I don’t know if Genesis is going to actually build the X Gran Equator Concept, which the brand showed last night at the company’s fancy American flagship “Genesis House” on the edge of New York’s expensive and trendy Meatpacking district. I just know that I hope they do. Most SUVs seem to be getting buffer, like the Bronco, or softer, like the Lucid Gravity. There has to be space for something a bit more elegant and wagon-like. A throwback to the time before the word SUV even existed.
Up close, the X Gran Equator fits into the Range Rover Sport-sized category, with two rows of seats and a sloping rear roofline defined by the “fast” C-pillar. Because this is a concept car, there are only four seats separated by a central tunnel. Could this detail survive production? Maybe. The two pieces that almost certainly will live on in some form are the almost latticed integrated roof rails and split-tailgate.
Again, this is a concept, so you get all sorts of very mid-century modern touches that feel like they were pulled straight out of an issue of Dwell magazine.
Some of this is classic Genesis, including the two-line headlamps and taillights. I was talking to a car designer buddy last week and he mentioned how clever he thought this was. Anyone could have done two lines, but it’s Genesis who got there first. It reminded me of Roger Sterling’s famous line from Mad Men: “99-Cents. Somebody thought of that.”
With its long hood and aggressively angled rear, the rather squat SUV has some wagon-like proportions. Dare I say, it reminds me a little of an Infiniti FX45 that mated with an AMC Eagle Wagon? Not in a bad way. I love the Nissan Maxima-style quad moonroofs as well.
“The X Gran Equator Concept is an exercise in harmonizing contrasts—combining elegance with ruggedness, and the spirit of exploration with refined comfort,” said Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer of Genesis. “It represents the orchestration of true off-road competence and uncompromising luxury, designed to enable the discovery of the world’s most breathtaking landscapes.”
Sure.
The inside is where it gets a bit more unconventional and Apartment Therapyesque.
I’m not sure I should even be writing about this. Let Blackbird Spyplane take a crack. In lieu of that, I’ll try my best to capture the preciousness of this all.
There’s a touch of old Range Rover here with the round dials, which are apparently inspired by “the dials of vintage cameras.” Again, sure. The fact that there are no big screens and real buttons makes this feel like a total concept, as do the grab handles. The two-shades-too-light-to-be-Tiffany-blue boxes in the front are part of the Gran Equator’s “modular storage solutions.”
The little bits of metal brightwork and geometric details on the seats here are why I think this car has a Midcentury Modernist feel, and you can really get a sense of this from the render above.
Overall, I dig it, though I have to share my favorite part of the whole press release:
The name draws inspiration from Equator, widely recognized as the “finest stallion” in the world of Arabian horses — a symbol of endurance, agility, and refined power. These qualities closely reflect the spirit of the concept: a vehicle that is both elegant and capable, engineered to perform in extreme conditions while maintaining a natural sense of grace. Just as the Arabian horse is known for its balance of beauty and strength, this concept embodies Genesis’ unique take on performance.
Even though I like this, I suppose this is how you can be sure this car wasn’t designed for me. I didn’t know the Equator was an Arabian Horse. I just assumed it was the imaginary line at zero degrees latitude that circles the Earth. Nope, apparently it’s a horse.
What’s also interesting about this reference is that Genesis acknowledges that the Middle East is a huge market for them. If you want one of the hotted-up Magma performance brand cars shown at last year’s show, your best bet is to live in a place like Abu Dhabi. Genesis is a little late to the game in China, so focusing on the Middle East as a growth market sort of makes sense.
Is this a perfect car for rolling around Jeddah? Absolutely.
I actually kind of like it…as a Hot Wheels car. Full size? no thank you.
It looks like one of those Candylabs cars come to life (which might explain the weirdly chunky tires).
You know how even the best musicians can write horrible songs? Here’s one. Call it the Mulligan.
Love it.
MAKE CONCEPTS GREAT AGAIN
That wheel and tire package is hideous.
Looks like a Rivian RT1 and an Audi Allroad hooked up after being over served at a cocktail party. The baby sure has a big forehead, but eventually his body will grow bigger and help the proportions – I’m sure.
Ugly busy inside. the moon roofs and interior remind me too much of the saddle, brown leather jeep commander mess of the late ’00s.
I remember a time not too long ago that the opposite was true. Concept cars (even production intended ones) would have all sorts of flashy screens and conceptual gauges/infotainment… that would get “watered down” and would just be regular ol gauges.
It has a serious case of upside-down face. Moving the big round light clusters up to where they interrupt the front double lines and stick up above them a bit helps a lot. It may be a less “upmarket” look than they want, but that can be Sales and Marketing’s problem.
Was it a fever dream or did Rolls Royce have a long-nosed two door concept or art piece that resembles this?
Did Genesis actually make something… unattractive? I don’t like the featureless front end, the wheels look like they’ve got two-inch eBay spacers pushing them out too far, the proportions are generally wonky and the detailing is excessive to the point where it seems to be overcompensating for the basicness of the overall design.
As a name for a car, Equator does sound superior to Seabiscuit. Personally, I like Whirlaway, but he was an American thoroughbred, so no Middle Eastern connection.
HA! Beat me to it! Maybe they could market a version called Secretariat for Russian oligarchs?
Do you see how the front center armrest is cantilevered frontward, so it’s not taking up any space between the seats toward the floor? That’s a cool design. (and would be helpful if there actually were room for a center passenger)
Meh, suppository or butt plug cannot differentiate.
Butt plugs have a flared base, suppositories don’t.
Not an expert/s
It looks like there are shut lines in the back, but I don’t see any door handles, other than in the digital renderings of the interior. I know this is a (ridiculous) concept, but is it a coupe or a four door?
Edit: it looks like you’d have to move the windshield forward at least a foot if this ever made it to production, which would let you have actual rear doors. So… Why not just do that on the concept? I guess what I’m really asking is – I understand the idea of concept cars if you are really pushing the limits of design and technology. You are making a statement of “this is what we envision the car of 10 years from now will look like.” But why make a concept that is basically a production car already, just with proportions that will never fly in the real world? What is the point of that?
Rear seats require 4dr. More 2 capsule than a row.
Dually f450 regular cab converted to a suv would look better.
2077 has better suv of the future styling ideas.
Like “Thornton Merrimac” is awesome even if it’s 6×6.
You have a better shot of seeing over the hood if you were driving a F150 extended cab from the back seat.
I dig the design, but the photography has me thinking I’m looking at 20 year old concept car photos.
Equine inspiration is why the long face.
Brightening up the interior with light colors is welcome, but not against the windshield, the one area that should always be close to flat black to avoid reflections.
Dare I say, it reminds me a little of an Infiniti FX45 that mated with an AMC Eagle Wagon? Not in a bad way.
Actually yeah, that kind of nails it. And overall I dig it, though the proportions seem a touch out of whack.
The interior is absolutely amazing.
The proportions are out of whack.
Aren’t concepts allowed a bit of wackiness? Or “out-of-whack-iness,” as the case may be?
I have to disagree on the interior though: that diamond stitching is starting to be in everything, and is starting to rankle me.
For flight of fantasy concepts that demonstrating future tech or a design direction, that’s fine. For possibly production intent concepts I would say no.
I bet all books, papers, rulers and your laptop are perfectly aligned with the edges of your desktop.
I used to have lunch every day with an engineer who had to line everything up.
Our lunch table was round. He’d spend half an hour subconsciously moving everything from parallel to radial and back again. If you pointed this out he’d deliberately mess it up and sit on his hands.
I felt fine mocking him for this as every light switch and electrical socket in my house is screwed on with a slotted screws that have the screw turned so the slot is horizontal.
Sounds like my mom.
I do this as well, both at home and with my rentals. Turns out it’s also a great tell if a tenant has messed with something electrical or decided to use a wall cavity for their stash.
If you told me this was from 5-7 years ago and predates the current production Genesis SUVs. I’d believe you. It doesn’t look brand new.
“I suppose this is how you can be sure this car wasn’t designed for me. I didn’t know the Equator was an Arabian Horse. I just assumed it was the imaginary line at zero degrees latitude that circles the Earth. Nope, apparently it’s a horse”
I thought it was a tribute to Suzuki’s finest rebadged midsize pickup. Also, Suzuki’s only rebadged midsize pickup.
That hood is loooooooong reminds me of the car Peter get on Family guys that is super long but then gets smashed into. Also with a hood that long it is probably easier to see what is in front on you in a semi vs this hah.
Peter’s car is a mashup of two generations of Ford LTD wagon – the box Panther and the ’75-78 that came before it.
Like:
-the lighter interior color and …the seats look like some kind of fabric?
-actual buttons and no touchscreen
Dislike:
-The dials should be in front of the driver
-its a concept, but it appears to have no spot for a radio at all?
-four sunroofs? really?
-the wheel and tires. Smaller wheels and more rubber would look better.
Question: is the tailgate supposed to be….some kind of seat backs in that pic?
I really dig the materials and the layout inside other than the location of the dash dials. Looks like a nice place to be while driving.
I think those are little seatbacks that fold up out of the opened tailgate so a couple of party-goers can sit comfortably, kind of like those bleacher-seats some people take into the game. What an awesome idea!
It’s hard to tell from these photos, but the proportions look a little odd – too much dash to axle, making it look nose heavy. Glazing a shade flat as well. Interior is spectacular though, tiny gauges aside.
C&D have just posted a load more photos, including one that’s side-on.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a64490691/genesis-x-gran-equator-concept-details/
And you’re right, it seems to be giving more E-type than Velar.
Oooof crikey. It’s about keeping everything in balance, which this is not.
It looks like it’s packing a v16 made from Ford mod motors. Hardly a good look for an electric.
Maybe a v16 from modern hemi, dunno which is larger. Let’s ignore it would break transmissions without needing a supercharger.
Perfect fodder for a Photoshop fix
Coming this to your favorite car designer Twitter/Instagram.
I like long hoods and I cannot lie, but on this thing it doesn’t work. Combined with the bulbous front end it immediately reminded me of the Ace and Gary mobile.
I wonder how, after considering all the options of tilt and convexity that could be done for the front face, they settled on this.