Genesis planning range-topping coupe

Genesis\' flagship could get a performance-focused hydrogen-powered drivetrain

Hyundai's luxury-oriented Genesis sub-brand has confirmed it's developing a range-topping coupe.

The yet-unnamed model will compete in the same segment as luxurious German grand tourers like the BMW 6 Series and the Mercedes-Benz SL, according to Australian website CarAdvice. That means it will be positioned higher up on the market than the recently-retired Hyundai Genesis Coupe (pictured), which was largely aimed at the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro.

Genesis' upcoming coupe will be a high-performance model, but it most likely won't be available with a V8 engine. Instead, the South Korean brand wants to accelerate its shift towards renewable fuels like hydrogen and electricity.

"If you look at that and you look down the road at what is going to happen with the electrification of vehicles, performance will not have that dominant role anymore because it's a level playing field. So the ICE's (internal combustion engines) dominance of performance, that's going to go away," predicted Genesis boss Manfred Fitzgerald.

Odds are a non-electrified variant will join the lineup as an entry-level model, but it will likely arrive with a V6 under the hood. However, technical specifications haven't been finalized yet because the coupe is still at least two years away from arriving in showrooms.