If Genesis X Gran Coupe concept doesn’t make production I'll quit, says design boss

It’s hard to believe the magnificent Genesis X Gran Coupe and Convertible concept cars haven’t received the green light for production since the pair were unveiled earlier this month. But it seems the luxury car brand’s design boss would agree, because he told Auto Express: “I will sacrifice my job to put them into production.”

The man in question, Genesis’s chief creative officer Luc Donckerwolke, also emphasised to us that the cars have “not yet” been confirmed for production – further suggesting that the two, which look like road-ready vehicles, are not just a pipedream like some of the brand’s previous show cars.

This is especially so because these cars weren’t designed from scratch, like the Genesis X Gran Equator 4x4 unveiled more recently. Instead, they’re in effect derivatives of the brand’s G90 luxury saloon that’s sold in most overseas markets and serves as a rival to the Mercedes S-Class and other executive limousines.

They also use production-relevant door handles, lighting and mirrors, and even have a retractable rear parking camera. That said, neither is a cut-and-shut job. In fact, the designers have completely redesigned the G90 from the A-pillar back to create them, lowering the roofline, making the windscreen more streamlined and redesigning the rear end altogether.

The nose has also been tweaked, with a sharper and more chiselled front end, thanks to a more angular grille and a new clamshell bonnet, with an uninterrupted profile right across the nose.

The pair are similar in size and prestige to the former Mercedes S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet, and would push the Genesis brand to the limit in two very exclusive and low-volume segments.

In a not-at-all subtle nod to previous full-sized two-door coupes from Mercedes and BMW, the X Gran Coupe is pillarless, meaning it can drop all four windows to create the effect of an open side. The Bentley Continental GT is the only current car to retain this feature. 

As if to reference the British brand, the X Gran Coupe bolsters its design with a set of burnished gold wheels that contrast with olive green paintwork. Inside, the cabin has been finished in a combination of green and tan two-tone leather, contrasting further with a soft, pale wood trim finish. The cabin is similar to the saloon’s, with a slightly redesigned upper dashboard and a new steering wheel – but otherwise as you’ll find on the production car.

The more unusually specified X Convertible features a few of its own design elements, including an entirely unique body, seen here in deep purple with a black windscreen surround. Its more stylised wheels also contrast vividly against the dark paint, and match the cabin’s aluminium-coloured beltline and lower brightwork around the sills. Inside, the vivid cabin is finished in an ultramarine blue from top to bottom, with a metalised trim that highlights the natural grain of the wood.

Genesis has also given the pair some significant chassis upgrades by widening the track and fitting larger wheels with higher offsets to fill the arches. What hasn’t been commented on is their powertrain, which in the regular G90 saloon consists of a twin-turbocharged V6 boosted by a 48V mild-hybrid set-up. 

As well as streamlining the petrol engine’s operations at low speed, the electrical system powers a small e-supercharger, creating a total output of 409bhp and 549Nm of torque. This is sent through an eight-speed automatic gearbox to either a rear or all-wheel drive system on the saloon, but there’s no indication yet about what is under the bonnet of the two concept cars. 

While the comments from the Genesis’s design boss give us hope the cars will eventually go into production – even if just in limited volumes – the Korean brand itself hasn’t made any official comments on the subject. 

When the concepts were being unveiled, global head of Genesis Mike Song did say: "We aim to seize this opportunity as a launchpad for a new decade, showcasing models that embody Genesis's pursuit of high-performance technology and future luxury design.”

This tells us that Genesis is deadly serious about proving it can compete with the established players on every level, by bringing in a model right at the top of what’s considered to be a luxury segment. 

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