South Korea’s international auto show, Seoul Mobility, is currently happening and Genesis seized the moment to debut two absolutely drop-dead gorgeous two-door concepts. Meet the X Gran Coupe and X Gran Convertible. Penned and created by the brand’s in-house studio, Genesis Design, these new two-doors offer a more exclusive and luxurious take on the already pretty darn luxurious and woefully underrated G90 flagship sedan.
Akin to what Mercedes-Benz previously did with the S-Class sedan with its coupe and convertible variants, the X Gran Coupe and X Gran Convertible test the waters for some new high-end models. Additionally, in a world dominated by SUVs and even sedans, coupes and convertibles seem like a slowly dying breed. But these two prove that more exclusive and individual forms of transportation are still in demand.
This Is What Happens When Genesis Lops Two Doors And Even A Roof Off Of Its Compelling G90 Sedan
Although the X Gran Coupe and X Gran Convertible are both concepts only, they represent Genesis’ latest efforts in elevating itself to see how far it can climb up the status ladder to compete with the impervious European and Japanese luxury marques. Genesis has been on a roll as Hyundai’s luxury subdivision, essentially duplicating the role of what Lexus was to Toyota back in 1989.
Big, luxurious coupes seem to be a dying breed, which is rather unfortunate since they’re one of the most exquisite and lavish ways to roam paved surfaces.
And now, the brand’s pushing even further beyond its own envelope. It bounces off the automaker’s other initiatives in building brand equity, which includes investing in its motorsports program, Genesis Magma. The company hopes its motorsports efforts will trickle down to its production vehicles and root a performance sub-brand to compete with the likes of BMW M, Mercedes-AMG, and more.
“In the 10 years since our launch, Genesis has been dedicated to delivering its unique values to more than 1.3 million customers worldwide,” Genesis’ global chief executive, Mike Song, in his official statement. “We aim to seize this opportunity as a launchpad for a new decade, showcasing models that embody Genesis’ pursuit of high-performance technology and future luxury design.”
While Genesis pitches the X Gran Coupe and X Gran Convertible as two-door versions of the G90, they’re more than just that. They’re very obviously sleeker, with a lower roofline and overall profile. The shape is more coherent, with a unified shoulder line that incorporates wider, and lower wheel fenders, rather than the more prounounced ones on the G90 sedan.
But things are not all that different, as the concepts retain the G90’s “Two-Lines” head- and taillights. Meanwhile, the pentagonal diamond-shaped front-grille thins out for a more aggressive-looking front end.
Genesis Design Studios Were Inspired By Olive Trees And Exclusive European Wines
According to Genesis, its design studio drew inspiration from European/Mediterranean olive trees and exclusive wines…or whatever that means. If we had a bunch of European wine and olives at our disposal, we’d probably get some design inspiration too. But I digress.
Rather, peering more closely at the concepts, one can see how the X Gran Coupe Concept’s olive-green like exterior and interior do indeed take such inspiration from those food and beverage items. Such inspiration is further displayed in the X Gran Coupe’s interior wood trim, which features design elements that mimic the leaves and branches of Mediterranean olive trees.
Equally, the X Gran Convertible dons a similarly striking red wine-like exterior hue, which specifically pays tribute to the rich Cabernet Sauvignon grapes of Italy’s Livorno region, with a deep, yet dazzling blue interior color theme to match.
“Each concept car is a unique expression of Genesis’ luxury ethos designed to provide a sophisticated and immersive driving experience,” Genesis Design Center chief executive, Ilhun Yoon, said in a statement.
Genesis didn’t say whether these concepts are heading to local dealers, despite looking pretty near-production ready. But we hope they do, as the world could use more suave and big-bodied coupes and convertibles.
TopSpeed’s Take
As Genesis continues building its brand and its product diversity, it’s exciting to see what sort of roads they’re taking and experimenting with. Big, luxurious coupes seem to be a dying breed, which is rather unfortunate since they’re one of the most exquisite and lavish ways to roam paved surfaces. Their slow disappearance was further exacerbated by Mercedes-Benz discontinuing its wonderful S-Class Coupe and Convertible with the launch of the current W223 sedan.
But if there’s any indicator for two-door lovers, especially big-bodied two-doors, and even 2+2 convertibles, these two Genesis concepts prove that they’re not dead just yet.
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