Sprung! 2018 Genesis G70 spied sporting twin-turbo V6

FANS of Hyundai’s standalone luxury brand have caught an early glimpse of the Genesis G70 sedan before the car’s global reveal at a special event in Seoul next week.

Instagram user car_photographer_yjs has scooped the slick new machine unloading for what is believed to be a photo shoot. Just a single grainy image was shared on social media, leaving far more detail to be revealed at the official unveiling. However, the early sneak peek clearly shows that the G70, which shares some of its mechanical underpinnings with the Kia Stinger, has the chic styling to bump gloves with a host of key rivals in the segment.

With a sophisticated coupe-like roofline, large fine-spoked alloy wheels, twin oval exhaust pipes housed in an aerodynamic splitter, red brake callipers, and vents aft of the front wheel arch akin to the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe, the G70 is making its competitive intent patently clear.

The model should also put other players in the segment on notice, including the Infiniti Q50, Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4 and Jaguar XE.

The sharp styling looks set to continue on the inside too as revealed by a separate shot, this time posted by the_koreanbeast, offering a look inside the G70 at its plush, quilted leather panelling, bolstered sports seats and well-appointed, feature-heavy dash.

Sharing much of the Kia Stinger’s mechanicals, including its potent 272kW 3.3-litre turbo V6 engine and rear-drive architecture, the G70 should have the performance credentials – and looks – to put up a strong fight in the executive sports sedan market.

It's more than just a re-skin of the Kia, though. The G70 sits on a shorter wheelbase, is a conventional hatch rather than a sedan and boasts a greater emphasis on luxury, meaning its flavour should be clearly distinct from that of its compatriot.

Detailed dimensions and performance figures will have to wait, but some reports suggest the G70 could be lighter than the Stinger cousin which could result in a faster zero to 100km/h acceleration than the Kia’s 5.1sec dash.

It should also have the dynamic ability to match the under-bonnet poke; after all, some of the development work has been on Australian roads, judging by the number of images of heavily camouflaged G70s that Wheels readers send in each month.

The performance-focussed addition to Hyundai’s luxury brand will come to Australia, but exact dates are still a way off – a rough estimate of early 2018 is the best indication. More details and a full reveal of all the G70’s angles will be offered on September 15.