2020 will be an important year for the Genesis brand, as it prepares to launch two exciting new products in the United States, including its first SUV. The 2021 Genesis G80 sedan and 2021 Genesis GV80 SUV will go on sale towards the end of 2020, a bit later than initially anticipated. Covid-related production shutdowns have delayed the US launch of both vehicles, which was initially planned for the summer.

"Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 related delays in the US, we need to adjust our communication of the timing for their highly-anticipated arrival in the US Market to the fall of 2020," the company said in a statement. The two models might be arriving late, but it looks like they could both be worth the wait.

Although neither vehicle has gone on sale in the US, Genesis has already received substantial numbers of pre-orders totaling 14,500 for the G80 and GV80 combined. When last reported two months ago, the G80 had only racked up 1,500 reservations while the GV80 saw greater demand with over 10,000 reservations. Both of those figures have likely risen since May.

The base versions of both cars are powered by a new 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque with rear-wheel-drive or optional all-wheel-drive. Optionally, a new 3.5-liter V6 produces 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque while both engines send power to an eight-speed automatic.

When it arrives, the GV80 will easily replace the G70 as the company's best-selling model, given the popularity of SUVs over sedans. Genesis hasn't provided more concrete timing for the launch of the G80 and GV80 besides fall 2020, so they could arrive any time between September to December. Pricing for the G80 and GV80 starts at $47,700 and $48,900 respectively, making them far less expensive than equivalent models from BMW and Mercedes-Benz.