Quantity of vehicles got their turn in the spotlight this past week at the 2018 New York International Auto Show, but one in particular got tongues wagging and heads turning thanks to its spectacular design and its highly distinguished appearance. The Essentia concept from luxury brand Genesis is without a doubt one of the must-sees on the list of visitors to the Jacob Javits Center in the Big Apple.
It also happened to be the sole attraction at the stand of Hyundai’s newly independent luxury-car division, which last presented a premiere this past January in Montreal with its G70. Car shows, of course, are more than just an occasion to see the latest new models about to hit the market; they’re also an opportunity to get up close with some dream-inspiring marvels of design and technologies.
The Essentia, in all respects, fits that bill.
Genesis says that this electric-powered but performance-focused design study is the next step in its design paradigm of athletic elegance, while unveiling the company’s vision of future Genesis productions models.
“We understand our obligation as a luxury car manufacturer to create objects of desire, sparking passion and inspiration by emphasizing a culture while exceeding expectations in terms of technology and connectivity, bringing our outside world seamlessly to the inside of the vehicle. This is what the Genesis Essentia Concept is all about, and we are thrilled to introduce our interpretation of an all-electric, two-door Gran Turismo here in New York.”
- Manfred Fitzgerald, global head of the Genesis brand
The Essentia sports an ultra-light carbon-fibre chassis and runs on a powertrain incorporating several electric motors. The grille is decked with an evolution of the Genesis logo, while the hood is, yes, transparent, all the better to admire the structure and suspension elements. The four-beam headlights are similar to what we saw on the GV80 SUV concept, unveiled at last year’s New York auto show. The air outlets visible on the flanks help reduce the coefficient of drag. In the back, pointed design elements incorporate similar lighting to what’s seen in front, to which is added a prominent diffuser designed to manage and reduce turbulence under the vehicle.
According to Genesis, the concept is capable of 0-100 km/h acceleration in just 3 seconds.
Inside, the design is unsurprisingly highly futuristic and incorporates a host of eye-catching elements. Connectivity is a primary focus of attention, for example with the inclusion of vehicle-to-vehicle communication.
It’s clear that this prototype will almost certainly not make it to the production stage in its present form. But it represents the very essence of what a concept car should be; for one thing it provides a peek at where the brand is headed design-wise and technology-wise. To judge by the Essentia, Genesis is headed in some pretty interesting directions.
