In the lead-up to the LA Auto Show this week, Hyundai Motor Group’s Genesis luxury brand unveiled an electric four-passenger open-roof X Convertible concept. The new convertible completes the EV concept trilogy to the X Concept from March 2021 and the X Speedium Coupe concept from April 2022.
The X Speedium Coupe from earlier this year is meant to look ahead to the next wave of EVs and highlights Genesis’ future as a luxury EV (electric vehicle) brand with a six-model lineup by 2030. It was born out of a “freestyle” design exercise based on last year’s X Concept led by Luc Donckerwolke, Genesis’ Chief Creative Officer.
The new concept takes the X Speedium Coupe concept further and showcased an evolution of the Genesis Crest Grille into a lighting signature to signify its electric powertrain. Sketches presented by the brand are credited to Germany-based Genesis Senior Designer Samir Sadikhov.
“Genesis started life by producing sedans mainly targeting business users,” said Donckerwolke. “While creating a new, differentiated design DNA, we gradually increased the emotional appeal by applying this DNA to the SUV typology. Now, electric powertrains have given us the perfect scenario in which to enjoy nature and propelled the brand to create vehicles with even greater emotional resonance.”
Genesis describes the X Convertible concept, as materializing the brand’s Athletic Elegance design language and being a beacon for the Genesis brand. It shares its architecture and electric powertrain with the X Concept and X Speedium Coupe combined with a folding hardtop roof that integrates transparent moon roofs above the front occupants to provide an open feel when closed.
The concept’s overall design features a long bonnet, generous dash-to-axle, short front overhang, and long wheelbase drawn rearward toward an extended rear deck. The “anti-wedge” Parabolic Line is designed to create tension through a gently rearward-sloping horizontal belt line, while muscular blisters around the wheels form an athletic “Coke bottle” plan view.
As with the X Speedium Coupe concept, the quad lights—from which Genesis’ Two-Line graphic identity originates—form an abstract of the Crest Grille. The cooling function for the powertrain and batteries has been relocated to lower openings in the front bumper.
As on the other X concepts, the rear of the new concept features a concave, elliptical duck tail intersected by horizontal quad rear lights The continuity of the oval shape is interrupted and crowned by a V-shape indentation that is meant to hint at the crest and wings of the Genesis logo.
The concept’s exterior is painted in Crane White. White cranes represent nobility and sanctity in Korea, The exterior surface is coated in white with pearl particles to achieve a luxurious sheen.
The wheels feature a combination of Genesis’ G-Matrix pattern, an aero dish concave section, and spacers to extract heat from the brakes.
The interior features a driver-centric four-seat asymmetric layout—a consistent theme throughout all recent Genesis concept cars. Its wraparound instrument panel integrates with the center console and cocoons the driver to emphasize its performance-oriented attributes and connection with the driver.
Inspired in part by traditional Korean roof architecture, the interior features Giwa Navy and Dancheong Orange colors. The primary color is Giwa Navy named after the Giwa roof tiles on Korean houses. A recyclable wool fabric is used for the textured, woven pad graphic that wraps around the cabin, and contrasts with the smooth leather surfaces of the seats. Dancheong Orange, named after the traditional decorative colorings on traditional Korean wooden buildings, serves as an accent color encircling the cabin in a two-line motif and features on the stitching of the seats and fabric.
The concept takes the convertible sensory experience a step further with its electric powertrain and high-performance sound system developed by South Korean sound designer Guk-il Yu. First shown in the X Speedium Coupe concept interior, the immersive audio system was specially conceived to optimize acoustic performance.