The Genesis G70, BMW 3 Series fighter, poses for spy shots

Tue, Aug 30 2016

During the presentation before driving the new 2017 Genesis G90 in Vancouver a few weeks ago, the US brand honcho for Genesis, Erwin Raphael, talked a bit about the G70. That's what you're seeing in the spy shots above. In that presentation, Raphael referred to the G70 as a near-luxury sedan, but based on the proportions we see in this set of spy photos, it's probably more fair to say it'll be the sportiest Genesis on offer.

A quick refresher: with the addition of the G70, the Genesis brand will have a lineup that is loosely similar to the German competition. The G90 is a big boat, mostly luxury oriented. The G80 (a slightly revamped version of the Hyundai Genesis sedan) is one size smaller, with a bit more sporting character. The G70 should crank the needle further into the sport-touring realm. All three are rear-wheel drive, and it's almost assured that the G70 will also get an all-wheel drive option like the G80 and G90.

The proportions look spot on, but they're not nearly as risky as the Genesis Hybrid Sports Sedan Concept from the New York International Auto Show. That's probably a safe bet considering Genesis's conservative corporate parent company, Hyundai. We can see a short rear deck, a fairly conventional greenhouse, and a long hood covered in thick camouflage – which may hide a power bulge, or else, why cover it up?

A power bulge makes us think of the most intriguing possibility that might rest beneath: Genesis's new twin-turbocharged Lambda 3.3-liter V6, which is right now exclusive to the G90. It's a great motor, with no lag and a rich, fat torque curve. It'd be a hoot in the G80, and a riot in the smaller G70. If we're lucky, the highest-performance G70 will get this engine. It's more likely that the G70 will be offered with a choice of either a 2.0-liter turbo inline-four, or the large and still potent 3.8-liter V6 that's currently found in the G80. It's also a safe bet to assume that Hyundai's internally-developed eight-speed automatic will be the G70's sole transmission.

There's also talk of a hybrid, perhaps resembling the Hybrid Sports Sedan Concept's theoretical 2.0-liter plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Whatever form it takes, a hybrid is likely. Also likely is a spring debut on the auto show circuit for the finalized sheetmetal of all versions of the G70. We'll keep you posted.

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Featured Gallery 2018 Genesis G70 Spy Shots

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By Alex Kierstein