectations about the new car, the first-day preorders exceeded the 3,500 mark ― the highest-ever preorder number for any midsize sedan sold in Korea.

As of Sunday, more than 5,200 customers have preordered the new Genesis since the carmaker started receiving preorders on Nov. 19.

“It is a pleasant surprise considering that specifications, including the price, have yet to be publicized,” said a Hyundai official.

“Those in their 30s or 40s increased in number 5 percent to make up 47 percent of Genesis buyers. Added dynamism in driving is expected to appeal to younger generations.”

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)