GENESIS GV80 DESERT EDITION: A JOURNEY TO REMEMBER
SHUBAYTAH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 23, 2025 — The dunes. The rocks. The dirt.
It was just as Jacky Ickx remembered from 42 years ago, when the Belgian racing legend drove to victory at the 1983 Dakar Rally.
Ickx, a Genesis Brand Partner, was back at the grueling off-road race, but this time as an “honorary guest” in the newly built Genesis GV80 Desert Edition.
For two weeks, Ickx tracked 6,000 kilometers out of the nearly 8,000-kilometer Dakar route in Saudi Arabia, journeying from Bisha to Shubaytah and stopping at each bivouac along the way to connect with young racers and share his insights.
From conception to realization, here’s how it all unfolded.
Development of the GV80 Desert Edition spanned several months in 2024 and was executed in partnership with the auto company W Motors, headquartered in Dubai.
Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke, center, led the project, ensuring that the brand’s dedication to “Athletic Elegance” was well-demonstrated in the vehicle’s enhanced performance capabilities.
The vehicle was presented to Ickx on Dec. 30, 2024, at Genesis Wallan Showroom in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in celebration of his 80th birthday, which took place two days later.
In honor of his birthday, the Dakar organizer also gifted Ickx with an “E80” sticker.
“I’m proud to be a part of this remarkable project,” Ickx said as he signed the engine cover, just days before he would finally put the vehicle to the test.
Behind the wheel, one of the first things Ickx noticed was how aggressive it was. The enhanced front lighting system, upgraded adjustable suspension and all-terrain tires quickly became his favorite features.
Ickx was later joined by his daughter Vanina, a former racing driver herself, midway through the rally.
It wasn’t the father-and-daughter’s first time at the event. Together they participated in the 2000 Paris-Dakar-Cairo Rally, which memory they both hold dear to this day.
“The GV80 Desert Edition calls for adventure, yet with an undeniable touch of elegance and comfort,” said the younger Ickx. “From the distinctive wheels to the remote-controlled lamp rack on the roof that illuminates the desert, the vehicle is really full of curiosity, audacity and performance.”
After an exhausting 6,000 kilometers, the journey was finally over. Once again, Genesis demonstrated its fearlessness, Ickx thought. “They make everything happen for the sheer pleasure of their customers," he said. "They are never afraid.”