There’s an old saying that to be the best, you must beat the best.
Of course, there’s some indisputable truth here; after all, it’s impossible to declare any sort of superiority without a benchmark to begin with. And equally important is to ensure you’re squaring off in the same arena as your would-be rivals in the first place.
While not nearly as concise as that tidy turn of phrase, it sums up the dilemma that’s dogged Genesis throughout its short history on the market. Here we have a fledgling luxury brand that’s been collecting accolades since its very start some seven years ago, although it has yet to establish itself in all the segments that matter in the upper echelon of the automotive market.
But then there’s more than a glimmer of hope that all that could change in the not-too-distant future. That’s according to John Krsteski, the head of the brand’s design studio in Irvine, Calif., who happens to be an automotive enthusiast in addition to a designer.
Now, far be it for me to put words in anyone else’s mouth, so for the sake of clarity, it’s worth noting that Krsteski never explicitly shares word that Genesis is looking to take on the luxury coupe or convertible segments with an entry of its own; the boilerplate of not being able to comment on future product is in full effect during our chat at this year’s Los Angeles auto show.
However, with a photo of the stunning Genesis X Convertible concept hanging somehow prophetically – or perhaps wistfully – beside him as he speaks, I put forward a simple question: would he like to see a sports car of some shape or form sit atop the lineup, serving as a true halo product for the brand?
“I’m going to tell you,” he says, pausing as he leans forward ever so slightly. It’s as if he’s about to share the secret all of us in the room have been hoping to hear, even if we know it’s about as likely as General Motors announcing Saturn’s return as an all-electric sub-brand. (But seriously, how cool would that be?)
He tips back in his chair just as quickly, with laughter filling the small space just behind the Genesis display at the auto show. And then his actual answer follows with the kind of honesty you’d expect from someone with a passion for their work that’s palpable.
“I hope so,” he says. “I really do.”
His hope is buoyed by potential – not just of the brand’s products, but in the company leadership and its willingness to push boundaries. Sure, Genesis may have played it safe in its earliest days, starting with a trio of sedans, but these days, it’s a brand that’s better characterized by its rapid evolution.
“They’re not afraid to try, they’re not afraid to push things,” Krsteski says. “To me, the ceiling is so high and the threshold so wide to be able to introduce any type of car, so why not go there?”
A reminder of that fearlessness exists in what brought us together on this day in Los Angeles in the first place: the production-ready 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe. This was an SUV that existed only in concept form at the New York auto show earlier this year, and now here we are, discussing what sets this sportback apart from the other so-called SUV coupes out there.
According to Krsteski, his team’s goal was to design the GV80 Coupe to look like this was the original rather than the conventional version that projects more of a calming, confident presence. With this stylish new take, there’s an undeniable athleticism.
“(It’s) this idea that we’re not necessarily taking something away versus actually putting something on it,” Krsteski says. “We really felt like we were pushing a lot of the weight down back into (it) to give it the right amount of tension and to give it the kind of dynamism that we wanted.”
As he speaks about how the GV80 Coupe came to be, I think back to a conversation I had with Luc Donckerwolke some seven months earlier. He’s the brand’s chief creative officer, and he had just introduced the screaming orange concept version of what would later become the icy blue beauty that debuted in California. I asked him the kind of question any good journalist should: what does this move mean for the brand?
“This is about the brand expanding its territory from having luxury vehicles ... to athletic vehicles and sportier vehicles,” Donckerwolke said back in April.
That’s not entirely different from what Krsteski is telling me now, which isn’t surprising. But then it makes me think about what’s next for Genesis – a brand that’s strategically expanding its portfolio beyond the basics of what a luxury automaker should offer. Whether it’s a sedan, another SUV, or some yet-to-realized coupe or convertible, it’s bound to be different from what’s already in the lineup.
“There are certain areas where we want to continue to reinforce and build equity, like our (signature) two lines, but … we’re challenging (ourselves to) try and reinvent how we would normally approach some of the traditional aspects of design,” Krsteski says.
“I think that’s the path that we’re trying to take, because we know that there’s lots of tried and true, but in order for us to be successful we really need to define our own direction. And there is freedom in that, because now you have the whole organization working together towards making that come to fruition.”
