CEO Manfred Fitzgerald is said to be "pushing for it."
The Genesis Essentia concept wowed us with its debut at the New York Auto Show. With a sleek, stunning design, and a fully electric powertrain, it was more than just a preview of what could be; CEO Manfred Fitzgerald is reportedly trying to get the low-slung sports car into production.
In an interview with Motor Trend at the New York Auto Show, Fitzgerald confirmed that, "he’s pushing for [production]" of the Essentia concept. "It’s not approved for production yet. We’re testing the waters here."
Good news is, most of the components of the concept are viable for production, says Genesis. The Essentia concept is built on a brand new electric platform, and design director for Hyundai and Kia, Peter Schreyer, says that he likes the proportions of the vehicle currently. He even suggests that the butterfly doors could make their way to a production version.
Genesis says the Essentia is still a "dream car" at the moment, but the components are there for a production version. Already we know that the company plans to introduce a "near luxury sports coupe" before the end of the decade, and has already trademarked the "GT" nameplate. If the Essentia were to be confirmed for production though, we likely wouldn't see it until at least 2021 or 2022.
Until then, Genesis will introduce its first SUV – the GV80 – in 2019. The midsize SUV will share its architecture with the new G70 sedan, which made its North American debut in New York. The G70 comes powered by either a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, or a larger 3.3-liter V6. Expect to see similar engine offerings on the GV80 SUV.
Source: Motor Trend
