Much like Cadillac with its beautiful concepts, Genesis enjoys taunting us with exciting cars it never plans to sell. The latest one-off has an impossibly long name and is the fourth vehicle developed by Hyundai's luxury brand specifically for the Gran Turismo racing game. Say hello to the (takes a deep breath) Genesis X Gran Racer Vision Gran Turismo Concept.
Unveiled at the 2024 Busan Motor Show in South Korea, the latest concept is essentially a hardcore version of the Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Concept from late last year. It has more aggressive styling with a beefy aero package highlighted by a mighty carbon fiber rear wing. The fender vents and rear central fin set it apart from the road-oriented version, as does the mono wiper bisecting the windshield.
The new concept packs an even greater punch as Genesis has upgraded the hybrid powertrain. The front mid-mounted engine equipped with an electric supercharger is a V-6 with 870 horsepower and 790 pound-feet. It spins to 10,000 rpm and works with a front-mounted electric motor delivering 670 hp and 225 lb-ft. Combined, the two deliver a whopping 1,540 hp and 1,051 lb-ft.
The total system output represents an increase of 469 hp and 65 lb-ft over the preceding concept. However, these numbers don't really matter since the car only exists in Gran Turismo and as a full-size scale model for static display. We definitely wouldn't mind seeing this high-powered hybrid setup in a street-legal production car but it's just wishful thinking on our part.
That striking orange paint job was deliberately selected to tie the concept in with the Magma lineup. It's a new Genesis sub-brand dedicated to performance vehicles, as seen with the equally orange GV60 and G80. Earlier this year, Luc Donckerwolke, Genesis Chief Creative Officer, told Motor1 that Magma models won't be as hardcore as products from BMW M, Mercedes-AMG, or Audi Sport.
Compared to last year's concept, Genesis also made some changes on the inside to better reflect the race car theme. The cabin has been transformed into a single-seater with a carbon fiber bucket seat, a fully integrated roll cage, and a racing yoke. There are more knobs and buttons now to adjust various settings like the traction control system's level of intervention.
Genesis isn't saying when the car will be available to drive in Gran Turismo. The video game's June update is still not out, even though July is only a few days away. Typically, these monthly updates bring several free cars.
