Genesis has just revealed the vehicle that it hopes will take the fight to cars like the Mercedes-Benz GLE and BMW X6, with the GV80 Coupe is expected to land in Australia in the first half of 2023.
The Korean brand is leaving no stone unturned in its hunt for premium customers, with the coupe-styled SUV bursting into a segment pioneered by the big German brands.
Traditionally, the coupe body-style sacrifices some backseat practicality for serious style, with the swooping, swept-back roofline lending a sporty, aerodynamic shape to what began as a large SUV.
And the GV80 Coupe Concept takes it a step further, presenting as a strict four-seater (with four figure-hugging sports seats) and stiffening strut brace occupying much of the boot space for better cornering performance.
Officially labelled a concept, this GV80 Coupe has already been confirmed for production, and will land in Australia in first half of 2023. And with spy pictures of the production version already appearing online, we can confidently predict the finished product will look much like the images you see in this story.
“The most exciting thing about this concept is not just its striking appearance, but the fact that it has already been locked in for production,” says Genesis’ senior manager of public relations, Guido Schenken. “We can’t wait to welcome the GV80 Coupe to Australia.”
Billed as a “statement of intent for the future”, the GV80 Coupe is intended to preview the brand’s next generation of models, and on that will be filled with “emotional and performance-driven models”.
Surprisingly, it’s NOT an EV – it’s not all that common for brands to reveal new cars with ICE powertrains these days – with the two fat exhaust exits at the rear something of a giveaway. That’s about all the brand is giving away at this point, though, with no mention of just what will be powering the GV80 Coupe.
Presumably, though, it will receive the same powertrain choices as the existing GV80, which includes the lusty twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6. That engine produces a significant 279kW and 530Nm, fed through an eight-speed auto and sent to all four wheels.
That said, the brand has confirmed six EVs by 2025, and already has electrified versions of the G80 and GV70, so an EV version of the GV80 Coupe is highly likely, too.
“(The GV80 Coupe) emphasises the duality of the Genesis brand by showcasing the antagonistic character that lives within the Athletic and Elegance parameters of Genesis’ design philosophy,” says Luc Donckerwolke, Hyundai Group’s Chief Creative Officer.
“At its inception, the Genesis brand began creating luxury sedans, which evolved into the G70, G80, and G90 models. Over the past seven years, we have added more lifestyle-oriented models to the portfolio, such as our GV80 and GV70 SUVs.
“Now we are pushing the envelope with more emotional cars that elevate Genesis’ performance and dynamic attributes.”
It’s pushing the envelope with colours, too, with the GV80 Coupe finished in a striking Magma paint, which pops against the black-and-silver alloys, and the twin rear lights which don’t just span the width of the boot, but encroach into the rear quarter panels, too.
The front end, with its mega-wide Double G-Matrix Patterned Crest Grille, gets a similar treatment, with parallel light bars that appear to bleed into the bodywork below the mirrors.
Inside, the bucket-style seats are trimmed in orange and black, and feature a carbon fibre backrest, matching the carbon fibre roof.
Expect to see the finished GV80 Coupe product in the coming months, ahead of a global launch this year. We’d expect the model to launch in Australia in the first half of 2023.
Keyword: "Pushing the envelope": The Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept will give the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe nightmares as brand locks in performance-focused future