by Wallace Wyss –
This Genesis X prototype, unveiled recently, is only a concept but if it reaches reality on the road, it sets a new standard for Korean design. The design does not look like it comes from a company that has made only five prototypes but like it’s from a company that has made hundreds. No facts about mechanicals except it could produce an equivalent of 577 hp. Genesis is the luxury division of Hyundai Motor Group.
Here’s a one minute design critique:
FRONT Blade like running lamps recall Volvo. Mesh grille still too pointed at bottom.
SIDE Last bit of side windows shows indecisiveness but nothing that couldn’t be corrected. Rear boxed flares recall Lexus LC500 coupe and convertible but not bad to look like a $90.000 car. Continuing the front running lights on side is a bit overwrought, and not needed though some type of front fender vent might look good in its place, something like BMW’s Z8 vent. Thin blade-like outside rear view mirrors (no doubt using TV cameras) look good but don’t know if the NHTSA has permitted their use yet.
The mag wheels seem to be adhering to some serious theory of funneling air to the brakes, like to hear how much better they are at it than most mag wheels.
And they are center lock–but we haven’t had those since the wire wheels of the ’50s and ’60s E-types.
REAR Rear roofline blending into trunk area very well done and reminds me of Rolls Royce “razor edge”. The concave portion on the back is crisp-edged but a bit too tall and mounted about half a foot too high. Blade like taillights aren’t original (Firebird 400 plus years ago?) and the wraparound of them overdone and unnecessary. Maybe for production they need an original shape taillamp. There’s some odd double dips on the lower edge, maybe exhaust outlets (except electrics don’t have exhausts) Not needed.
INTERIOR Did not find enough pictures for full opinion but looks like they are carrying the “wall along the center” concept for the 2020 Corvette even further. I’d have to drive it before I can say it induces claustrophobia in me.
IN SUM Overall, a stunning new design and if the European luxury car makers don’t give their electric cars high priority in assigning them the best designs then they could find out they are outclassed by Asian automakers willing to go all in.
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
THE AUTHOR: Wallace Wyss was invited by the Art Center College of Design to lecture on design history on three different occasions.
Photos compliments of Genesis.
Maybe the first EV car that has excited me. If they build it for a reasonable price I’ll buy one
Nice article Wallace and is this the same car that was shown at the 2018 Quail Concours?
I think it may be and it beautiful. As Robert Cumberford and I walked from the Lamborghini exhibit where I, like Mike Gulett showed our Espada, the two primary designers of this marques cars stopped us to talk and then they to us to their small pavilion where this car was shown. They were both students of Cumberford when he taught at the Artcenter of Design and one of the men was the chief designer of the Bentley Flying Spur. Great to watch two young well established disciples of a master designer/critiquer (Robert Cumberford) talk about car design relative to the human market. So I did not get a good view of the car but sure did study the human interaction of three happy intelligent men just inches from the cars rear end.
So I can now see understand how this company can create such unique prototypes after knowing its designers past.
Some of the judges at Pebble are famed car designers and sometimes you can be close enough to hear their comments as they judge I had somewhat a similar experience when I saw Camillo Pardo (credited with the ’05 Ford GT and talked him into walking around a ;51 Ford restomod at a show in Riverside CA and doing a play by play critique of what the customizer had done. I saw the car through new eyes,,,,
That is truly a nice design, pleasing to look at and refined in its design. One alteration I could offer is to put a single plane crank V8 into that with some snarling exhaust and I bet it would really sell, I know I would buy one.