Genesis GV60 priced from £47,005 – 423bhp Sport Plus tops the range
Genesis has opened order books for its all-new electric GV60 in the UK, the firm’s first bespoke EV
The Genesis GV60 crossover was revealed last year as the marque's very first bespoke EV, and order books are now open in the UK. The new quirky-looking model will share much of its underpinnings with Hyundai’s Ioniq and Kia’s new EV6 EVs, and will be joined by a third electric Genesis later this year. Prices begin at £47,005 for the Premium model and rise to £65,405 for the range-topping Sport Plus.
This is, technically, the second all-electric model from Genesis, the first being an all-electric variant of its 5-series-rivalling G80 saloon, but the GV60 takes a different approach both in design and development. Based on the new E-GMP (Electric-Global Modular Platform) architecture, the GV60 is a bigger step in the marque’s long-term electrification plan, and precedes a third EV model set to be revealed later this year.
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The GV60 will be available in three configurations; rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive and all-wheel drive Sport Plus, all with a 77.4kWh battery pack. The RWD Premium sits at the bottom of the range with a single motor providing an output of 222bhp and 258lb ft of torque, with range the highest of the lineup at an estimated 321 miles. The all-wheel drive and all-wheel drive Performance models are said to achieve 292 and 289 miles of range respectively.
Move to the middling all-wheel drive and you get 310bhp and 446lb ft, with the range-topping Sport Plus boasting 423bhp and the same 446lb ft of torque – select Boost mode and this is bumped to 476bhp and 516lb ft for a 10 second period, allowing for a 4sec 0-62mph time. Genesis has even included a Drift mode, with an electronic limited slip differential fitted for improved power delivery.
Aesthetics are headlined by the removal of Genesis’s grille, instead opting for a more closed design for optimised aerodynamics. A lower grille with the marque’s trademark Guilloché pattern is still utilised for cooling and ventilation, but it’s a brave step to remove the brand’s defining graphic.
There are some parts of the distinctive design language in use, such as the unique twin-bar lighting front and rear, but the cab-forward proportions, clamshell bonnet, wraparound windscreen and bizarre zig-zag brightwork around the c-pillar are all new to a company that’s long used classic cab-rear silhouettes and elegant detailing to affirm its premium aspirations..
The GV60’s roofline has a quasi-coupe SUV slope, with the rear tapering down to a fixed lip spoiler. Combined with the clamshell bonnet, digital wing mirrors and flush door handles, it also helps keep clutter to a minimum while also reducing drag.
Inside, the Genesis’s cabin architecture also takes a distinctive approach, combining detailing found in other models like crystal applications on some switchgear and the gear selector, with a more modern cabin architecture. This is seen in the floating centre console and flat floor, increasing room thanks to the lack of a transmission tunnel. Intriguingly, among the steering wheel’s multitude of controls are prominent ‘driving mode’ and ‘boost’ buttons, similar in style to the kind found in Hyundai’s N products.
Order books are already open in the UK ahead of first deliveries later this year, with the range starting at £47,005 for the RWD Premium, moving to £53,605 for the middling Sport and £65,405 for the Sport Plus.
