Genesis trademarks 'X Speedium Coupe,' possibly for EV

NEW YORK — Genesis has built two eye-catching coupes for the auto show circuit in the past four years, and it strongly hinted that at least one is on its way to production. While nothing is official, a recent trademark filing suggests the two-door model could be named after a race track.

Hyundai's luxury division trademarked the "X Speedium Coupe" nameplate in April 2022, according to website Carbuzz. X is seemingly a reference to the X concept (pictured) introduced in March 2021, while the Speedium part of the name comes from the Inje Speedium circuit located in South Korea. Several high-profile races have been held there, including World Touring Car and Ferrari Challenge events.

As always, a trademark filing isn't a guarantee that the nameplate it details will see the light that awaits at the end of a production line. If that were the case, the Chevrolet Cheyenne and the Volkswagen Thing would have made a triumphant return to showrooms. But the idea of a Genesis coupe isn't new or far-fetched; keep in mind that most of the firm's closest competitors are present in the two-door segment.

Genesis tellingly previewed the range of electric vehicles that it plans to release during the 2020s in September 2021, and the dark outline of a coupe stood out in a lineup made up mostly of sedans, crossovers, and SUVs. At the time, head designer Luc Donckerwolke appeared on video next to the X concept saying "we have to put it in production," though it's unclear if he was referring to the car or its paint color. Even more tellingly, the company asked its followers on Twitter if they would be interested in reserving an X with a $1,000 deposit.

If launched, the X Concept will lean more towards the touring side of the coupe scale; it's relatively big, and it has four seats. Genesis also explored a sportier direction when it unveiled the Essentia concept in 2018. It doesn't sound like that one will reach production, however. 

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By Ronan Glon