Genesis reveals the interior of X Speedium Coupe at Pebble Beach

24 August 2022

First things first - I am absolutely, madly, head over heels in love with the Genesis X Speedium Coupe. So there is absolutely no chance for an objective point of view here. From the moment this work of art first graced the Internet, my life has never been the same.

We have seen this car before plenty of times, Genesis took every opportunity to tease it over and over again. Not that I complain but there was always one question that went unanswered - what’s it like inside? Genesis kept its secret well with completely blacked out windows. Until now that is, when the time came for Pebble Beach - and what better place to give the world what it keeps asking for?

If it is the very first time you hear about the Genesis X Speedium, please go to this article where you can find out more about this, gorgeous looking car. Yes, it is a concept but this concept looks like it may actually make it to production.

Genesis has launched its One of One program in March this year, meant to offer custom-built cars for the most demanding customers and there is a very real chance, the X Speedium Coupe will be part of that program.

Genesis X Speedium Coupe is a 4 seat GT with design influences from Aston Martin and Jensen Interceptor, spiced up with Korean minimalism and the experience of the former Lamborghini designer Luc Donckerwolke - the 2022 World Car Person of the Year - and the result is simply stunning. Restrained, classy, purposeful and unforgettable.

This newly found design flair continues on the inside. Opening the door is like getting into another world, Stargate or Tardis don’t even come close. The interior is an exercise in class and minimalism, the driver is the focus of the car. Driver’s seat is the only one finished in Pinegrove Green that resembles the Inje Green of the exterior.

The cockpit wraps around the driver, the aluminum drive selector sits just under the palm of the driver's hand. The vertical screen is tilted towards the driver and is responsible for infotainment and vehicle control. The other screen sits behind a sculpted steering wheel and is dominated by a large tacho with a speedometer in the middle of it. Since this is an electric car, the tacho actually displays the motor power output.

Slipping into the driver’s seat feels like a very comfortable and luxurious fighter jet. The luxury doesn’t take the center stage, it fills the background, it's there where you need it and never shouts at you with its giant screens or rare wooden panels. This is a real driver’s car, so sure of its performance, it doesn’t need distractions.

The rest of the interior is finished in Monterey Gold with inspiration apparently provided by the Northern California golden coast. The seats have high bolsters and are quilted in a large, square pattern, harking back to classic Porsche times. All the 4 seats come with 3-point harnesses, further indicating this electric GT is not just for show.

Of course the interior has been crafted using sustainable materials and technology, the leather is vegetable-tanned, treated with citrus and less water and chromium was used in the processing of it. The steering wheel is covered with leather recovered from old cars.

Design of the speakers probably deserves its own article, so much work went into it. The tweeters are positioned high on the dashboard at the front and just behind the rear seats. Their face is milled out of aluminum with details equal to watchmaking. The main speakers are hiding under aluminum covers as well.

Final touch is in the trunk - diagonally running straps to hold the luggage in place. No shelf to rattle about or get in the way, nothing to hide. Just a beautifully trimmed trunk surrounded by Monterey Gold leather and aluminum.

I’ve seen a fair share of prototypes and concept cars in my life, some were futuristic, some were just way out there. Concept cars are usually treated as the showcase of what technology and unseen designs can the company possibly offer to its future customers. Genesis takes us down its own path, reminds us that driving is done by the driver, that luxury has a job to do and that job is not to shine but to serve.

Electric car revolution - can’t call it anything else anymore - is not just a new chapter in automotive history. It is a whole new book. The electric powertrain offers so much freedom to the car designers and they are just beginning to realize that. Yes, we will have our everyday VWs and Skodas and Fords and many others. They will do their jobs and serve us well. And then, there will be cars like the Genesis X Speedium Coupe - the ones that will bring the traffic to a halt, the moment they turn up.

Here is the Genesis X Speedium Coupe in the flesh at Pebble Beach - photos courtesy of Mitchell Weitzman/CarBuzz:

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