Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept to Usher in a New Line of Performance Models

Genesis kicked off the 2023 New York International Auto Show in high style Monday night. Make that high performance.

The automaker used the occasion to reveal the new GV80 Coupe Concept. And, senior executives told TheDetroitBureau.com, the show car will soon reappear in production form and serve to launch a new line of high-performance models.

The precise timing has yet to be revealed, but “It’s not far from production,” said Jose Munoz, the head of the Genesis brand and vice chairman of its parent Hyundai Motor Group. “It is very, very real.”

“Serious about performance”

Now entering its seventh year, Genesis has began building momentum as it rolls out a procession of new luxury models such as the Electrified GV70 SUV that went into production earlier this year.

The GV80 Coupe will serve Genesis much like the Mercedes AMG arm, or BMW’s M, adding a sporty flare – and creating a potentially high-profit niche attracting serious performance fans, Munoz explained during an interview at Genesis House, the automaker’s showcase center in mid-Manhattan.

“This says we are serious about performance,” the executive said.

Powertrain possibilities

Munoz declined to discuss specific details about the production version of the SUV Coupe. But he pointedly sidestepped, rather than denying, whether it might use some form of electrification to boost the performance of the existing GV80 model.

Currently there are two engines available, a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four making 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, as well as a turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 that bumps the numbers up to 375 hp and 391 lb-ft. Both engines share an 8-speed automatic and, for 2023, both are offered only in all-wheel-drive configuration.

In production, a GV80 Coupe could compete with the likes of the BMW X6 or Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. Whether Genesis would take aim at the most extreme of these machines is uncertain. BMW’s X6M punches out 617 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. Genesis would have to muscle up the GV80 Coupe substantially for it to be seen as a true competitor.

Design details

In concept form, the Coupe has undergone a number of updates when compared to the more conventional GV80 crossover. That starts with the aggressive rear slope of the roofline. The hatch adds more spoilers than the conventional GV80, and the concept lifts the wide dual-bar taillights first seen on the Genesis X concepts.

Up front, there’s a distinctive black version of the winged Genesis badge. The brand’s signature G-Matrix grille gets new dark inserts and it’s framed by larger air intakes, along with four slots underneath. The hood sits slightly higher and there are bold new flares over front and rear wheels under which sit huge, track-ready brakes.

Those are 24-inch wheels which almost certainly won’t see production, however. As is traditionally the case, there are a number of over-the-top elements, including sports seats with carbon fiber shells, as well as a built-in rollbar.

Genesis wants to enter the aftermarket

Then again, Genesis just might offer those as aftermarket items. Munoz and other officials noted that the brand will launch a line of high-performance accessories to go with the production GV80 coupe, including customized helmets.

Other interior features more likely to see production include the three-spoke steering wheel, as well as contrasting black Nappa and sueded leather with double stitching and orange piping. Other surfaces showcase carbon fiber weaves.

Where Genesis goes beyond the GV80 Coupe remains to be seen, but the brand’s design chief Luc Donckerwolke told TheDetroitBureau.com that we “will see more sports (models) in our line-up.”

And he stressed that, by modifying existing models, rather than developing unique performance products, “this contributes to the business case,” making performance a potentially high-profit niche — much as rivals like BMW and Mercedes-Benz long ago discovered.

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• Source: https://www.thedetroitbureau.com/2023/04/genesis-gv80-coupe-concept-to-usher-in-a-new-line-of-performance-models/