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Genesis Electrified G80 is a classy, subtle entry into EVs

The rumors and spy shots were correct, and the first electric Genesis is the Electrified G80 midsize luxury sedan. It's interesting that Genesis is starting with an electrically-converted version of an existing model, since the Hyundai and Kia brands are rolling out clean-sheet designs. But the subtle bodywork hides fully up-to-date electric guts. As you can see, you'll have a hard time telling an Electrified G80 (yes, that does appear to be its official name) from a gas-powered G80. The biggest differences are in the front fascia, where the pentagonal grille has an inverted mesh across most of it. The lower intake loses a bit of chrome and isn't as opened up. Interestingly, this design looks a little cleaner than the regular one, since it seems to do away with the plastic shield for cameras and sensors. This new grille also hides the charging door. You might also be able to distinguish the Electrified G80 from the rear, as it lacks the dual exhaust outlets in the bumper. Genesis hasn't provided all of the mechanical and electrical specs for the Electrified G80, but we do know that it will have standard all-wheel drive courtesy of a pair of electric motors. It will apparently hit 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. Exact battery capacity is also a mystery, but Genesis says the NEDC range is 311 miles. That will undoubtedly be lower in EPA testing. That range will also be backed by the same charging capabilities as the completely new E-GMP Hyundai and Kia models with 800-volt, 350-kW DC fast charging that Genesis claims will charge the car from 10% to 80% in 22 minutes. Not only that, but it can provide 3.6-kW charging from the car to whatever appliances you might plug into it. Not surprisingly, the Electrified G80's interior looks just like the regular one, but that's not a bad thing by any means. And the elegant design is bolstered by environmentally friendly materials choices such as recycled wood trim, recycled fabrics and natural leather dyes. Genesis also notes that it has fully adaptive suspension and active road noise cancellation. Despite the reveal happening in Shanghai, the Electrifed G80 is coming to the U.S. Pricing, availability and other specifications have yet to be announced. Since the other E-GMP cars are slated for release this year, and parts of this car are already on sale, we would expect it to go on sale this year, too. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Tiger Woods thought he was in Florida after high-speed crash

Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva (Getty Images).   Golf great Tiger Woods wasn't sure where he was when a sheriff's deputy interviewed him after his one-car crash in February, according to a 22-page report obtained by USA Today. Woods was in Los Angeles for The Genesis Invitational and promotional appearances but told the deputy that he thought he was in Florida, where he makes his permanent residence. The report details the conversation between deputy Kyle Sullivan and Woods, which took place at the hospital as Woods was receiving stitches for an injury to his face. "I then asked (Woods) if he is able to tell me about what happened regarding the traffic collision," Sullivan wrote. Woods "told me he did not remember being involved in a traffic collision. (Woods) thought he was currently in the state of Florida." A deputy found Woods' backpack at the scene, and in a pocket found an empty, unlabeled pill bottle. But investigators decided it was irrelevant to the crash. The report also revealed that Woods' blood pressure had fallen "too low to administer any type of pain medication" in the immediate aftermath of the crash, which left the 82-time PGA Tour winner with serious injuries to his right leg. It also confirmed that Woods was driving in a straight line when he should have attempted to navigate a curve while speeding on the morning of Feb. 23. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday at a press conference in downtown Los Angeles that there were no signs of impairment for Woods, who will not face any citations or charges for the crash on Feb. 23.  Deputy Sullivan said he saw no signs that Woods had been drinking or was under the influence of a substance. He said Woods denied taking anything and was quick to answer questions. "The primary cause or factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway," Villanueva said. Villanueva said Woods' Genesis SUV was traveling an estimated 84 to 87 mph on a stretch of road that has a speed limit of 45 mph. Woods, 45, struck a raised median, crossed through two oncoming lanes and uprooted a tree before rolling over in Rolling Hills Estates, just outside of Los Angeles. "Had (Woods) applied his brakes to reduce his speed or steered to correct the direction of travel, he would not have collided with the center median and the collision would not have occurred," said Sgt. Michael Downing, per the report.

Genesis wants to know: Will you put down a deposit for the X Concept?

Once in a blue moon a carmaker drops a concept so stunning, so compelling, that it elicits shouts of "Build it!" across the internet. It's a rare event, but that's exactly what happened to Genesis last month when it unveiled the drop-dead gorgeous X Concept. Indeed, we were one of the voices clamoring for a production version. The reaction was so positive, in fact, that Genesis themselves have begun taking the temperature for a potential production X Concept on social media: If you would reserve the Genesis X with a $1,000 deposit, leave us a comment. Our President & CEO Mark Del Rosso wants to know. #JustAsking #GenesisXConcept Concept vehicle shown. pic.twitter.com/uDaloZ70UI — Genesis USA (@GenesisUSA) April 3, 2021 Genesis said very little about what might be under the X Concept's sleek sheetmetal, except that it was electric. Perhaps it's taking a page from Tesla, which routinely takes deposits for cars that have yet to be built. The Genesis X takes many styling cues first seen on the Essentia Concept, and designers Luc Donckerwolke and SangYup Lee — both ex-Bentley — put a lot of thought into what they represent. But even if you ignore the backstory, the X Concept is an almost impossibly alluring machine. It somehow manages to make a very traditional two-door luxury coupe design simultaneously classically beautiful and ultra modern at the same time. Even the clever way in which the LED headlights extend past the front wheel arches into the fender is at once brilliant but so simple (obviating the need for a separate turn signal light on the fender) you wonder why no one has ever thought of it before. Genesis is the latest but not the only carmaker to have concepts receive such high praise. Lexus famously turned the LC into a production GT after overwhelming response, and kept the V8-powered luxury coupe very faithful to its show car design. Nissan got the similar feedback with the IDx but chose not to build it, disappointing enthusiasts and burning a lot of goodwill for the brand. It looks like Genesis is at least considering making the X Concept into a production car. They've already got our vote. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Tiger Woods was speeding at nearly double the 45 mph limit before crash

LOS ANGELES — Tiger Woods was speeding when he crashed his courtesy Genesis GV80 CUV in Southern California in February, leaving the golf superstar seriously injured, authorities finally revealed Wednesday. Woods was driving between 84 and 87 mph on a downhill stretch of road outside Los Angeles that had a speed limit of 45 mph, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday. The stretch of road is known for wrecks and drivers hitting speeds so high that there is an emergency exit for runaway vehicles just beyond where Woods crashed. Villanueva blamed the Feb. 23 crash solely on excessive speed and WoodsÂ’ loss of control behind the wheel. Sheriff's Capt. James Powers said there was no evidence that the golfer braked throughout the wreck and that it's believed Woods inadvertently hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal. Detectives did not seek search warrants for the athleteÂ’s blood samples, which could have been screened for drugs or alcohol, or his cellphone. Sheriff's officials said there was no evidence of impairment or of distracted driving. Investigators, however, did search the SUVÂ’s data recorder, known as a black box, in the days after the crash. No traffic citations were issued. The sheriff said Woods gave permission for authorities to reveal details about the crash. Documents show that Woods told deputies he did not know how the crash occurred and did not remember driving. At the time of the wreck, Woods was recovering from a fifth back surgery, which took place two months earlier. Woods, who is originally from the Los Angeles area, had been back home to host his PGA tournament, the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, when the crash happened. He was driving an SUV loaned to him by the tournament when he struck a raised median in Rolling Hills Estates, just outside Los Angeles. The SUV crossed through two oncoming lanes and uprooted a tree. The athlete is in Florida recovering from multiple surgeries, including a lengthy procedure for shattered tibia and fibula bones in his lower right leg in multiple locations. Those were stabilized with a rod in his tibia. Additional injuries to the bones in his foot and ankle required screws and pins. Woods, 45, has never gone an entire year without playing, dating back to his first PGA Tour event as a 16-year-old in high school. He had hoped to play this year in the Masters tournament, which begins Thursday.

Genesis set a world record for the most drones in the sky

Drone shows are quickly becoming the tool of choice for people and companies that want to grab your attention, and Genesis knows that all too well. The Hyundai-owned car brand marked its entrance into China by breaking the Guinness World Record for the most unmanned aerial vehicles in the air at the same time, using 3,281 drones to display its logo and otherwise advertise over Shanghai on March 29. It's a significant improvement over the previous record holder, Shenzhen Damoda Intelligent Control Technology. The company flew 'just' 3,051 drones in September 2020. That, in turn, smashed a record set by a 2,200-drone performance in Russia just days earlier. Intel, which has a reputation for drone light shows, last claimed the record with 2,066 drones flying over Folsom, California, in July 2018. Feats like this typically rely on choreography software that tells drones to form certain shapes while coordinating the swarm to avoid collisions. This is a publicity stunt, of course, and it won't be surprising if another company finds a way to one-up Genesis before long. It shows how much drone shows have advanced in just a few years, though, and could easily fuel competition among companies determined to put on robotic extravaganzas. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Tiger Woods crash: Detectives determine the cause but won't reveal it

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County sheriff says detectives have determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his SUV last month in Southern California but would not release details Wednesday, citing unspecified privacy concerns for the golf star. Woods suffered serious injuries in the Feb. 23 crash when he struck a raised median around 7 a.m. in Rolling Hills Estates, just outside Los Angeles. The Genesis SUV he was driving crossed through two oncoming lanes and uprooted a tree on a downhill stretch that police said is known for wrecks. Woods is in Florida recovering from multiple surgeries. Sheriff Alex Villanueva has been criticized for his comments about the crash, calling it “purely an accident” and saying there was no evidence of impairment. Woods told deputies he did not know how the crash occurred and didnÂ’t remember driving. Investigators did not seek a search warrant for Woods' blood samples, which could be screened for drugs and alcohol. In 2017, Woods checked himself into a clinic for help in dealing with prescription drug medication after a DUI charge in his home state of Florida. Detectives, however, did obtain a search warrant for the data recorder of the 2021 Genesis GV80 SUV, known as a black box. Villanueva would not say Wednesday what data had been found in the black box. “A cause has been determined, the investigation has concluded,” Villanueva said during a live social media event Wednesday in response to a question posed by The Associated Press. But Villanueva claimed investigators need permission from Woods — who previously named his yacht “Privacy” — to release information about the crash. “We have reached out to Tiger Woods and his personnel," Villanueva said. "There's some privacy issues on releasing information on the investigation so we're going to ask them if they waive the privacy and then we will be able to do a full release on all the information regarding the accident.” Villanueva's statement about privacy issues did not make sense to Joseph Giacalone, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a retired New York City Police Department sergeant, who has criticized the sheriff's response to the Woods incident from the start. “I donÂ’t think IÂ’ve ever seen a department ever ask for permission like that,” he said.

Genesis X concept is beautiful, and Genesis needs to build it

Genesis has been on a serious roll as of late. Every new production model seems to be more elegant and muscular, whether its one of the brand's sedans or the new and surprisingly colorful GV70 crossover. But as good as the production models are, the latest Genesis concept, simply called the X, has blown them all away. The company had almost nothing to say about actual specifications for power, range and more, except that it would be electric, but we don't especially care, because we're happy to just stare at it. The coupe has a surprisingly traditional shape with distinct hood, cabin and trunk sections, but they stand out in a world full of fastbacks and crossovers. The proportions are also traditional, but in a timeless manner with a long, low hood and pert tail. Adding athleticism to the shape are the bulging fenders and the corporate grille leaning forward. The split headlights squint and scowl at the people around it, and they dramatically sweep into the front fenders. The taillights do the same, but in reverse, and the tail is comparatively conservative, but fitting with the elegant, classic shape of the X. The interior is a blend of classic and modern design themes. The cabin is minimalist with all the air vents hidden in the trim. But screens are downplayed here, with all of them placed in a leather-wrapped binnacle that surrounds the driver. The front passengers get beautiful brown leather bucket seats, and the rear bench is covered in a dark green-blue leather. Genesis made no mention of this car coming to production, which seems to fit with the lack of details on powertrain or anything else mechanical. Certainly styling elements will find their way into future production cars — but we want an actual coupe as close to this as possible. It's so gorgeous, and it doesn't even look that fanciful. Certainly it would need a toned-down interior, and you would end up getting big mirrors and more exterior cut lines, but this looks like it could sit on a Genesis lot right now. Coupes may not be selling now, but this could be a great flagship or halo vehicle for the brand. Stick it on the E-GMP platform with the top-rung Kia EV6 GT powertrain. We think that as a high-dollar grand tourer with over 300 miles of range, lightning fast charging and a 0-60 time of under 4 seconds, this could be a reasonable success, and a show of what Genesis is capable of. Do it, Genesis, this deserves to see the light of day.

Genesis again hints that it is working on an EV sports coupe

Hyundai-owned Genesis released a short video to preview a concept car that looks like a followup to the gorgeous Essentia introduced in New York in 2017. It's an electric coupe that might reach production in the near future. Although the teaser leaves a lot to the imagination, it clearly shows a design study that's not merely a warmed-over Essentia. Freeze a few frames, look closely, and you'll notice the upcoming concept wears a more realistic-looking front end with a full hood (the Essentia's was partially transparent) and a mesh grille that falls in line with the young carmaker's bold design language. Horizontal LED stripes embedded in the fenders create a visual link with the Essentia, but the rear end has also been redesigned with a flatter trunk lid and new-look lights. All told, it appears this concept is closer to a production model than the Essentia, which was characterized by extremely futuristic lines. While the concept is entirely electric, Genesis did not share technical details. It estimated that the Essentia (which was also electric) needed only three seconds to reach 60 mph from a stop, and this new car can likely replicate that figure. Parent company Hyundai has invested a substantial amount of money into Croatia's Rimac, and the two unveiled an 810-horsepower hot hatch in September 2020. Engineers could have used some of this technology (or at least leveraged the burgeoning partnership) to make a coupe with Ferrari-like acceleration. Genesis has spent the past few years establishing a foothold in core segments of the market. As of writing, its lineup includes three sedans called G70, G80 and G90, a relatively big SUV named GV80, and a smaller crossover dubbed GV70. With these bases covered, it's eager to add a coupe to its range, and it all but confirmed plans to release a sporty two-door model during a product presentation held in South Korea in January 2020.  We'll have a better idea of what's next when the concept makes its debut online this Wednesday, March 31. View 17 Photos Green Genesis Coupe Concept Cars Electric

The 2022 Genesis GV70 is available in a surprising rainbow of colors

The Audi Q5 and BMW X3 xDrive30i are offered in only one color: blue. All other choices are a grayscale palette of white, black and gray. And if you've been around a luxury car dealership, you'll know this isn't an isolated incident. We suspect this is due to an initial style trend kicking off a vicious cycle of customer demand, a silly fear of resale value and dealership managers not wanting to take a risk, but either way, it's depressingly drab and boring. It's really hard to break out of a conservative aesthetic trend.  But here comes Genesis, ladies and gentlemen, and it's doing its damnedest to break the world out of its grayscale doldrums. After the fabulous green-on-green GV80 and the G80's luscious blue cabin comes the new 2022 Genesis GV70 compact crossover. It offers such a broad spectrum of colorful exteriors and, more notably, interiors that we had to check our calendars and make sure we weren't transported back to an earlier decade.  There's still black and multiple whites and grays, but as you can see above, you can get the handsome little SUV in vibrant Mauna Red, classy Adriatic Blue, stately Cardiff Green metallic and, perhaps the most surprising offering, Barossa Burgundy metallic. Oh, but there's more. You can get that light purple color in a matte paint option as well as a different verdant offering of Brunswick Green Matte. So, to be clear, the GV70 offers two shades of green and two finishes of light purple. You can't see us, but every Autoblog editor is currently standing at their home desks and applauding.  Ultramarine Blue View 7 Photos And we'll keep on standing, cause check out all those interior options. Admittedly, these are tied to different trim levels and you can't get every interior with every exterior. Sorry, no burgundy interior with green exterior. Clearly, Genesis has a person in charge of styling who is keen to not only make a statement, but to make sure that all these wonderful choices are paired together the "right" way. And I mean "styling" in the fashion sense whereby you pair the right shoes and skirt with the right shirt and handbag; not the atypical car sense where "styling" is synonymous with "design."   Do we fear that dealers will just order the black cars and few customers will want anything to do with green, purple or red? Yes, that seems extremely likely. But when you look around at fashion and general aesthetic trends, color is indeed making a comeback.

2021 Genesis GV80 earns IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award

The 2021 Genesis GV80 just earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Ever since Tiger Woods crashed a GV80, the new Genesis crossover has been in the safety spotlight. There are still no safety ratings from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, but it now has the highest stamp of approval from the IIHS. All of the IIHS crash tests returned the highest-possible “Good” ratings. There is only one headlight option available for the GV80, and the LED projectors earned an “Acceptable” rating. ThatÂ’s not the maximum score, but itÂ’s good enough to still qualify for the TSP+. The GV80Â’s front crash prevention systems for both vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pedestrian tests performed admirably and received top marks. The only other demerit given is an “Acceptable” score for the rear seat LATCH system. The 2021 GV80 is built on a totally new platform and features 10 total airbags. It joins the host of other Genesis vehicles that also received IIHS Top Safety Pick+ ratings, the G80 being the most recent of those. ThereÂ’s one crash video of the GV80 that is provided by the IIHS — it depicts the tough-to-pass front small overlap crash test — and you can watch it below. The IIHS found that the driverÂ’s space was maintained well here and that the risk of injury was low. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.