Genesis is ready for the 2023 New York Auto Show with its sharp-looking GV80 Coupe Concept. While this is technically a concept vehicle, the luxury brand has now confirmed to Motor1.com that a production version is happening.
Debuting at a special event prior to the Big Apple’s big show, the GV80 Coupe Concept is a decidedly sporty take on the GV80 already on sale at Genesis dealerships around the world. It’s a dedicated four-seater, with bolstered carbon-fiber seats fitted both in the front and back. Furthermore, a beefy strut bar is mounted behind the rear seats for added stiffness, thus placing heavy emphasis on the sport aspect of this sport utility vehicle. Factor in the sloped carbon fiber roof, aggressive front fascia, and lowered stance, and it seems clear Genesis wants to play in the world of performance-oriented SUVs.
At this point, we don’t have any information on potential powertrains to back up the sporty good looks. That goes for the forthcoming production version as well as the concept, but we can say the standard GV80 already offers a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine good for 375 horsepower in top trim. Tucked into the GV80’s rear-wheel-drive platform with (presumably) less weight and a taut suspension tune, it’s not hard to envision a GV80 Coupe with all kinds of fun-to-drive attributes even without adding more power.
We’ve already seen a GV80 Coupe prototype testing in winter conditions, and now that we have an official confirmation from the automaker, the big question is when will it arrive? That’s also an unknown quantity, though with prototypes already out and about, it’s clear Genesis is already deep into its plan for this performance-focused SUV. 2024 falls neatly into the timeline for a refresh of the current GV80, and it’s also ahead of Genesis’ plan to debut only electric models from 2025 onward.
“Over the past seven years, we have added more lifestyle-oriented models to the portfolio, such as our GV80 and GV70 SUVs,” said Hyundai Group Chief Creative Offficer Luc Donckerwolke. “Now we are pushing the envelope with more emotional cars that elevate Genesis’ performance and dynamic attributes.”
You can see the Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept starting April 7 at the 2023 New York Auto Show.
