Hyundai-owned Genesis is going off-roading — in Europe, at least. The carmaker's European division teamed up with a German off-road specialist named Delta 4x4 to develop a more rugged version of the GV70 that gains a lift kit and a roof rack with numerous accessories.
Presented at the Essen motor show, the GV70 Project Overland remains a concept; plans to put it in production haven't been announced yet. Delta 4x4 started the project by lifting the crossover's suspension system and widening its track. It then added 18-inch Classic B-Rugged wheels wrapped by Continental ATR tires, and it tacked black plastic flares onto the wheel arches to compensate for the extra width.
Up top, there's a custom-designed roof rack to store equipment such as storage boxes and recovery boards. Extra lighting adds a finishing touch to the build: The front bumper gets four individual LED pods, while the roof receives a wide, dual-row LED light bar from PIAA.
Interior photos haven't been released, but we're guessing the Project Overland is standard GV70 fare in the cabin. We hope Delta 4x4 added rubber floor mats; we wouldn't want to step into a luxurious interior that we praised as "a true delight" with a pair of muddy hiking boots.
Genesis didn't make any major mechanical modifications to the GV70. Across the pond, the crossover's base engine is a 2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder rated at 201 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. It spins the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The other engine offered is a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that develops 304 horses and 311 pound-feet of twist. All-wheel-drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission come standard as well. The 375-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 offered on our shores isn't available in Europe.
As for what's next, your guess is as good as ours. Genesis claims it has entered into a partnership with Delta 4x4 so this may not be the last off-road-focused build we'll see from the brand. Off-roaders remain sought-after, so we wouldn't be surprised to see one in showrooms.
