Suggesting that a brand that has only existed for six years is capable of taking on the legacy automakers in Germany would normally be considered absolutely ridiculous. But if anyone can, it's Genesis. The company's latest offerings are stunning to look at, loaded with tech, and truly luxurious.
This fact has been proved by the addition of a GV80 to Dubai's police force, an honor typically reserved only for the best of the best. But one thing is still missing from the Genesis lineup - a performance coupe to take on the best that BMW and Mercedes-Benz have to offer, and after the reveal of the stunning G70 Shooting Brake, we think Genesis deserves the right to challenge the established order.
This isn't all thumbsucking either - Genesis has accidentally (or was it intentional?) shown us that it has considered the idea of a G70 coupe and even took the concept to the drawing board. We see no reason why Genesis should pull the plug on this idea since it certainly has the necessary style, as well as competitive engines.
At BMW, for example, the new 4 Series is available with a 2.0-liter turbo producing 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque - the Genesis G70 sedan is also available with a 2.0-liter turbo-four, with this mill producing 252 hp and 260 lb-ft of twist. And it's largely the same story with the top trims too.
BMW's available 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six produces 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque while the top Genesis G70 engine, a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6, generates 365 hp and 376 lb-ft. Assuming that Genesis does go ahead with a G70 coupe, we would expect pricing to be slightly below that of the 4 Series Coupe, which starts at just over $45,000 and tops out at almost $59,000.
Both the Germans and the Koreans send their power to the rear and offer optional AWD systems. Naturally, we have to assume that the buying public will largely remain badge snobs, but with BMW M's former boss Dr. Albert Biermann in charge of R&D at the company, one should never discount the Korean upstart. Come on, Genesis - just do it.