- The brand’s latest concept car, inspired by a black scorpion, premiered in the UAE.
- Genesis says the X Skorpio Concept has a V8 with 1,100 hp and 850 lb-ft (1,152 Nm).
- This creation isn’t just a showpiece; it is fully functional, with a well-equipped interior.
Genesis has been on a roll as of late, presenting stunning concepts such as the G90 Wingback, Magma GT supercar, and its X Gran Equator. Now, the South Korean firm has presented its latest concept, and it’s quite the oddball.
Dubbed the X Skorpio Concept, it has been purpose-built as Genesis’s first extreme off-roader and would look right at home at the grueling Dakar Rally. The veil was lifted on the car at the Empty Quarter desert in the UAE, presented alongside rugged versions of the GV60, GV70, and GV80.
Read: Genesis Designed This Pickup For America, Then Walked Away
The X Skorpio Concept, inspired by a black scorpion, is built around a custom tubular frame with a full motorsport-spec roll cage. It has the same Two Lines design philosophy as other Genesis models, with LEDs not only stretching across the front end but also running along the sides and across the rear. The body is made from a combination of fiberglass, carbon fiber, and Kevlar.
A Functional Concept
The concept hasn’t just been built for display purposes. Genesis has equipped it with a brutal V8 engine with a claimed 1,100 hp (820 kW) and 850 lb-ft (1,152 Nm) of torque, likely helped by some kind of hybrid system.
Genesis has then fitted the X Skorpio Concept with 18-inch beadlock wheels clad in 40-inch off-road tires and sitting over a set of custom Brembo brakes. The automaker hasn’t said how much ground clearance the concept has, but it’s clearly enough to tackle even the craziest sand dunes with ease.
A custom interior has even been developed for the concept. There’s a proper motorsport steering wheel with a small instrument panel, lightweight bucket seats, carbon-fiber doors, a quilted leather dashboard, and plenty of grab handles trimmed in Alcantara. A large infotainment screen also sits in front of the passenger, while found on the transmission tunnel are 24 buttons for different vehicle functions.
Genesis says the concept has been “tailored to the automotive culture and lifestyle of the Middle East,” but has provided no indication of whether it could spawn a production model.
“The X Skorpio concept is an extreme off-road vehicle designed to be driven across the toughest and harshest terrain,” Genesis chief creative officer Luc Donckerwolke described. “With a tubular frame, a full roll cage and many components sourced directly from off-road endurance racing specialists, the X Skorpio Concept explores yet another facet of the Genesis brand and highlights our intent to inject emotion and adrenaline into different segments.”
