GENESIS GV80 DESERT EDITION: A JOURNEY TO REMEMBER

• Jacky Ickx recounts his 6,000km journey in GV80 Desert Edition from Bisha to Shubaytah as part of the 2025 Dakar Rally
• During the journey Ickx stopped at each bivouac to share his insights with young drivers
• Ickx won the race in 1983, and was accompanied by his daughter Vanina in 2000

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 23 January, 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 gruelling off-road race, but this time as an “honorary guest” in the newly built GV80 Desert Edition. 

For two weeks, Ickx tracked 6,000 kilometres out of the nearly 8,000-kilometre 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.

Development of the GV80 Desert Edition spanned several months in 2024 and was executed in partnership with automotive company W Motors, who are headquartered in Dubai.

Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke led the project, ensuring that the brand’s dedication to ‘Athletic Elegance’ was well-demonstrated in the GV80’s enhanced performance capabilities.

GV80 Desert Edition was presented to Ickx on  30 December, 2024, at Genesis Wallan Showroom in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in celebration of his 80th birthday two days later. In honour of his birthday, the Dakar organisers also gifted Ickx 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 car to the test.

Behind the wheel, one of the first things Ickx noticed was its aggressiveness. The enhanced front lighting system, upgraded adjustable suspension, and all-terrain tires quickly became his favourite features.

Ickx was later joined by his daughter Vanina, also a former racing driver, midway through the rally.

It was not the father and daughter’s first time at the event either. Together they participated in the 2000 Paris-Dakar-Cairo Rally, which is a 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 kilometres, the journey was finally over. Once again, Genesis demonstrated its fearlessness, Ickx thought. “They make everything happen for the sheer pleasure of their customers. They are never afraid.”