It had been four decades since Jacky Ickx visited Mt Panorama, but he made a spectacular return at the recent Bathurst 12-hour. The Belgian racing legend was back in Bathurst with Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury brand, and hit the track in the company’s one-of-one concept car.
Ickx, in his role as Genesis’ brand ambassador, was entrusted with the one-off X Gran Berlinetta concept car, a real-life version of what was originally intended to only be a virtual car. While Genesis wouldn’t officially reveal any details on the functional prototype, the rumble from underneath the X Gran Berlinetta as Ickx lapped Mt Panorama was clearly from a V8.
As we wrote recently, it’s time Genesis stops teasing us with these stunning concepts and actually puts one into production to get serious in its fight against Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche. The X Gran Berlinetta looked great on-track and drew plenty of attention when it was on display in the pit garage.
As did Ickx, with the long queues of autograph hunters proving that a Bathurst win, especially one as iconic as his 1977 triumph with Allan Moffat, earns you respect that lasts a lifetime.
Check out the video below of Ickx discussing his emotional return to Mt Panorama and see and hear the Genesis X Gran Berlinetta in action.
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