Genesis and Delta have added some off-road bits to the posh SUV — and we kinda like it!
The Genesis GV70 is soon getting a refresh with new looks adopting the brand’s latest design language. Still, that didn’t stop the South Korean luxury marque from fettling with its posh midsize SUV. Indeed, the manufacturer has announced its official partnership with an offroad specialist based in Germany, Delta Geländespor, creating a unique one-off GV70 dubbed ‘Project Overland.’
When it comes to modifying luxury cars, we’d expect a more “classy” makeover. But that’s not the case here. Instead of adding Alcantara leather or crystal ornaments on the dashboard, the GV70 received tough, rugged modifications to celebrate Delta’s 40th anniversary. And what’s better than turning a luxury midsize SUV into a full-on capable off-roader? A literal outside-the-box thinking, we’d say.
Delta started with the usual overlanding mods with additional Baja-style fog lamps housed in a prominent mesh grill and bright roof-mounted PIAA lights for a true “off-roader” look. And don’t worry; they didn’t forget to put a roof rack with a set of orange traction aids in case ‘Project Overland’ ever gets stuck — better safe than sorry.
But Delta didn’t stop there. The GV70’s suspension has also been revised to provide two more inches of ground clearance and swapped the wheels for a set of black 18-inch Classic B Rugged ones wrapped in Continental all-terrain tires, now covered with extended wheel arches to accommodate the wider tires.
That said, we’re unsure of the powertrain that lies beneath the hood of Delta’s Project Overland. Genesis currently offers the GV70 with three different powertrain options — a 300hp 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, a 375hp 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, and an EV variant powered by a dual motors configuration producing an impressive 429hp. Yet, considering it has a traditional front grille instead of the solid front fascia associated with electric cars, we can probably safely rule out the EV variant here.
All in all, Project Overland is an interesting concept, demonstrating clearly that Genesis and Delta aren’t afraid to push the boundaries — we aren’t so sure how many customers could actually be interested in such a peculiar model, but yeah, concept cars are rarely built to respond to a specific demand. Nevertheless, it’s still one hell of a great build, and isn’t that the very essence of automotive engineering after all?
Gallery: 2023 Genesis GV70 ‘Project Overland’
