We can’t imagine too many Genesis G90 owners will take their uber-sedans for a fang around the Nurburgring, but the luxury marque is making sure that those who do won’t embarrass themselves.
The G90 prototype spied way back in February was clad in a full-body padded covering. This latest car is just wearing disguise tape, so we can see many of its design features more clearly.
Up front, the G90 continues with the brand’s now familiar oversized five-point shield grille flanked by a pair of two-bar LED headlight strips.
The profile of the new car has the long bonnet and upright cabin elements expected of a car designed to ferry around the rich, famous and powerful.
This has been fused with a faster rake for the rear window and a drooping boot line to give the feel of a more sporting sedan. Flush-fitting pop-out door handles help with the aero, and keeps Genesis in step with the German Joneses.
The intricate star-shape pattern for the alloy wheels is another attention-grabbing design choice, while the additional side window behind the rear door has shades of the Lexus LS about it.
Our photography agency also managed to snap a few shots of the sedan’s interior, which features a distinctive two-spoke steering wheels, and two large displays separated by a sweep of leather and metal.
Interestingly for a luxury-focussed sedan, the G90’s vents are underscored by a wedge of carbon-fibre-like material.
The G90 is the brand’s flagship sedan, and was launched in 2015. Originally sold as the EQ900 in its home market, the naming was unified in 2019 when a dramatic redesign was unveiled, bringing the range-topper into line with the brand’s current design theme.
At present, the G90 is available with a twin-turbo 3.3-litre V6 and a naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8.
The G80’s 279kW/530Nm 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 is likely to be base engine offering in the second-generation G90, while an electric version seems to be on the cards too, with Hyundai filing a trademark request for the G90e name.
If you’re looking forward to a Korean alternative to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, don’t hold your breath.
The current G90 is currently a left-hand drive-only proposition, and the given the minuscule pool of potential sales in the UK, Japan and Australia, the new car is likely to maintain this tradition.