Every time an automaker unveils a concept vehicle, it’s important to exercise a high degree of caution.
It’s not as if the brains behind the brands don’t want to turn these ideas into reality; but more often than not they simply don’t make good financial sense, or they’re simply too outrageous to ever make it to production. Except when the cover was pulled off the Genesis X Convertible concept, it provided pause for thought at the very least. Because if ever there was a brand that could build an all-electric drop-top for a crossover-crazed market, this is it.
A Stunning Design Study
In short, this concept looks spectacular from any angle. It’s more elegant than athletic, with a design that emphasizes simplicity and stateliness. The brand’s signature split lighting plays prominently here, particularly up front where it connects to form the shape of a grille. An insider suggested the look could be part of future production vehicles.
The wheels feature geometrically opposed spokes and will be recognizable to those familiar with the brand – not that this specific design has been used elsewhere, but rather the look itself is a Genesis signature. What stands out most is the bevelled outer edge and concave centre section that provide dimension and depth.
Around back, an integrated duckbill accentuates the car’s length, while an indentation in the centre is a nod to the brand’s logo. On the theoretical side, the X Convertible concept features a retractable hardtop with fixed glass panels overhead.
Concept or otherwise, the interior is the brand’s best yet. Yes, a production car wouldn’t look quite as minimalistic, but the driver-centric space is absolutely incredible. Heavy contrast stitching provides a subtle pop of colour, while the wrap-around ambient lightning does so in a much more obvious way.
Where’s the Power?
While too many automakers venture into the make believe abyss by touting their concepts’ performance specs, Genesis kept it simple: there are none. It’s electric – that’s all we know.
Making the Case for a Convertible
Just to be clear, the odds remain slim that a production version of this concept ever makes it to production, so this is purely speculative. But as Genesis continues to establish itself as a player in the premium space, a convertible could be part of the strategy. And it’s not even like it would have to sell them in high volume to justify such an addition to the lineup.
Take the G90 – the brand’s full-size sedan, and the first model it brought to market; never have sales in Canada even touched triple digits (its best year was 2017, when 92 of them were sold), and yet a second-generation version was introduced just this year. But the ends justify the means, because having a halo vehicle to take on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class means more than outright sales volume.
The same case could be made for a convertible, with a window of opportunity to offer something no other brand is building right now. Sure, both Mercedes and BMW have convertibles in their lineups, as does Audi; but none of them is electric, which would put a production version of the X Convertible concept in a unique position. It would also mean the brand wouldn’t have to sell many of them to consider it a success.
