--- title: "Suicide Doors Are Coming to a Genesis ‘Sooner or Later,’ Design Boss Says" date: "2024-03-27" modified: "2024-03-27" authors: - name: "Jerry Perez" job_title: "Deputy Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/jerry-perez" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/suicide-doors-are-coming-to-a-genesis-sooner-or-later-design-boss-says" categories: - "Genesis News" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "Electric Vehicle" - "Genesis" - "luxury" - "suv/crossover" --- # Suicide Doors Are Coming to a Genesis ‘Sooner or Later,’ Design Boss Says ![]() *\Genesis\* Suicide doors—or [coach doors](), as some automakers prefer to call them—are synonymous with ultra-expensive cars, out of the masses' reach. [Rolls-Royce]() is famous for them, of course, but the next recipient of the rear-hinged doors may come out of Seoul, not [Goodwood](). While at the [2024 New York International Auto Show](), *The Drive* caught up with Sangyup Lee. Lee is the global head of design for [Genesis]() (and Hyundai) and is responsible for many of the sweet-looking cars the brand's been rolling out. When asked about the Neolun SUV concept's suicide doors making it to production, he shared that the brand is working toward incorporating this complex design element into future models. ![]() ![]() ![]() "We’ve been doing this study for the last five years, and actually we’re making huge progress," Lee told *The Drive.* "You see a lot of concept cars with these suicide doors, but you never see it make it to production. This is a challenge. We’re making big progress, and sooner or later it will happen." The Neolun previews a large electric SUV expected to arrive in the U.S. in a few years. It's large, opulent, and could be mistaken for something like a [Mercedes-Maybach SUV]() from afar. Its overall design is said to be inspired by Korean porcelain jars. Regardless of the vehicle's size, might, and cost, suicide doors are a design and engineering challenge. It's one thing to throw a set onto a concept car that's [never meant to hit the road](), but a completely different one to make them functional and safe. "Anybody can do a pillarless design, but what if a car rolls over? It has to be as strong as a car with a B-pillar. This is our challenge. Stay tuned, I’ll keep you posted. This is the vision," Lee added. ![]() **Genesis** The futuristic Neolun wasn't the South Korean automaker's only unveiling at this year's quiet and bland [New York Auto Show](). Genesis stole the spotlight with the [spicy GV60 Magma concept]() which, along with the Neolun, showcases the evolution of the brand and its design language while also helping establish Genesis' identity in a hyper-competitive playing field. "This \[Neolun\] concept, we’ve been developing for the last five years," said Lee. "We worked very closely with our suppliers to develop it, and we continue to develop it. I cannot promise you when, but it has been five years of work, and actually, you will see something in the future. "The world doesn’t need another luxury car brand, they’re perfectly fine, so Genesis is the only brand that has to do something special." *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Jerry is responsible for upholding The Drive's ethos as an audience-first, enthusiast-driven car blog that serves up industry-leading news, reviews, culture, and motorsport coverage. Overseeing a staff of writers and editors from his home base in Indianapolis, he helps curate the site's daily rundown, as well as its medium- and long-term content strategies. Jerry joined The Drive in 2018 as a writer and worked as news editor and managing editor before becoming the deputy in 2023. As a lifelong car enthusiast and racing fan, Jerry believes that all cars are cool, but the people behind the machines are even cooler. This belief often gives The Drive a slightly different focus from most other car sites, where we explore the humanity behind the machines. When he's not obsessing over the day's biggest stories or hanging out at a race track, Jerry can be found behind the wheel of a car, most likely sharing a laugh with his teenage son or daughter. ### Author social links [Instagram]()