Genesis Gran Tourismo Concept - 2023

Beauty and the Beast: Genesis Reveals Elegant Berlinetta and Ferocious 1500HP Racer Concepts

Genesis, Hyundai's luxury automotive brand, ventured into the high-performance virtual racing world with the Genesis Gran Tourismo Concept initiative, comprising two distinct vehicles: the X Gran Berlinetta Vision Gran Turismo Concept and its track-focused derivative, the X Gran Racer Vision Gran Turismo Concept. These concepts were developed for the Vision Gran Turismo series, a project allowing manufacturers creative freedom to design ideal grand tourers for the Gran Turismo video game franchise, providing significant brand visibility.

The X Gran Berlinetta, unveiled in December 2023 and made available in Gran Turismo 7 in January 2024, embodies Genesis' "Athletic Elegance" design philosophy. Its exterior features muscular volumes centered around the wheels, cab-backward proportions, the signature "Two Lines" lighting integrated with an abstracted Crest Grille, a parabolic side profile, and an aerodynamically efficient design (0.34 drag coefficient), finished in a striking Magma color. The interior follows the "Beauty of Openness" principle, offering a minimalist, driver-focused cockpit with a digital panoramic interface, surround monitoring system, steer-by-wire controls, carbon fiber elements, and quilted bolsters for support. Powering the Berlinetta is a potent hybrid system combining a front mid-mounted Lambda 11 V6 engine (870 hp, 790 lb-ft, 10,000 RPM) with Genesis E-SC technology and a Yasa E motor (201 hp, 196 lb-ft), delivering a total output of 1,071 hp and 986 lb-ft of torque, enabling speeds over 400 km/h.

Building on this, the X Gran Racer was unveiled in June 2024 (available in GT7 July 2024) as a racing evolution. While sharing the core V6 engine, it boasts a significantly more powerful electric motor (670 hp, 225 lb-ft), resulting in a massive total system output of 1,540 hp and 1,015 lb-ft of torque. Its design prioritizes track performance with drastically enhanced aerodynamics, including aggressive ground effects, a prominent rear wing, active aero flaps, diffusers, canards, and a larger front splitter. The interior is race-centric, exposing structural elements like a roll cage, featuring integrated controls, the digital interface, extensive carbon fiber, supportive padding, and a high-performance racing yoke instead of a traditional steering wheel.

These concepts are integral to the Genesis Magma program, signifying the brand's serious ambitions in the high-performance luxury sector and previewing its entry into real-world motorsport (planning a GMR-001 prototype for WEC/IMSA competition starting 2026/2027). While no production plans are confirmed, a functional X Gran Berlinetta prototype ran demonstration laps at Bathurst in January 2025, suggesting potential for limited production or technology transfer to future models. Design cues and hybrid technology are expected to influence upcoming Genesis vehicles, particularly within the Magma lineup, such as the near-production GV60 Magma.

Expert and public reception has been overwhelmingly positive, praising the stunning designs and impressive performance figures. The X Gran Berlinetta received a 2025 iF Design Award, adding to Genesis' reputation for design excellence. Overall, these Gran Tourismo concepts successfully showcase Genesis' design prowess and high-performance capabilities, strengthening its brand image and hinting at an exciting future direction.