At the kickoff of the New York Auto Show this year, Genesis showcased something that stunned many onlookers with a “coupe” styled version of their GV80 crossover to expand their luxury brand’s offerings potentially further.
The Genesis GV80 has already been a respected hit for the brand that was birthed out of Hyundai to seek luxury buyers and those who wanted something more premium from the brand. In the past years, Genesis has grappled with attracting new buyers in the luxury segment with some success, but “things” could be better. In hopes of speeding up its ultimate goal of being a forefront luxury brand, Genesis reveals another SUV, the GV80 Coupe Concept, a restyled coupe-like version of the current GV80.
While the GV80 Coupe Concept is certainly not a “coupe,” it takes on the design approach that many others have adopted for having a sloping roof silhouette for more of an in-your-face proportion, like that you see on a traditional two-door coupe. The style, from what we see here, actually works well, and we are happy to get confirmation that Genesis will bring this concept to production, almost the way we see it.
We see an aggressive sporty approach to the GV80 in the Coupe Concept. It’s possible that some elements may not make it to production if the GV80 Coupe Concept makes the grade, such as the large 23-inch wheels, carbon fiber roof, large rear cross brace behind the rear seats, and aggressive bucket seats. However, many of these characteristics fit the part for Genesis to compete with vehicles like the GLE 63 AMG or BMW X6M. It’s just that Genesis will have to have something much more substantial under the hood than their current powertrain offerings to compete. So, maybe we will see them go to production. If they do, they have our support!
What we could be seeing here in the GV80 Coupe Concept is a glimpse at the performance version of a future GV80 Coupe with other lower trim levels following down the food chain, which ushers in a performance arm of the Genesis brand. Either way, Genesis has undoubtedly turned many heads as the New York Auto Show gets underway this week. For the sake of keeping the internal combustion engine alive a little longer, we hope Genesis isn’t just teasing with the GV80 Coupe Concept, and we get to see THIS in action and for sale soon, as close to what we see here – because we like it!
