The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen has largely stood in a class of its own for decades, offering a blend of rugged off-road ability with – in the G63’s case at least – luxury features you wouldn’t normally find in a 4×4.
But its relatively lone position means everyone wants to take a shot at it, even if no one has been brave enough to step up to the challenge. Genesis might just change that.
In April it unveiled the X Gran Equator concept, with the luxury brand giving its own take on what a go-anywhere but comfortable vehicle could be, while throwing its hat in the ring to enter the adventure vehicle niche market.
Speaking at the Hyundai Group’s Investor Day last week, CEO José Muñoz provided the clearest hint yet that the X Gran Equator will influence a production model, even if it’s not identical to the concept.
“We will go beyond the brand’s existing model lineup to create new flagship vehicles,” Muñoz said.
“For example, an off-roader infused with the spirit of adventure, just like the X Gran Equator concept. These vehicles, which are currently concepts, exemplify our ambition to offer leading products that deliver exceptional experiences.”
Genesis hasn’t detailed what platform the production X Gran Equator could run on, though given Hyundai is developing a body-on-frame underpinning for its upcoming mid-sized pickup (or ute), this is a likely candidate.
Speaking earlier this year, Genesis Chief Creative Officer, Luc Donkerwolke, said the X Gran Equator would make sense to add to the brand’s lineup.
“I do believe that there is room for that,” Donkerwolke told Australian media, including Torquecafe.
“The X Gran Equator is a new potential addition to a lineup which is already quite big. In a couple of years we have reached a family of SUVs, quite a lot. And we have shown last year there’s another one coming, a flagship SUV, very soon.
“So now the question is: how do we position the Gran Equator within this lineup? How do we ensure there’s not going to be an overlap or cannibalisation between those vehicles?
“The Gran Equator was designed by my team in a very short time,” he explained. “Like all the other projects, I make sure that my engineering team is involved in the project, so that those projects are feasible, so that we don’t have to face any big hurdles… So that from the technical point-of-view the platform works, the technical side works. Now is obviously the demand.”
At the time, the executive said demand was anything but hypothetical.
Everybody has called and asked, ‘When can I have it?’” Donkerwolke said. “All the regions have been. I think this is a big progress… It’s plugging into the SUV emotion, it’s going back to the off-road capability that actually makes those SUVs genuine and authentic.”
Genesis might not be alone in the segment either, with a report last month claiming BMW will launch its own take on the G-Wagen formula in 2029, and do so with the familiar underpinnings of the popular X5 SUV.
Codenamed ‘G74’ and built in the US, the ‘Rugged’ – its name, according to BMW Blog – will reportedly be tougher than the X5 both in appearance and off-road capability, though like the Mercedes 4×4 it’s expected to retain some luxury trimmings.
Few details are known about the upcoming model, however with a new X5 set to launch in late 2026, it’s expected more potential powertrain details will come to light within the next 12 months.
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