Genesis Reveals 1,100 HP, V8-Powered, Dune-Jumping X Skorpio Concept

Well, this is unexpected. Not so much in that Genesis has unveiled a new concept car, as the brand is quite fond of making stunning, lust-worthy concepts. What’s surprising is the type of concept vehicle Genesis just took the wraps off.

Called the X Skorpio Concept, this is not just an uber luxury concept, or super-sport hypercar. It’s a combination of those two things, wrapped in a hardcore off-road platform. Genesis states specifically that the new X Skorpio Concept is designed to perform across demanding terrain including deserts, in the Rub’ al Khali “Empty Quarter” desert in the United Arab Emirates.

Built for Middle Eastern Car Culture

The debut of the new X Skorpio Concept in the United Arabs Emirates is no coincident. Considered a crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, Genesis is after a diverse audience of enthusiast-driven customers, such as UAE’s rapidly growing market for luxury cars and endless streams of money. As the middle Eastern region continues to grow in terms of size and influence, Genesis sought to create a concept that perfectly caters to the region.

For those unfamiliar, the middle east is home to swarms of off-road racing and recreational driving enthusiasts. Specifically, those that love ripping up, over, and across massive sand dunes. Genesis states the X Skorpio Concept is aerodynamically optimized for various states of elevation, including those that feature no wheels on the ground.

“The X Skorpio concept is an extreme off-road vehicle designed to be driven across the toughest and harshest terrain,” said Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer of Genesis. “With a tubular frame, a full roll cage and many components sourced directly from off-road endurance racing specialists, the X Skorpio Concept explores yet another facet of the Genesis brand and highlights our intent to inject emotion and adrenaline into different segments.”

Inspired by Scorpions (Surprise!)

As the punk-rock-like name suggests, the X Skorpio is inspired by the scorpion animal. As a creature that’s durable, feared, and resourceful, the concept was created to embody many of these traits. It also features some physical resemblance as well, mimicking the arching tail of a scorpion through the curves that taper at the end of the concept vehicle.

There are also armor-like panels on the X Skorpio that evokes the animals’ protective shell, but more importantly are easy to replace and repair if they get damaged after landing some sick air. Even the color is scorpion inspired, with deep black paint containing a blue tint that really shines through under direct sunlight, much like the arachnid’s body.

Proper Off-Road Beast

We’ve been waiting to see where else Genesis’ new V8 from the brand’s racing program would begin to show up, and here’s our first taste. The X Skorpio is allegedly powered by V8 making 1,100 horsepower and 850 pound-feet of torque. Although we do not know official curb weight figures, the vehicle doesn’t look all that substantial so we’re sure it must absolutely rocket down the road…or dunes as the case may be.

The X Skopio Concept has 18-inch beadlock wheels paired to a massive set of custom 40-inch off-road tires. Although we lack official figures, the images show generous amounts of approach and departure angles, and with a short wheelbase, the break-over angle wouldn’t be much of an issue either. Underneath all this high clearance are a network of skid plates and what Genesis refers to as precision-engineered components to help keep the vehicle from getting itself stuck in the sand.

Inside, the X Skorpio Concept does its best to not be a punishing place for drivers or passengers. To help with the strain of high-speed off-roading, Genesis designed the seating, vehicle controls, and climate control systems with ease of use in mind. The driver information center is built right into the steering wheel so drivers can see it without taking the eyes off of the terrain ahead.

There’s also a cool sliding display which can reconfigure between solo-rider or co-piloted modes. So, either the driver or the front passenger can have the screen right in front of them when driving. As is necessary in any airborne-prone off-road vehicle, safety grab handles are included. For further safety, the brand has included an integrated roll cage, a four-point harness system and reinforced structural components.

Besides the X Skorpio Concept, Genesis also announced a new line of concept vehicles with an off-road theme, the GV60 Outdoors Concept, GV70 Outdoors Concept and GV80 Desert Edition.

Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke said, “We create concept cars to inspire and ignite authentic passion for our vision. They are designed to deepen the emotional connection with our customers by showcasing the ultimate desirability they’ve always dreamt of. At Genesis, we craft cars that drive emotional expansion, showcasing not only our design philosophy but also the future technologies that personalize and elevate lifestyles.”