Currently reading: Genesis GV90 eyes Range Rover with cinema screen, coach doors

Flagship SUV due imminently with Rolls-Royce-style doors, wooden floor and huge cinema screen

Genesis's upcoming Range Rover rival will have Rolls-Royce-style coach doors as it makes a statement about the brand's luxury intentions.

The GV90 is just weeks away from launch and will become the flagship for the Hyundai sibling brand on the premium side of its model range.

It will arrive at a similar time to the GV60 Magma, the first in a series of high-performance models that will perform a similar role on the sporting side.

Genesis Europe MD Peter Kronschnabl told Autocar that the GV90 wouldn't hold back in pushing the brand's premium and luxury credentials.

"You need to show what you can do at the top luxury end, and this is the GV90," he said.

Genesis GV90 in camo – rear quarter

The Rolls-Royce-style rear-hinged doors are one feature of the GV90 that will make it stand out among its rivals.

Kronschnabl said there will also be a "theatre screen" for in-car entertainment as well as other technology and materials that would make the SUV the "pinnacle" of the Genesis range.

The GV90 will be vast – larger than the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 with which it shares underpinnings, based on spy pictures of the model in testing.

The production model follows a concept called the Neolun, which it will closely mirror in its imposing style and which also featured rear-hinged doors.

The GV90 is likely to be offered with three rows of two seats in standard form, but Korean media has seen prototypes of a super-luxury four-seater with just two seats in the opulent rear, which seems to have wood flooring and abundant quilted leather.

Patents in the US have also shown an innovative dual-hinge system for the rear doors, with hinges connected to both the body and the frame and additional seals to boost structural integrity and insulation.

A maximum battery pack size of around 110kWh will boost range to in excess of 350 miles, while dual electric motors will likely take power to in excess of 500bhp and deliver four-wheel drive.

Charging speeds are set to top 350kW. 

Genesis to rival AMG and M with Magma sub-brand

Genesis GV60 Magma

Kronschnabl revealed that the GV60 Magma, a 641bhp electric crossover with a 0-62mph time of just 3.4sec and a top speed of 164mph, is the start of a wider performance programme for Genesis.

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He didn't detail which models would also get the treatment but said Magma is vital to Genesis's wider ambitions, a performance sub-brand akin to BMW M or Mercedes-AMG being a must for any would-be premium contender. 

Magma's point of difference will be in its ability to make electric cars truly "feel alive" in the absence of an internal combustion engine, claimed Kronschnabl, as well as offering "something very special with the quality of materials" used for its interiors.

While both Genesis flagships will be electric, the brand will continue to offer a wider range of electrified drivetrains, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid, full-electric and range-extender. It will no longer offer pure internal combustion engines, however.

"From customer sentiment and feedback, you cannot limit yourself to one powertrain," said Kronschnabl.

The GV70 SUV is set to be the first hybrid model from Genesis, having recently been caught testing in prototype form.

The first REx model from the brand isn't yet known, but the GV90 is a likely candidate, given such a powertrain's suitability for large, heavy vehicles.

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Mark Tisshaw

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Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.