By Steve Winter at 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas
A slice of legendary automotive Americana, the Corvette has fueled the passion of motorists and hot-rod enthusiasts spanning seven design generations. Fifty-five years after its introduction, the Corvette Stingray still conjures coming-of-age images of strapping young men in t-shirts and jeans, cruising down Main Street with the top down, windows open and radios blaring be-bop and Chuck Berry.
And today, thanks to the innovation of Rockville, MD-based Genovation, one can own a 21st version of this fabled automotive icon that is really-and-truly one of a kind.
Introducing the Genovation GXE, the absolute highest performing electric car in the world, according to co-founder and company CEO Andrew Saul. The car had its world debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. They are at CES because they see this event as a great opportunity for upscale marketing.
“It’s a beautiful car based on the C7 Grand Sport,” Saul said. “What we’ve done is taken the highest-end current model Corvette, removed the gas engine, the exhaust system and the gas tanks and we converted the car into a fully-electric high performance super vehicle that’s capable of hitting speeds of 220 miles per hour.”
The concept behind the GXE almost became a fleet of vehicles for the Montgomery County, MD, government. The company launched in the early 2000s in response to an expressed intention to build a modified, fully-electric Ford Focus, set to be called the G1. But when the recession hit in 2007, County budgets were slashed and the proposed acquisition was tabled.
So instead, Saul turned his attention to a vehicle built for ultimate performance and unmatched velocity, far exceeding anything one might typically drive on city streets. According to Saul, every element integrated into the vehicles design was created with that performance fully in mind. “It has a very advanced mag-lev drive control so you can change the stiffness of the suspension based on which racetrack you want to drive,” he said. “We’re going to have an active wing that will increase the downforce on the back of the car on the fly. Basically, were really trying to push the state of the art in so many different and make it a really fun exciting car to own and drive.”
Even the company’s approach to marketing is innovative.
“Because this product has limited appeal, we are showcasing the vehicle at super car events around the country, the most prominent of which will be at Amelia Island this March,” Saul said. “Furthermore, Genovation is developing relationships with supercar dealerships around the US and globally to assist in sales generation and promotion.” According to Saul, Genovation recently added former Chief Operating Officer of Bugatti North and South America John Hill to their team. “John will be a great grass roots addition as he is very connected to the car collector community.”
While Genovation has set its production limit to just 75 cars, the cherry on the top that makes the vehicle truly unique is the paint job. “The color is deep and lustrous with 15 coats of paint and since we’re only making 75 of these, once a customer picks a color, it’s no longer available to anybody else.
“He can even name the color of his choice.”
So what’s the price for such exclusivity?
Well, due to the exclusivity and limited production run, this car is priced at $750,000, with a $250,000 deposit required to place the order. Vehicles ordered now will deliver in Q4 2018.
Clearly, three-quarters-of-a-million dollars is a lot of money, but without question, the Genovation GXE is also a lot of car. Or as Saul puts it: “Any super car owner or collector who buys one of these will be thrilled to own it.”
By Steve Winter, president of Brotman|Winter|Fried, a Sage Communications Company
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