Genesis Essentia Concept Reportedly Going Into Limited Production | Feature

The Genesis Essentia concept wowed fans when it debuted at the New York Auto Show earlier this year and Genesis Motor America Executive Director Erwin Raphael has confirmed it will go into production.

Speaking with Motor Trend, Raphael said “We are very committed to the Essentia” and thinks the car will “do very well.” The executive won’t go into specifics, but confirmed the production model will be built in limited numbers.

There’s no word on many cars the company intends to build, but the publication says the Essentia will become the most expensive Genesis ever created. That’s not much to go on, but the the 2018 G90 starts at $68,350 and the range-topping G90 5.0 Ultimate AWD costs $74,350 before destination charges are factored in.

Little else is known about the car, but the global head of Genesis has previously told the publication that everything on the concept was technically feasible so a production model could arrive in 2020 or 2021. However, the model won’t be an exact recreation of the concept as Hyundai Motor Group Chief Design Officer Peter Schreyer has suggested the car could eschew the concept’s butterfly doors.

It also remains unclear if the Essentia is the sports coupe that the company originally promised or whether it is a different model entirely. The latter seems more likely, but Raphael was non-committal when asked by the magazine.

While Genesis isn’t ready to talk specifics, the concept featured carbon fiber bodywork and a transparent hood. The car also had a stylish interior with leather upholstery, a digital instrument cluster and a wrap-around widescreen display. Other unique touches included layered 3D carbon fiber trim and polished aluminum accents.

Detailed specifications haven’t been released, but Genesis previously said the concept had an electric powertrain which enabled the model to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in approximately three seconds.