motoring Bahrainthismonth.com August 2024 81 Driving Through Salalah I’ve already mentioned that it was Khareef season when we’d touched down in Salalah, but while the greenery was very welcome, the heavier than usual drizzle and occasional mist on the day of our test drive was not. We made our way to the briefing and explored the many features of the G80 Royal and G80 Sport ahead of our drives. We were divided into convoys and sets of three media personnel to each car, and were told that we would each have an opportunity to drive the Royal and Sport trims – what a thrill. Walking out of the hall there may have been some frustration with the rain, but even then, I saw a silver lining; we may not be able to explore the full capabilities of the Sport trim, but we could get a real feel for the cars’ safety features. Besides, true luxury would keep you comfortable in every environment. Either way, the multitude of Genesis G80 vehicles lined up and ready to go were beyond majestic and had us all ready to go. Sliding into the backseat of the G80 Royal first, I had the opportunity to be a true passenger princess – experiencing comfort and exploring the luxury sedan’s entertainment features. The interior of the G80 maintains the spirit of Genesis’ design with its distinctively Korean concept of the Beauty of White Space, blended with state-of-the-art technology to create a distinguished ambiance for users. Spacious interiors and screens on the back of the driver and passenger seats allow you to indulge in entertainment during long drives. Driving along Salalah’s highways and routes along the Wadis allowed me to admire the many enhancements. The 27-inch-wide OLED display seamlessly combines the cluster and AVN (Audio, Video, Navigation) screen in a horizontal layout, extending to the centre fascia to enhance its high-tech sensibility. The touch-based HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system offers drivers ease of control, while the redesigned crystal-like Shift By Wire (SBW) ensures a comfortable grip and adds a feel of luxury. Getting Behind the Wheel of the G80 Sport An hour and a half later, we were on the other end of Salalah and had taken the G80 Royal across the green hills, past rolling beach waves and even allowed for a caravan of camels to cross (thanks to the heads up from our lead driving instructor!). This was not only exciting, but demonstrated the vehicles’ capabilities. Besides, the stops allowed us to step out and admire the G80’s sensational design. Readying ourselves to get back to the resort for the final stretch, it was now my turn to get behind the wheel of the G80 Sport which I’d had my eye on from the night before. With windshield wipers on, I turned the gear dial into Drive and after carefully careening through the trickier of turns on the hills, put the pedal to the metal – instant thrill. The G80 Sport edition offers a dynamic and sporty appeal with its double-layered Crest Grille and expanded air intakes, but what makes it even more exciting are its enhanced driving performance capabilities. Its ability to pick up speed effortlessly and while minimising road noise was impressive and improved the overall luxury driving experience. The G80 Sport 3.5 turbo engine model is equipped with Rear Wheel Steering (RWS), enabling smoother manoeuvering and enhanced agility. Additionally, it offers two powertrain options: a gasoline 2.5 turbo engine delivering 300 horsepower and 43.0 kgf·m of torque, and a gasoline 3.5 turbo engine producing 375 horsepower and 54.0 kgf·m of torque. The Electronic Limited Slip Differential (E-LSD) ensures stable control during highspeed driving which came in handy whilst driving on somewhat slippery roads. Ultimately, what my passengers and I appreciated were the luxury sedan’s suite of advanced safety and convenience features; the OLED screen, for instance, has a camera display come up for your blind spot on the left when taking turns, which was a welcome feature on unfamiliar roads. Pulling into the resort, we made use of one last nifty feature, the Remote Smart Parking Assist 2. The event’s concept, ‘A Thing of Beauty,’ lived up to the G80’s capabilities and design and brought to life one of the most exquisite places in the world, Salalah, Oman. This is surely an experience I won’t soon forget. Scan to watch the video
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