The Genesis G80 started out in life as a Hyundai Genesis before being rebranded in 2016 when the standalone luxury marque was created. The midsize luxury sedan transitioned to the second generation in late March 2020 and became the first EV from the Korean premium brand with the Electrified G80 introduced a couple of months ago.
Fast forward to July 5, Genesis is spicing up the G80 lineup with the return of the Sport model. Dressed to impress in an exclusive Cavendish Red paint, the athletic version of the BMW 5 Series competitor has redesigned bumpers providing a slightly more aggressive design with the bigger air vents at the front and the vertical (faux) vents at the back.
Gallery: 2022 Genesis G80 Sport
Usually, with sporty-looking versions of luxury vehicles, automakers tone down the amount of chrome, but the Sport looks as glitzy as the other members of the G80 family. It sits on model-exclusive alloy wheels measuring 20 inches featuring an intricate spoke design with a dark look. Interestingly, the press images show red brake calipers at the front and black ones at the rear.
Stepping inside the cabin, Genesis has fitted the G80 Sport with a three-spoke steering wheel featuring red stitching to complement the Sevilla Red leather upholstery extending onto the lower half of the dashboard and also on the door cards. Real aluminum and carbon finishes are exclusive to this new version, much like the diamond-patterned hybrid weaving pattern.
Full technical specifications will be disclosed closer to the vehicle's market launch programmed for Q3 2021. Meanwhile, Genesis confirms the new G80 Sport features rear-wheel steering to reduce the turning circle and make the big sedan more maneuverable in a tight spot. It will be interesting to discover by how much the rear wheel turns, but we'll remind you the best in the business right now is the optional system in the Mercedes S-Class enabling a rear steering angle of 10 degrees.
Expect power to be provided by a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine, which produces 375 hp and 391 lb-ft (530 Nm) of torque in the regular G80. The "4WD" badge is already noticeable on the trunk lid, so power will be going to all four wheels. As a final note, the previous G80 Sport had quad exhaust whereas this one uses the same dual tips as the normal G80.
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Source: Genesis