My headline is a little mean, because the Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept actually looks sleek and nice! Is it an actual coupe? No, of course not, but neither is the BMW X4 or Porsche Cayenne Coupe or Mercedes GLC Coupe or a bunch of others. They’re just SUVs with “fastback” designs that reduce rear headroom but give off “sporty” vibes. Folks, especially ones who remember things like the fall of the Berlin Wall and the official decree against lawn-dart sales, are eating this stuff up, and Genesis isn’t keen to miss out on all those sales to folks seeking the comfort of a crossover, but with a bit of styling pizzaz to make them feel like they’re still “hip.” Check out the new GV80 Coupe Concept.
My first thought upon seeing the new images of the GV80 coupe were: Woh, they slapped a Kia EV6 arse on a Genesis GV80!
Am I right? Here’s a close-up of the butt:
Here’s the standard GV80 rear end:
And here’s the Kia EV6:
I realize it’s not the most inspired automotive journalism to, upon seeing a new car, simply relate its styling to that of existing vehicles, but surely you all see this, too, right?
Anyway, in keeping with the vibe of this whole class if coupe-ified SUVs (a space occupied largely by ze Germans), Genesis has included some buzzwords with the GV80 Coupe Concept’s debut. Here they are:
The four-passenger GV80 Coupe Concept adds a new facet to the Genesis brand. “It emphasizes the duality of the Genesis brand by showcasing the antagonistic character that lives within the Athletic and Elegance parameters of Genesis’ design philosophy,” said Luc Donckerwolke, Group Chief Creative Officer.
Oh, and should you be concerned about the lack of the classic D-term that we know and love, fear not:
…the GV80 Coupe Concept combines the practicality of a lifestyle-oriented SUV with the dynamism of a sports car.
Actually, I shouldn’t poke too much fun at that, as it was my friend Luc who said that first quote, and he designed the Audi A2, so he can say whatever the hell he wants. Also he’s a real car guy who enjoys old Porsches and also big-ass American trucks.
Genesis showed off the four-passenger concept vehicle at the Genesis House in New York earlier today, saying it represents a “statement of intent for the future.” Based on the design, I’d say this thing is just about ready for production, and will hit showrooms fairly soon.
Genesis says the GV80 Coupe Concept saw inspiration from the X Speedium Coupe Concept that Genesis showed last year; I actually have seen this in person at the German Car of the Year event; Luc was there to show it off, and it truly is incredible:
Here’s some more from Luc, whose car collection I’ll hopefully be showing you all when I visit Germany again later this year:
“At its inception, the Genesis brand began creating luxury sedans, which evolved into the
G70, G80, and G90 models,” said Luc Donckerwolke. “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.”
To be fair, it’s not just the tail end of the Genesis GV80 that’s new; the “Coupe’s” face is also sportier. Compare that above to the standard car:
Genesis describes the new nose, saying:
The GV80 Coupe Concept’s front fascia sports the Double G-Matrix Patterned Crest Grille
surrounded by the quad lights, which have evolved from multi-lens array technology to
seamless light performance. Cooling is optimized by four slots within the bumper that reduce
shadowed thermal flow.
It’s a little hard to tell in the photos whether those front fenders are different, but Genesis does say that “These refined proportions are further
emphasized by the anti-wedge parabolic line. It is complemented by the muscular blisters and fenders that contrast with the vehicle’s elegant coupe silhouette,” so perhaps?
There’s a carbon fiber roof, a spoiler at the rear, and and the aforementioned “elliptical concave ducktail,” which apparently “provides increased downforce at speed.”
It’s not a real coupe, but words’ meanings change, and that’s OK. I don’t need to get all unhinged about it like my colleague Jason did back in 2018. Here are a few more photos, including some interior shots:
All images: Genesis
We need to turn coupe into a verb, as in Genisis couped this one too hard.
That thing looks awesome! Genesis is doing some really nice work.
I still feel stabby every time I read some variant of the word “dynamism.”
The only fastback SUV I’m remotely okay with is the Cayenne Turbo GT, and that’s only because it’s the ‘Ring record holder. I love the fact that there’s a Nürburgring lap record for SUVs of all things and that a company was enough of a silly goose to build the perfect vehicle for that. Just pure silly goose stuff! Maximum parsh as hell.
Otherwise, I, a complete Cayenne stan, want to actually use the damn thing to haul stuff, so the fastback roofline is…ugh. I’m ready for this trend to die. Unless there’s a specific performance reason, I don’t care. “We used this to chase a silly record” qualifies; “looking dynamic for the dynamism” does not.