• Genesis unveiled the GV80 Coupe concept on the eve of the New York Auto Show
• The model’s interior counts only seating for four, unusually.
• The luxury brand hinted broadly at other, sportier models to come.
New York, NY – This is the week of the New York Auto Show, the second edition of the event since the two-year hiatus imposed by Covid-19. Media days and its model presentations take place on Wednesday and Thursday, with the doors of the Jacob Javits Center on 11th Avenue opening to the public on Friday.
On the eve of the festivities, the brand put on a private presentation at Genesis House of New York. The centre of attention, a reworked GV80 SUV presented in coupe form.
Which was a nice surprise, actually, given that it was not what those in attendance had been anticipating. That kind of subterfuge is really hard to pull of in the digital age, of course, so hats off to Genesis.
The vehicle paraded out is certainly attractive, but the format is not without precedence. There are competitors in the segment who have produced similar coupe-style variants; no surprise then that Genesis is looking at doing likewise. So while, yes, this is a concept, the images show that we’re looking at a vehicle pretty close to being ready for a production. This is no mere design study.
To be clear, the automaker has not confirmed that a production version is coming. We’re merely speculating at this point.
We’ll spare you a detailed rundown of the slightly esoteric descriptions of the GV80 coupe that accompanied its rollout. Suffice to say that Genesis is putting forth what it sees at its basic duality, with vehicles that are at once sporty in character and elegant. Which fits in with and is reflected by the company’s design philosophy, centered around athletic elegance.
The model itself is based on the x Speedium Coupe concept unveiled in New York a year ago. And from what we gather from the company, it’s a preview of things to come from the brand. Generally speaking, after introducing more “practical” SUVs, Genesis now wants to add variants mora apt to “generate emotions”.
Esthetically, the GV80’s signature is evident. The big difference is with the plunging roofline moving rearward, complimented by a winglet and elliptical, concave diffuser, there for looks but also to provide more downforce. The sporty aspect of the vehicle is enhanced by the presence of a carbon-fibre roof.
As for the colour, it demands the wearing of sunglasses. Genesis says it represents lave out of a volcano.
Inside, we find a four-seat configuration, similar to other models of the kind. Recall the early BMW X6, for example.
For the rest, the cabin is beautified by a sporty three-spoke steering wheel and sport seats clad in leather and suede. Those seats get a checkered motif and feature contrasting stitching of the same colour as the exterior.
It’s nothing less than spectacular, frankly. Very likely, a future production model would be somewhat more conventional, but we can’t help but wonder how popular this interior as it is now would be with buyers. Something tells us it would be a hit.
Note the presence of more carbon-fibre elements inside, for example on the central console, just to reinforce the sportiness of the environment.
Genesis didn’t share any details regarding the model’s powertrain, but e can guess a production version would inherit the same innards as the regular GV80. That midsize VUS is powered by a 2.5L 4-cylinder turbo (300 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque), or else a 3.5L turbo V6 (375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque). In each case the model works with an 8-speed auto transmission.
It’s possible Genesis might choose to give this coupe-style variant a bit more power, or even a whole new engine that would reflect its more muscular nature.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on this Genesis project, especially given that a production model is a real possibility.
