While the current Genesis sedans are good and fine cars on their own, I still want something bold and exciting in the lineup. Something like a production version of the Essentia concept that we saw last spring. And it seems like Genesis is thinking about bringing it to production. Emphasis on thinking.
Here’s where it gets ambiguous. Speaking to Motor Trend, Genesis executive director of North America Erwin Raphael confirmed the company’s intent to bring the Essentia to production:
Many dismissed it as fiction, but Genesisintends to build it, confirms Erwin Raphael, executive director of Genesis North America, during a visit to Detroit. It will not be a high-volume car, he said. It will be a very limited edition and pricier than anything wearing the Genesis crest now, but it could serve as the lodestar for the brand seeking greater awareness.
“We are very committed to the Essentia,” Raphael said. “We love the car. We think the car will do very well.” Raphael did not provide a time frame, but Manfred Fitzgerald, global head of Genesis, has said it could be in production in 2021 or 2022, as almost everything on the concept is technically feasible. Show car features such as the butterfly doors would likely be replaced with conventional ones, design chief Peter Schreyer has said.
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But then, when tapped for confirmation, a Genesis spokesperson told us, “Genesis is pursuing the feasibility of Essentia—but as of now, there’s no production confirmation. Some reporters may have gotten ahead of themselves based on speculation. No timelines to share at this time.”
Bit of a different take for sure.
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Obviously, we want the Essentia to become real. If it were to happen, the production version would have wing mirrors and its face would probably undergo some changes to satisfy safety regulations, but hopefully wouldn’t alter the striking shape.
But, as Motor Trend point out, the Genesis lineup needs something like this. Currently, Genesis offers three sedans. Further down the line, we’ve been promised two crossovers and a sporty coupe. Maybe the Essentia will be that coupe. Maybe it’ll be that halo car. Halo cars should always be something sleek and with two doors instead of four. The Essentia definitely has halo-ish looks, despite sharing a name with a mattress company.
The concept has a carbon fiber monocoque and is all-electric, with swoopy butterfly doors, like the BMW i8. We don’t know if the production version will keep the doors or the all-electric aspect, but also remember that the production i8 came out very close to how its concept looked. Just pointing out facts.
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Even though Genesis appears to be playing with the idea still, it wouldn’t confirm what Motor Trend reported. Sad! But at least they didn’t straight up tell us no.
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