The largest automaker in South Korea hosted a media preview for the G70, news about which was embargoed until Sunday morning, expecting the new model would boost growth and lead to a recovery following sales declines in China and other parts of the world. Hyundai said it had placed emphasis on the design of the third Genesis model, which it said embodied "athletic elegance," to satisfy customers' sense of luxury.

The company said in a press release that they had pursued athletic elegance for the car's design, "illustrating tension and beauty of the moment, such as when an archer releases an arrow".

Joo Byung-chul, a design director at the company, said that he tried to bring dynamism into the rear-wheel-drive car. "We carved a natural parabola from the rear to the front, making it more dynamic and powerful."

However, the company prevented journalists from taking photos of the car, seeking to keep the image confidential until it officially launches on Sept. 15. The automaker will start selling the sedan in South Korea the same day. In overseas markets, it will launch in the U.S. early next year, and then expand gradually to other areas.

Koo Za-yong, a vice president at Hyundai, said that the company aimed to draw young professionals in their 30s and 40s who have previously preferred the Mercedes-Benz's C-class and BMW 3 series models. "We want to win young customers from our German rivals."

G70's debut comes as Hyundai is suffering from falling sales at home and abroad. The company said its sales dropped 6% to 336,000 vehicles in August from a year ago. For the January-August period this year, its sales fell 7.2% to 2.86 million units.

Its domestic sales jumped 29.6% to 54,000 in August from the previous year when its labor union staged a partial strike. But overseas sales fell 10.8% to 282,000 during the same period, largely due to declining sales in China which have been hit by worsening consumer sentiment against South Korean brands since the launch of a U.S. missile defense system in the country.

Shares of Hyundai rose 1.78% to 143,000 won on Friday, erasing all of its 1.75% loss the previous day. The benchmark Kospi fell 0.23% to 2,357.69.