► Genesis goes dune-bashing with new concept
► Fully functional X Skorpio has 1100bhp V8
► A Trophy Truck in a dinner suit
Concept cars, eh. They may look fancy but they’re usually about as functional as a papier-mâché hammer, with some low-speed manoeuvrability if you’re lucky and a basic spaceframe construction under all the pizazz. The Genesis X Skorpio Concept begs to differ.
This all-terrain performance concept does indeed default to ‘tubular frame’ construction. But that’s because Genesis apparently wanted to build a Trophy Truck in a dinner suit and needed a solid foundation to hang a bunch of authentic off-road racing components from – not to mention an 1100bhp V8 – in order to go beat up some sand dunes.
Which is exactly what the X Skorpio has been doing, in the Rub’ al Khali ‘Empty Quarter’ desert in the United Arab Emirates. All part of Genesis’ plan to boost its profile among luxury car buyers in the region, while also redefining its approach to concept cars in general. A move that’s supposed to deepen emotional connections with its customers.
While there’s a definite side-order of ‘what’s the point?’ going on at this end, if you place the X Skorpio into the context of a car scene where high-speed off-roading is a major facet of the culture, what Genesis has done here makes a little more sense.
Taking – and we’re not making this up – a black scorpion as its inspiration, the X Skorpio is an effort to fuse the pragmatic design of an off-road racer with the kind of luxurious interior more in keeping with a conventional Genesis.
The body panels are a mix of fibreglass, carbon and Kevlar, easily unbolted and replaced when they get damaged. Those are 40-inch beadlock tyres on 18-inch rims and that’s a functional roof scoop. There are skid plates and plenty of ground clearance. The black paint has a blue tint supposedly reminiscent of a scorpion’s exoskeleton (never mind the orange-hued version curiously not mentioned in the official press release; nor the lack of images of the front of the black (real) one, which definitely doesn’t imply that somebody crashed it, we’re sure).
Overall, it looks to us like the result of a fever dream about the old Local Motors Rally Fighter or an Infiniti FX of the same sort of period that’s gotten carried away at the outdoor gym – but none the worse for either of those things. Genesis says the aerodynamics are optimised for both driving on the ground and while ‘elevated’, something that’s intended to ‘ensure safe landings and reliable handling.’
Sounds like fun. As does the 850lb ft.
Fairly far from it. Instead, Genesis has aimed to put the lux into rollover incident by lining everything in a mix of leather and laser-cut suede, while adding matte and glossy highlights alongside trim pieces that echo the colour of the exterior.
There’s a fully integrated roll-cage, ergonomic seating and the instrument panel appears to be mounted on the steering wheel – perhaps you don’t need to look at it while on opposite lock or sliding down a sand dune. A second screen can slide across the dashboard, depending in whether the driver is riding solo or has a very trusting passenger acting as the navigator.
There are grab handles galore.
Aside from the brand-building exercise among potential UAE customers, Genesis is doubling down on what concept cars mean to the marque.
Genesis chief creative officer Luc Donckerwalke commented: ‘We create concept cars to inspire and ignite authentic passion for our vision. They are designed to deepen the emotional connection with our customers by showcasing the ultimate desirability they’ve always dreamt of.’
He added: ‘At Genesis, we craft cars that drive emotional expansion, showcasing not only our design philosophy but also the future technologies that personalize and elevate lifestyles.’
Referring to the current selection of Genesis concepts, which includes the X G90 Wingback and X Gran Coupe, Donckerwalke finished by saying: ‘Each concept is a signal of what’s possible, a glimpse into the DNA of Genesis’ future.’
CJ is a former Associate Editor of CAR, and now runs parent company Bauer Media’s Digital Automotive Hub – the in-house team that provides much of the online content for CAR and sister site Parkers.co.uk as well as helping out with CAR magazine. He’s been writing about cars professionally (if that's the right word) for nearly two decades, though attempts to hide this fact with an extensive moisturising routine.
By CJ Hubbard
Head of the Bauer Digital Automotive Hub and former Associate Editor of CAR. Road tester, organiser, reporter and professional enthusiast, putting the driver first
