Stellantis Exec Teases Wrangler Scrambler 'Mash-UpGenesisMuch like the women that Virginia Slims cigarettes attempted to advertise to* back in the Sixties by piggybacking on their hard-won civil rights victories, Genesis has come a long way, baby, since it first debuted as a model in the Hyundai lineup almost two decades ago. These days, the lineup stretches nine models wide—assuming you count EV and internal-combustion versions of the same vehicle as separate models, which Genesis does—stretching from Mercedes S-Class-rivaling luxury sedans to electric hot hatches.Yet for all its growth and expansion, the brand has never had a proper hybrid. Sure, Genesis has dabbled in it with ideas like its E-SC powerplant that uses a 48-volt electrical system to power a supercharger, and it's certainly gone in strong on EVs, but the Korean luxury carmaker's ranks have been empty of a true hybrid setup in which either an internal-combustion engine, an electric motor, or both can supply motive power. Considering how well hybrids are selling these days, that's an unfortunate hole to have in the lineup ... which is likely why the brand is very happy to announce the incipient arrival of the Genesis GV80 Hybrid.While it looks basically identical to the regular (and quite handsome) GV80 apart from some new colorways and wood trims inside and a revised grille out front, under the skin lies a new parallel hybrid system that pairs a starter-generator motor and a drive motor with the 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-four already found in base models. The combo brings total output to 347 horsepower and 391 pound-ft of torque, increases of 47 hp and 80 lb-ft over the plain-Jane turbo-four version; it also ties the GV80's 3.5-liter V-6 on twist, while coming up just 28 ponies short. The 0-62-mile-per-hour dash takes a claimed 7.1 seconds, but considering our colleagues at Car and Driver clocked the 300-hp version at 6.1 from 0 to 60, we suspect this is a tad conservative.We're not sure why Andy Samberg's cousin is reading a book in the GV80 Hybrid, but he certainly looks comfortable.GenesisGenesis says the new series hybrid system mixes its electric and ICE motors in a manner meant to deliver a smooth, linear "driving experience closer to that of an EV," adding that the latest GV80 is designed to depend on battery power up to roughly 18 miles per hour. Overall, the company says fuel economy showed improvements of 25 percent or more on tests of a rear-wheel drive version wearing 19-inch wheels; seeing as how the RWD 2.5T GV80 is rated for 22 miles per gallon combined in the States, that suggests the hybrid might bump that up to 27–28 mpg here.AdvertisementAdvertisementAnd, yes, the GV80 Hybrid will be coming to the United States, with a Genesis representative confirming as much to C/D. The vehicle itself will be launching next month, at least in its home market; we'll have to wait a bit longer to find out info like pricing and timing for America.*Yes, kids, there used to be advertisements for cigarettes. Basically, everywhere.You Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State