Genesis GV70 Project Overland takes the brand off-roading for the first time

Hyundai-owned Genesis is going off-roading — in Europe, at least. The carmaker’s European division teamed up with a German off-road specialist named Delta 4×4 to develop a more rugged version of the GV70 that gains a lift kit and a roof rack with numerous accessories.

Presented at the Essen motor show, the GV70 Project Overland remains a concept; plans to put it in production haven’t been announced yet. Delta 4×4 started the project by lifting the crossover’s suspension system and widening its track. It then added 18-inch Classic B-Rugged wheels wrapped by Continental ATR tires, and it tacked black plastic flares onto the wheel arches to compensate for the extra width.

Up top, there’s a custom-designed roof rack to store equipment such as storage boxes and recovery boards. Extra lighting adds a finishing touch to the build: The front bumper gets four individual LED pods, while the roof receives a wide, dual-row LED light bar from PIAA.

Interior photos haven’t been released, but we’re guessing the Project Overland is standard GV70 fare in the cabin. We hope Delta 4×4 added rubber floor mats; we wouldn’t want to step into a luxurious interior that we praised as “a true delight” with a pair of muddy hiking boots.

Genesis didn’t make any major mechanical modifications to the GV70. Across the pond, the crossover’s base engine is a 2.2-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder rated at 201 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. It spins the four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The other engine offered is a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that develops 304 horses and 311 pound-feet of twist. All-wheel-drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission come standard as well. The 375-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 offered on our shores isn’t available in Europe.

As for what’s next, your guess is as good as ours. Genesis claims it has entered into a partnership with Delta 4×4 so this may not be the last off-road-focused build we’ll see from the brand. Off-roaders remain sought-after, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see one in showrooms.