2019 Genesis G70 pricing should give BMW some anxiety

Genesis has priced up the 2019 G70, and the fiesty sports sedan has the BMW 3 Series firmly in its sights. Headed to dealerships this week, the G70 will be priced from $34,900 plus destination, and attempt to lure in enthusiastic drivers with its manual gearbox option.

Your $34,900 – plus $995 destination – gets you the 2019 G70 Advanced 2.0T RWD. That packs a 252 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, with 260 lb-ft of torque in the standard rear-wheel drive car. It comes with an 8-speed automatic transmission, with paddle shifters and rev matching.

$36,900 (plus destination) steps up to the G70 2.0T Advanced AWD, with HTRAC all-wheel drive. It also throws in a heated steering wheel. Either way, you get LED daytime running lights and LED taillights, 18-inch alloys wheels, and an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.

Keen drivers may want to spend the $37,900 (plus destination) on the 2019 G70 2.0T Sport M/T RWD, however. That switches the automatic transmission for a 6-speed manual.

The 2.0T Elite trim, from $39,900 (or $41,900 with AWD) adds full LED headlamps, a Lexicon 15-speaker audio system, heated a ventilated front seats, and navigation. It also adds front and rear parking sensors and leather seat surfaces, together with a sunroof.

The 2.0T Prestige, at $44,900, only comes in AWD form. It has a head-up display, Qi wireless phone charging, Nappa leather seats with quilting, and a surround-view monitor. The rear seats in the Prestige are heated, too. The 2.0T Dynamic – at $43,900 for RWD or $45,900 for AWD – adds a limited-slip differential on the RWD car, and 19-inch alloy wheels with Michelin PS4 summer tires.

Finally, the 2.0T Sport is $44,900 in RWD form, or $46,900 in AWD, and builds on the Prestige trim. However, it adds 19-inch alloy wheels with Michelin PS4 summer tires, and Nappa leather for the seats with sport quilting. The RWD gets a limited-slip differential, and there's dark chrome and dark tint exterior trim, along with copper headlight bezel accents.

If you want a V6 engine, that arrives in the 2019 G70 3.3T Advanced RWD, at $43,750 (plus destination). Its 3.3-liter engine makes 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque, and comes with an 8-speed automatic only. The 3.3T Advanced AWD starts at $45,750 (plus destination).

As with the four-cylinder, there are also Elite, Prestige, and Sport editions. Genesis will also have limited edition Design Edition (from $48,750) and Dynamic Edition (from $50,250) cars, with only 400 of each being produced.