Automotive design goes deeper than styling. Scoops, vents, and inlets aren?t always just styling cues; they can be functional elements to improve performance. The automotive world?s most successful designers and engineers seem to agree. Before iconic cars can take shape, they need to have a clear purpose.
That?s why, when brand-new contemporary luxury brand Genesis was ready to launch its first true sports sedan, it turned to history for guidance. Turning a refined car like the G80 into the 365-hp twin-turbocharged G80 Sport was no small feat; matching its form to function was a similarly taxing accomplishment.
Compared to a G80 lineup composed of sedans designed to provide effortless comfort and performance, the G80 Sport needed to stand out. These subtle but important changes would ensure the car?s exterior and interior help reinforce the performance and ability the Sport name suggests. We spoke with the folks responsible for making it happen.
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It’s a holistic design treatment that a legacy luxury brand might never attempt.

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Take a Second Look
At first glance, the G80 Sport is identifiable as a member of the greater G80 family, but set apart enough to have a key visual persona of its own. Subtlety guided the distinctive look of the G80 Sport, according to Yuval Steiman, senior group manager for Genesis product strategy.
?The mandate to those developing the G80 Sport was to maintain the core character of the G80 while adding aggressive, performance-oriented e...