Hyundai luxury arm Genesis unveiled the Genesis X convertible on Tuesday evening, the third and final electric vehicle concept of the brand’s EV future.
The unveiling, held at a glitzy event ahead of the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, follows the X Concept and X Speedium Coupé – all of which fall under the Inspired by X lineup. These are all just drafts and little or no details were shared during the event. But the Genesis X convertible, and its concept siblings, aren’t just design exercises. The vehicles, and in particular the front of the Genesis X convertible, are intended to showcase the brand’s new EV portfolio.
When asked if the X Convertible or something similar could soon be in customers’ garages, Luc Donckerwolke, chief creative officer of the Hyundai Motor Group and the Genesis car brand, objected. “Let’s put it this way. I’m putting a lot of effort, of my energy, into making it happen,” he told londonbusinessblog.com.
Image Credits: Abigail Bassett
The X Convertible has a hardtop roof with transparent moonroofs to keep the cabin open and a sense of space for four passengers when the top is closed. The front of the vehicle gets Genesis’ new EV face, a recap of the Genesis Crest Grille. Expect this new “face” to appear on future EVs.
The white paint on the concept is called Crane White and, according to the release, contains pearl particles. The interior is Giwa Blue with Dancheong Orange stitching and a driver-facing cockpit.
Image Credits: Abigail Bassett
Genesis calls the X Convertible “a beacon for the brand.” And based on the response, it might have that chance. When the vehicle was unveiled to select media and guests at a multimillion-dollar beach house in Malibu, California, the audience gasped audibly with a response that is unusual at this type of event.
“We need to take this opportunity to inject more adrenaline into the brand,” said Donckerwolke. “If someone believes that EVs can’t be sexy, Genesis will demonstrate the exact opposite.”
The X convertible shares its architecture and electric powertrain with the X Concept announced in 2021 and X Speedium Coupé concept announced in 2022.
Donckerwolke does not want to confirm the substantiation of these concepts. He did tell londonbusinessblog.com, “We’re working with the right partners to get the right amount of performance, which I think will be enough performance to fit into this segment.”
He went on to say that the X Convertible “will open up a new, er, let’s say platform base, a new platform and modular system.” Donckerwolke refused to go further.
Genesis continues to push design forward, as Donckerwolke said: “Usually you’re going to make something and you have to narrow down your design to the most common denominator,” he said. “We don’t have this, we talk to our internal suppliers and we say we need those seats. We need those lights. And this is, this actually allows us to push the boundaries a lot. And that’s actually what allows us to make cars like this.”
Genesis said the goal is to “deliver products for customers to enjoy,” and given the response from the assembled attendees, the Convertible X Concept is moving the brand in that direction.