“Unbelievably gorgeous.”
“Beautiful, and Genesis needs to build it.”
“The hottest concept car in a decade.”
“Most gorgeous concept yet.”
“An elegant all-electric grand tourer.”
“Absolutely spectacular.”
We rarely bother to tell you about concept cars – the design studies automakers build to attract attention and show off themes they plan to pursue with their future cars – because they will never be offered for sale. But Genesis has released a concept car that is simply too gorgeous not to pass along. Those quotes above? They’re all from critics describing the new Genesis X concept. And we agree with each one.
Genesis, the luxury division of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Company, has not yet released an electric car for sale. The Genesis X concept is meant to show the design direction future Genesis electric cars will take.
It’s a grand tourer – a large, luxury 2-door that takes its heritage from cars supposedly meant for long drives. Mostly a province of European luxury marques, grand tourers use a “2+2” layout – meaning they can comfortably fit two adults, but the rear seats are just for children or luggage. The X may have more in common with Aston Martin and Maserati vehicles than with anything Genesis has produced to date.
The X has fairly traditional proportions for a GT car. It boasts a long, low hood and short, almost-sportback trunk. But as a battery-electric vehicle, that hood covers a front trunk. All mechanical parts are housed beneath the floor.
And we have no idea what those mechanical bits can do. Hyundai has released no details on the car’s performance or what powers it. This one is purely for beauty.
The signature Genesis “crest grille” – a wide pentagon that graces the front of every current Genesis product – has subtly curved sides here and a forward lean, adding a visual growl. The Genesis winged badge is recessed into the hood. Deep character lines carved back from its wingtips proceed all the way to the base of the windshield.
Perhaps the element least likely to appear on a production car is the most distinctive twist – headlights that start at the traditional positions but curve all the way around to meet the doors. The taillights are similarly lengthened. It’s a stunning treatment, but we’re not sure how it would work in practice.
But Genesis may surprise us and keep some version of that design cue on production cars. Lead designer Sangyup Lee, in a statement announcing the concept, said, “The two-line architecture defines the side of every Genesis. Independent of typology, or product, the Two Lines will always be Genesis. It doesn’t matter if it’s day or night, it is always prominent and stands out. From now on, when you see two lines, you will think Genesis.”
Inside, the look is just as dramatic. Deep cordovan leather and chrome look more like an interior we’d expect from Porsche than something out of Hyundai’s shop.
The driver’s seat is a different color from the others – a trick Lexus has also used in concept cars, but that rarely seems to make it into a production vehicle. The center console cants toward the driver, with a curved touchscreen Genesis calls “free form”. A unique spherical gear shifter flips over to reveal a decorative crystal side when the car is off.
The Genesis X is simply a breathtaking car. As a concept car, it’s unlikely that it will ever see a sales floor in anything like its current form. But if this is a hint of the shape future Genesis products will take, we’ll take it.
