How much time has it been since Genesis became its own thing? Hyundai spun off the sub-brand in November 2015, rebranding the Hyundai Genesis into the G80 before the G90 entered the scene in 2017 as the marque’s first standalone nameplate.
Then came the G70 compact executive sedan as a middle-finger salute to the BMW 3 Series, packing the twin-turbo V6 from the Kia Stinger GT as well as all-wheel-drive and a six-speed manual as optional extras. The South Koreans really got going with the introduction of the GV80 mid-size SUV that debuted three new engines.
With four nameplates on deck, the time has come for Genesis to look in a different direction in order to appeal to a different audience. This is where the GT70 enters the scene, a fixed-head coupe with the same underpinnings as the G70 sedan.
We knew about its existence since 2016 thanks to an internal presentation that describes the GT70 as a “near-luxury sport coupe.” Also worthy of mentioning, Genesis highlighted that it would evolve into a full lineup with "the launch of six models by 2020,” including a near-luxury SUV for the compact segment – the GV70.
Turning our attention back to the GT70, Koo Ki Sung studio of South Korea rendered the upcoming model with the G-matrix quad headlamps of the G90 and G80 as well as a few traits from the G70. We can also identify a few styling cues from the New York Concept from the 2016 New York Auto Show and influences from the Ferrari Roma.
Considering how ugly of a grille the next generation of the BMW 4 Series will get, the Genesis GT70 certainly wins the beauty contest if the front-end design will mirror this pixel work. Engine options should include a 2.5-liter turbo I4 and a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, and given time, some sort of electrification may also be added to the list.
Smartstream 3.5 T-GDi is how Hyundai and Genesis refer to the larger of those engines, and in the GV80, the six-cylinder plant is rated at 380 PS and 530 Nm. That’s 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque, pitting this car against the M440i with rear- or all-wheel-drive. BMW is expected to give the M440i the B58 turbo straight-six with 387 PS (382 horsepower) and 500 Nm (369 pound-feet) of torque at the crank.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News