We first saw the Genesis X Gran Berlinetta last autumn, the South Korean manufacturer’s entry into the Vision Gran Turismo programme, in which car manufacturers (and sometimes other brands) are given the freedom to create virtual performance cars for the Gran Turismo series.
We marvelled at its orangeness, its dramatic ‘cab-rearward’ proportions, but mostly its (virtual) powertrain – a V6 hybrid setup that delivers 1071bhp and revs to 10,000rpm.
Jacky Ickx with Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Tribute
After debuting in Gran Turismo 7, it was subsequently repositioned by Genesis as a sort of halo car for its recently-announced Magma performance sub-brand (although don’t expect to see it hit production any time soon. Or ever).
Now, though, it’s undergone a more dramatic visual change, getting a new lick of paint that’s an ode to Belgian ex-F1 driver Jacky Ickx. Because… reasons.
Ickx, who also has six overall 24 Hours of Le Mans victories to his name, was announced as a brand partner for Genesis earlier this year, a seemingly odd match for a nine-year-old brand with no motorsport heritage to speak of.
Jacky Ickx’s helmet
Nevertheless, Jacky has probably gotten a shiny new daily out of the deal, and it’s also given Genesis the chance to make the previously very orange X Gran Berlinetta far more blue. Officially called the X Gran Berlinetta Tribute, the car gets a new paint job – Midnight Blue with a white stripe. It references one of Ickx’s iconic helmet designs, which was deep blue with distinctive white bands around the visor and bottom. It also gets some rather nice new gold wheels. It was presented at an event in Switzerland with Chopard watches, with which Ickx also has a partnership.
It remains to be seen where Ickx and Genesis’ partnership will go next, but we sincerely hope it’s towards a series of special editions called Genesickx. It’s also yet to be seen whether this new version of the X Gran Berlinetta will show up in Gran Turismo 7 at any point.