GENESIS IS A REVELATION
Essentia all-electric concept makes its world debut
GENESIS, the fledgling luxury brand spun off from Hyundai a little more that two years ago, has shattered stereotypes and offered a glimpse into the brand’s future with the Essentia concept car, newly unveiled at the New York Auto Show.
The all-electric grand touring coupe pushes the boundaries of Genesis’ image far beyond that of its conservative sedans and even the futuristic GV80 SUV concept it revealed at last year’s auto show.
Manfred Fitzgerald, senior vice president and head of the Genesis brand and formerly with Lamborghini, says the Essentia is proof of the brand’s obligation to create desirable products that spark passion and inspiration.
“A coupe is always the most emotional vehicle a brand can design, therefore [the Essentia] serves to showcase how Genesis thinks about shaping future mobility, which shall be enticing and engaging at the same time,” Fitzgerald says.
Although it’s thoroughly modern, the Essentia’s long, sweeping hood and cabin that dives down low in the rear is reminiscent of the iconic grand touring cars of the late 1960s and early ’70s. Contrasting with these classic proportions is a modern interpre- tation of the Genesis crest grille, flanked by quad headlights borrowed from the GV80 concept.
Copper-plated wheels are forged in an intricate pattern, which designers have dubbed the “G-Matrix.” A transparent hood gives a peek of the carbon fiber chassis beneath, as well as its pushrod suspension, a configuration used on many race cars.
One of the Essentia’s most eye- catching features is its butterfly doors, exuding a true supercar vibe.
“The Genesis Essentia is defining our vision of an electric Gran Turismo which integrates athleticism and elegance as designing parameters,” says Luc Donckerwolke, executive vice president and head of Genesis design. Before joining Genesis, Donckerwolke designed cars such as the Lamborghini Murcielago and Gallardo. His superstar team of designers include Alexander “Sasha” Selipanov, who penned the Bugatti Chiron supercar and Hans Lapine, formerly of Porsche and Audi. The interior is courtesy of former Audi designer Chris Ha and Guillermo Mignot, who trained at MercedesBenz and later worked on several Volkswagen concepts.
They chose to fit the Essentia with an all-electric powertrain, using multiple electric motors that can propel the car from zero to 60 mph in about three seconds. In order to achieve the low-slung design, engineers avoided placing the battery packs in the floor pan — a design employed by Tesla and others — which would have increased the car’s ground clearance. Instead, batteries are in a center tunnel, where a drive shaft might go on traditional real-wheel drive, and in the front and rear.
The cabin was designed to mimic a first-class lounge. Cognac leather seats are complemented with blue leather, carbon fiber and pearlized aluminum trim. Widescreen displays sit in front of the driver and in the center stack, the latter controlled by a jewel-like controller.
Genesis has announced it will have a six-car lineup by 2021, including two SUVs and a “nearluxury sport coupe.” Current offerings include the G90, the G80 (sales of which have surpassedcompetitors from Acura and Infiniti) and the all-new compact G70, which also makes its North American debut at this year’s show.