Even though we’re in the midst of an absolute horsepower arms race, it feels like we’re in a lull of cars that make people go “hell yeah.” A Rimac Nevera might be absurdly quick, a McLaren W1 might be beautifully engineered, and a Lamborghini Temerario might have a sky-high redline, but none of these machines feel made for the type of sophisticate who’s occasionally known to do a shoey. Thankfully, it seems that Genesis is coming to the rescue, and the X Skorpio isn’t just a one-off show car.
See, Genesis has this recent streak of building amazing concept cars, but not always following up on them. It’s been nearly eight years since the Essentia concept with no further news, and nearly five years of teasing the idea of a large coupe and/or convertible. The loony off-road X Skorpio coupe is a little bit different, because it’s ready for action and features an utterly beastly heart.
Under that seemingly mile-long hood, Genesis has naturally gone with a nice, sensible, economical, 1,100-horsepower V8. With a four-digit power output and 850 lbs.-ft. of torque, something tells me the X Skorpio Concept won’t have any trouble spinning up its 40-inch off-road tires. Unsurprisingly, there’s no word on fuel economy, but something tells me this sort of vehicle designed for the Middle East won’t be subject to that sort of concern. Curiously, there’s also no word on choice of gearbox, though I spy paddle shifters and two pedals.
Speaking of the interior, one-piece bucket seats with proper harnesses mean the Genesis X Skorpio concept doesn’t have an airbag. Instead, a motorsports-style digital gauge pack sits right in the middle of the car’s three-spoke steering wheel. Like real buttons? This thing features 24 of them on the center console alone, while the infotainment system has been banished to the passenger side of the dashboard for real co-driver duties. Four left into two right, don’t cut.
Perhaps the wildest part of the Genesis X Skorpio is that it’s actually a functional car, capable of powerslides in the sand. This could’ve easily been a “pusher” non-functional foam model, but Genesis decided to build one for real. And my word, does it ever look mental doing its thing. The long hood, the kammtail, the fins on the top, the gills in the fenders … it’s outrageous in the best possible way.
Mind you, there’s also something familiar about the Genesis X Skorpio concept. Maybe it’s the satin black paint, maybe it has to do with the proportions, maybe it’s the entire concept altogether. If you’ve been into cars and on the internet long enough, you and I are probably thinking the same thing: It’s almost as if someone at Genesis looked at the Local Motors Rally Fighter and went “hmm.”
Look, there was a lot that sucked about the aftermath of the Great Recession, but it sure gave us a whole bunch of neat cars. Cast your mind back to 2009. Deadmau5 was tearing up the club, drift culture was on the rise in North America, and a company called Local Motors crowdsourced a design for what it would call the Rally Fighter. Sure, it might’ve technically been a kit car with Honda Civic tail lamps, but this off-road coupe featured a thunderous 6.2-liter LS3 V8, 16 inches of suspension travel up front, and 20 inches in the rear. It was a sports car for the wasteland, and placement in games like “Forza Horizon” only helped it gain notoriety.
Still, it’s not like you can buy a new Rally Fighter anymore, but depending on where you live, you might be able to buy a Genesis X Skorpio. As Luc Donckerwolke told Car And Driver at the Middle Eastern debut of this sand-slayer, “We already have a few orders in tonight from people in this area who need toys.” Well, what a surprise. As far as ultimate sand toys go, this has to be up there. Now give it a thumping great stereo, let’s bash some dunes.
Top graphic image: Genesis
I get that the envelope is pretty close between the X Scorpio and the Rally Fighter, But as far styling I think it’s like comparing a Purosangue to a Vehicross.
The side profile gives off-road Viper vibes. I think it’s sick. Good to see some of the wealthy have good taste
It looks cool, but everything here looks like renders. I even watched the video on Genesis’ website where they say it “demonstrates real-world driving performance in Rub’ al Khali “Empty Quarter” desert”, but it all looks rendered, too.
Is there any real pictures or video of it? I’d be much more impressed if I felt like I wasn’t watching a Forza commercial.
maybe this was the Genesis Sheryl was really looking for after coming out of her anesthesia.
I doubt it, but, as an experiment, shall we as loyal Alfvén wave ( Im going to leave that there, it was meant to read “subscribers” but a previous spell chck was waiting like a trap) arrange for Mercededes to get stoned and buy a Genesis something.
I think I might have broken the all time record for inadvertent errors here.
I’m sure they’ll sell a couple of these in the Middle East
Delightful and looks nuts – love it!