Genesis, a luxury sub-brand to Hyundai, has announced its plans to develop a Le Mans-ready LMDh car. But this is not the first time the name has appeared in racing following years of sim racing presence.
This morning, in the lead up to the FIA World Endurance Championship's Asian round at Fuji Speedway, Japan, Hyundai sub-brand Genesis announced its plans to build an LMDh prototype ready to compete at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
A long-rumoured project, this will be the luxury car manufacturer's first introduction to the world of racing. That is in the real life, as it seems the car maker's plans go further back than anyone really thinks.
Genesis previewed its endurance program with the Gran Racer VGT in Gran Turismo. Image: Genesis Newsroom
But the brand's involvement did not end there as last year's Barcelona grand finale saw Genesis unveil its very own Vision GT concept car, the Gran Berlinetta Concept. A striking orange coupe with a long bonnet and sleek details, it is certainly an eye-catching model.
But with most Vision GT products foreshadowing real-world projects like Bugatti's attempt showing off early styling cues for the Chiron's appearance, many wondered why this latest model existed. Furthermore, earlier this year, Genesis strapped a wing to the rear end alongside a number of aggressive additions in what can only be described as an expensive trip to Halfords. But it seems this racier Gran Racer VGT concept indeed had its own purpose; preparing fans for a real-world racing program.
The Bugatti Vision GT became the Chiron. Image: Bugatti Newsroom
As a result, the manufacturer will use one of the four pre-existing spines built by Dallara, Ligier, Multimatic or Oreca upon which brand-specific power unit and design traits will complete the racer. This means that the future Genesis LMDh model will not look exactly like the Gran Turismo concept with its long nose and voluptuous curves.
A rear end to inspire racecars. Image: Genesis Newsroom
However, that does not mean Gran Racer VGT inspiration is out the question. Brand identity is extremely important in this new age of sportscar racing and the now-year-old concept is full of it. From its grille-surrounding LED light bars to the oval rear end and intricate wheel design, there is a lot of styling that Genesis could copy and paste to its upcoming racer.
With no doubt some time to go until we see Hyundai's sub-brand unveil its Le Mans rocket, we will wait and see if sim racing has given the real world of motorsport a preview of the next top-flight endurance racer. Either way, we think it is rather cool that large-scale automotive manufacturers use sim racing as marketing for its bigger projects.
What do you make of the announcement of a Genesis LMDh racer? Let us know in the comments and join the discussion in our motorsport forums!
This morning, in the lead up to the FIA World Endurance Championship's Asian round at Fuji Speedway, Japan, Hyundai sub-brand Genesis announced its plans to build an LMDh prototype ready to compete at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
A long-rumoured project, this will be the luxury car manufacturer's first introduction to the world of racing. That is in the real life, as it seems the car maker's plans go further back than anyone really thinks.
Genesis Vision GT To LMDh
Indeed, fans of the Gran Turismo World Series will recognise the young Americano-Korean manufacturer's logo from several sponsorship boards across the event's recent editions. In 2022, Genesis became an official manufacturer of what is one of the largest sim racing esports competitions in the world.Genesis previewed its endurance program with the Gran Racer VGT in Gran Turismo. Image: Genesis Newsroom
But the brand's involvement did not end there as last year's Barcelona grand finale saw Genesis unveil its very own Vision GT concept car, the Gran Berlinetta Concept. A striking orange coupe with a long bonnet and sleek details, it is certainly an eye-catching model.
But with most Vision GT products foreshadowing real-world projects like Bugatti's attempt showing off early styling cues for the Chiron's appearance, many wondered why this latest model existed. Furthermore, earlier this year, Genesis strapped a wing to the rear end alongside a number of aggressive additions in what can only be described as an expensive trip to Halfords. But it seems this racier Gran Racer VGT concept indeed had its own purpose; preparing fans for a real-world racing program.
The Bugatti Vision GT became the Chiron. Image: Bugatti Newsroom
A Prophecy Of Le Mans Racing Design?
Sadly, this morning's announcement gives very little detail about the upcoming program be it a testing timeline, racing debut prediction or images hinting at the model's looks. All we do know is that the manufacturer will, like most current additions to the Hypercar and GTP classes, follow the LMDh ruleset.As a result, the manufacturer will use one of the four pre-existing spines built by Dallara, Ligier, Multimatic or Oreca upon which brand-specific power unit and design traits will complete the racer. This means that the future Genesis LMDh model will not look exactly like the Gran Turismo concept with its long nose and voluptuous curves.
A rear end to inspire racecars. Image: Genesis Newsroom
However, that does not mean Gran Racer VGT inspiration is out the question. Brand identity is extremely important in this new age of sportscar racing and the now-year-old concept is full of it. From its grille-surrounding LED light bars to the oval rear end and intricate wheel design, there is a lot of styling that Genesis could copy and paste to its upcoming racer.
With no doubt some time to go until we see Hyundai's sub-brand unveil its Le Mans rocket, we will wait and see if sim racing has given the real world of motorsport a preview of the next top-flight endurance racer. Either way, we think it is rather cool that large-scale automotive manufacturers use sim racing as marketing for its bigger projects.
What do you make of the announcement of a Genesis LMDh racer? Let us know in the comments and join the discussion in our motorsport forums!
