Genesis' full-size luxury saloon has been spotted doing test rounds under heavy camouflage. The test mule appears to be a substantially updated successor to the current G80.
When Hyundai announced a new luxury sub-brand under the name of Genesis back in 2015, the firm supplied existing platforms to the fledgeling company to start off with. The first product, the G90, was a Hyundai Centennial underneath, redesigned cosmetically and rebadged as a Genesis. The second model was the G80 which was again built upon the erstwhile Hyundai Genesis saloon with a mild upgrade. Genesis only debuted an all-new model built from the ground up in the form of the G70 compact saloon last year.
Recent spy shots depict a new G80 being tested. Although the test mule is heavily camouflaged, there appear to be significant styling updates to the car compared to the current model. Proportionally, the current G80 looks identical to the prototype. The test mule's short front overhang, long bonnet, aggressively sloped windshield, and the swooping roofline come together to impart it a sleeker character than the model it will replace.
Beneath the camo, one can notice the redesigned front grille which appears triangular. The design harks back to the Essentia coupe concept Genesis previewed earlier this year. This could possibly mean that the new G80 will mark the shift of Genesis to a newer family design language for its product lineup.
Expect the new Genesis G80 to come with the current saloon's choice of powertrains: a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 and a 5.0-litre V8. There is also a distinct possibility that Genesis will debut a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the top level trims. Genesis could offer the saloon late next year as a 2020 model. Judging by the current product lineup, the new G80 could be priced quite competitively.
Images Credit: CarScoops
