This 1,540-HP Genesis Has Ferrari-Beating Performance, But There’s a Catch
See the Genesis X Gran Racer Vision Gran Turismo Concept in person before its virtual debut later this year.
We don’t want to overstate it, but this could just be the best 1,500-plus-horsepower orange supercar we’ve seen all year.
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The latest from Genesis is the X Gran Racer Vision Gran Turismo concept, a car whose name is as long as its story is short. Making its debut in Korea at the Busan International Mobility Show, the X Gran Racer VGT concept is a meaner version of the X Gran Berlinetta concept coupe that swooped into our hearts late last year. Like that model, this new one will soon become available as a drivable model in the Gran Turismo 7 video game. Here's why we’re (mostly) fans of the new variant.
Why We Like It
First, the catch: Sadly, these concepts aren’t real and we’ll never get to drive them in the real world. Which is a shame, because in case you haven’t noticed, Genesis is building some great cars. The current-generation G70 sedan was our 2019 Car of the Year while the GV70 earned the golden calipers as our 2022 SUV of the Year, and the larger G90 sedan took the Car of the Year honors for 2023. And recently, Genesis announced a new Magma performance sub-brand—and this concept car is slathered, conspicuously, in the same liquid hot magma paint...
That’s OK, though, as we appreciate any automaker spicing up an auto show (in this case, Korea's Busan event) with a fun concept. Yes, some concepts get us accustomed to upcoming vehicles with production-ready designs, but why not add some whimsy back to an auto show?
Surprisingly, the X Gran Racer VGT concept still beats with the heart of a Genesis V-6 engine, not one of the brand's newer all-electric powerhouses. After all, we tested the fully electric Genesis GV60 and it reached 60 mph in only 3.7 seconds, and that was with only 483 hp. Imagine what the company could do with even more power, which surely it could find in a larger battery pack than that crossover offers.
Horsepower and Torque (Plenty of Both)
As it stands, the concept likely doesn't need all-electric power, because it is said to produce a combined 1,540 hp and 1,051 lb-ft of torque—quite a ways from the outputs of the V-6s Genesis sells to the general public, the most powerful of which is a twin-turbocharged and electrically supercharged, mild-hybrid 3.5-liter V-6 making 409 hp and 405 lb-ft in the G90 and upcoming GV80 Coupe. That boost comes from a hybrid system added to the front mid-mounted V-6. The engine itself is good for 870 hp and 790 lb-ft at 10,000 rpm, while a front electric motor contributes another 670 hp and 225 lb-ft. That's way up from the earlier X Gran Berlinetta concept's 1,071 imaginary hp and 986 make-believe lb-ft of torque. Wow. Sucks to be the GT player who downloaded that model.
Of course, we're kidding, but we're not when we say the rest of the changes are more a matter of taste than better versus worse. The newer Genesis concept is unmistakable from its less-hardcore sibling thanks to a race-car look with ground effects and carbon fiber everywhere. A carbon fiber wing with integrated lights is as unmissable as the new wheels front and rear. Like the X Gran Berlinetta, the X Gran Racer VGT not only boasts a light-up grille, but also that dual-line design theme we’ve seen in all of the Genesis brand’s cars. Here it’s applied on the side of the car, just behind the front wheels to draw attention to the deeply concave forms on the profile view. In person, that pulled-in sheetmetal vaguely recalls the Ford GT, but is more attractive here.
A racing yoke distinguishes the Genesis X Gran Racer VGT concept, too, in an interior with “perfectly balanced minimalism and performance.” We’ll have to test it out in Gran Turismo 7 and get back to you on that.
What We Think
We love the continuation of the GT concept car series, as it inspires automakers to let go of restraint for a minute. In this case, I happen to find that although more power sounds enticing, the racing additions distract from the X Gran Berlinetta’s already aggressive and beautiful design. But hey, maybe it’s more of a chocolate or vanilla ice cream type dilemma. Which Genesis concept flavor will you choose in GT7?
I’ve come a long way since I drove sugar packets across restaurant tables as a kid, pretending they were cars. With more than 17 years of experience, I'm passionate about demystifying the new car market for shoppers and enthusiasts. My expertise comes from thoughtfully reviewing countless vehicles across the automotive spectrum. The greatest thrill I get isn’t just from behind the wheel of an exotic car but from a well-executed car that’s affordable, entertaining, and well-made. Since about the time I learned to walk I’ve been fascinated by cars of all shapes and sizes, but it wasn’t until I struggled through a summer high school class at the Pasadena Art Center College of Design that I realized writing was my ticket into the automotive industry. My drive to high school was magical, taking me through a beautiful and winding canyon; I've never lost the excited feeling some 16-year-olds get when they first set out on the road. The automotive industry, singing, and writing have always been my passions, but because no one seeks a writer who sings about the automotive industry, I honed my writing and editing skills at UC Irvine (zot zot!), serving as an editor of the official campus newspaper and writing stories as a literary journalism major. At USC, I developed a much greater appreciation for broadcast journalists and became acquainted with copy editing rules such as why the Oxford comma is so important. Though my beloved 1996 Audi A4 didn’t survive my college years, my career with MotorTrend did. I started at the company in 2007 building articles for motorcycle magazines, soon transitioning to writing news posts for MotorTrend’s budding online department. I spent some valuable time in the copy editing department, as an online news director, and as a senior production editor. Today, MotorTrend keeps me busy as the Buyer's Guide Director. Not everyone has a career centered on one of their passions, and I remind myself all the time how lucky I am.
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