► Genesis reveals X Gran Equator Concept
► Brand’s first ‘adventure car’
► Sadly no production plan
Blimey, there’s no stopping Genesis, is there? Meet the X Gran Equator, a new off-road concept car for which ‘no stopping’ may well have been the headline of the brief.
Its Genesis’ take on the overlander – the go anywhere machine. It’s the one you could drive down to Timbuktu and back in a straight line should you feel so inclined. Environmentalists be damned. But unlike most overlanders, clunky old Defenders and such, the X Gran Equator wants to take you there in style and comfort.
Genesis says the exterior was inspired by reductive design principles – smooth and uncluttered, but also with the brand’s two-line headlights involved to ensure the X Gran Equator looks ‘as purposeful as it is striking.’
Yeah, yeah, that’s great but I’m more interested in the interior. I mean if you’re going to corrupt the innocence of an as yet untouched jungle tribe, might as well roll out the golden floor mats. Show ‘em what advanced civilisation’s been up to for the last couple thousand years.
Notice the criss-crossed rear-seat stitching, the exquisite bygone-meets-modern dashboard with recessed clock dials for infotainment data. It’s so old-hat Bentley-fied English, I’d half expect the ghost of Paddy Ashdown to emerge from the glove box at the summit of Kilimanjaro just to break out the midday sherries.
Explain the name?
Equator sounds pretty self-explanatory… so it can get to the equator, right? There’s more to it than that. Genesis says its overlander concept car derives its name from an Arabian horse known as Equator – the ‘finest stallion in the world of Arabian horses’, with which the car shares characteristics of ‘balance, beauty and strength.’
Sigh…
Why?
Genesis has been on a bit of a warpath of brand development in recent months. Last year it announced its intentions to go racing in the World Endurance Championship, which seemed a little far-fetched for a Hyundai luxury off-shoot but that’s the plan. We’ve even had a Genesis WEC hypercar reveal.
According to the brand, the X Gran Equator is indicative of its interest in exploring lifestyle-oriented cars as a future product direction. While sadly not yet confirmed for production, Genesis says X Gran Equator has been an exercise in showcasing future design potential, so watch this space.