Genesis has been on a roll of late, releasing gorgeous concepts and compelling new models. The company’s latest effort is the Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept. It’s a bold and sleek new SUV that makes excellent use of the Genesis design language.
Yes, Genesis has jumped on the trend of luxury automakers bending the definition of coupe. These days, it means “a four-door that’s swoopy at the rear.” Genesis has taken its SUV and reworked it with sporting credentials, with the company being sure to photograph the model on a racing circuit. It also features racy bucket seats for all four passengers and a giant strut brace in the rear. There’s even a helmet pictured sitting on the center console.
Unveiled at an exclusive event at Genesis House in New York, the track photos explain that this is a luxury SUV built with an eye to performance and handling. In the company’s own words, it’s “a statement of intent for more emotional, performance-oriented models.”
Naturally, the GV80 Coupe is built on the Genesis rear-wheel-drive platform. Details on the powertrain are unavailable, but it’s not an EV. It could potentially feature a performance variant of the 375-horsepower turbo V6 seen in the existing Genesis GV80.
According to Genesis, the design is inspired by the X Speedium Coupe Concept we saw this time last year. The GV80 wears many of the same design tropes. The signature “Two Lines” lighting is present and accounted for, both front and rear. Meanwhile, the delicious ducktail spoiler element does wonders for the rear end.
Genesis has confirmed the model will go into production, though details on pricing and specifications are not yet available. Given that prototypes have already been spotted in the wild, a 2024 launch date would not be out of the question. Expect a production model to tone down some of the details seen on the concept. It’s hard to imagine a luxury SUV hitting the market with a chassis brace taking up space in the rear, for example.
It’s nice to see that Genesis isn’t afraid of bold, brash colors, too. Thus far, most of the company’s concepts have leaned heavily on a variety of whites, greys, and other neutrals. For the GV80 Coupe Concept, the designers went all-out on a scorching orange pallette, and it’s all the better for it. It conveys speed and performance in just the same way as the lashings of carbon fiber throughout the design.
As with other Genesis concepts of late, the GV80 design is cutting-edge. If Genesis is able to combine that with an exciting drivetrain and solid handling dynamics, it could just have a winner on its hands. It could yet tempt buyers away from competitors like the Porsche Cayenne and BMW X6, which look almost dated in comparison.
All Genesis has to do is make sure that the production model lives up to the presence and stature of the concept car. That’s not always an easy thing to do, but here’s hoping.
Got a tip? Let the author know: lewin@thedrive.com