Genesis unveiled a radical looking concept car at the Busan International Mobility Show in South Korea on Thursday. The X Gran Racer Vision Gran Turismo is based on the automaker’s X Gran Berlinetta concept and features an advanced hybrid drivetrain that delivers mega power and torque.
The X Gran Racer VGT is part of the Genesis brand’s Magma high-performance vehicle program and is the fourth design study developed for the Gran Turismo video game franchise.
As with Genesis models available in showrooms right now, this vehicle also features the brand’s distinctive — and signature — two-line design motif. Illuminated accents run underneath the leading edge of the hood, with a separate piece dipping downward to outline the grille. These lines flow rearward onto the front fenders, just like on production Genesis models, and ultimately to the back of the car.
Aside from signature styling elements, this concept also wears loads of aerodynamic add-ons. There are active flaps, a large rear splitter and diffuser, special canards on the front fascia for greater high-speed stability, there’s a flat underbody and the rear wing is made of real carbon fiber.
When viewed in profile, it’s impossible to miss this vehicle’s dramatic proportions. The wheelbase is long, as is the dash-to-axle measurement, which enhances the planted stance. You cannot ignore the vibrant paint color, either, a hue that is, appropriately, called Magma.
Matching its dramatic design, the X Gran Racer VGT features an explosively potent hybrid powertrain. Motivation is provided by a V6 that incorporates electric supercharger technology. All told, the front mid-mounted Lambda II combustion engine is rated at 870 horsepower and 790 pound-feet of torque all on its own at, get this, 10,000 rpm.
In addition to that, there’s also a front-mounted electric motor that’s good for 670 hp and 225 lb-ft. Add everything up, and this race-ready machine is graced with a staggering 1,540 hp and 1,051 lb-ft of twist, a big boost in each compared to the X Gran Berlinetta concept.
Inside, this vehicle features a fully integrated roll cage and plenty of exposed structural elements — you know, components that are both functional and beautiful. Underneath the instrument panel, certain controls are incorporated into a structural divider while carbon fiber accents adorn the cabin, providing plenty of strength with minimal weight.
Padding helps protect the driver from banging against sections of the exposed structure. Instead of a traditional steering wheel, there’s a specially designed yoke, one that’s intended specifically for racing.
The X Gran Racer VGT concept looks stunning, especially in that electric shade of orange, and this vehicle would undoubtedly deliver staggering performance if it were ever driven in anger, though that is something that’s unlikely to happen, since this is just a concept. And the odds of Genesis actually building a car like this are almost zero, at least in the foreseeable future. Still, you should at least be able to experience this concept in the Gran Turismo video game.
