Genesis GV80: The car that caused golf legend Tiger Woods into crash
15-time major champion Tiger Woods bought his Genesis GV80, as he became the brand ambassador of Genesis Motors USA since 2019. The Genesis Invitational, held annually at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, also supported by the Tiger Woods Foundation since 2019 as well.
- The incident
Woods crashed his Genesis GV80 when he was traveling north along Hawthorne Boulevard at Rancho Palos Verdes, California. The front of his Genesis GV80 SUV was destroyed but the interior remained intact; the safety features possibly saved his life, leaving him with less traumatic injuries, according to the Los Angeles Sheriff.
The 82-time PGA Tour winner was taken to the Harbor–UCLA Medical Center by ambulance. The incident is under investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which said the car "sustained major damage." No charges are anticipated. Woods's agent later said that he sustained multiple leg injuries and had undergone surgery for non-life-threatening injuries. It was reported that he had sustained broken bones in both of his legs and "compound fractures". The sheriff involved in the incident said that Woods had "no recollection" of the crash during questioning at the hospital. The aftermath of the accident caused the former world number one player to miss the rest of major tournaments in 2021.
- Should Tiger nickname himself 'Bantam Tiger'?
Tiger's incident was similarly to what did the same as Ben Hogan in 1949. On February 1949, Hogan and his wife crashed his Cadillac and suffered some major injuries: a double-fracture of the pelvis, a fractured collar bone, a left ankle fracture, a chipped rib, and near-fatal blood clots: he would suffer lifelong circulation problems and other physical limitations. His doctors said he might never walk again, let alone play golf competitively. While Hogan was in the hospital in El Paso, his life was endangered by a blood clot problem that led doctors to tie off the vena cava. He left the hospital on the first of April, 59 days after the accident, and returned to Fort Worth by train.
Hogan regained his strength by extensive walking and resumed his golf activities in November 1949. He returned to the PGA Tour to start the 1950 season at the Los Angeles Open, where he tied with Sam Snead over 72 holes, but lost the 18-hole playoff, held over a week later (due to course conditions). Later that year, Hogan also won his 2nd US Open title.
So will Tiger expect to return in 2022?
- About the Genesis GV80
The GV80 was unveiled in January 2020 as the first SUV for the Genesis brand. It is collaborative effort between Genesis design teams in Korea, Europe, and the United States. Built on a new rear-wheel-drive architecture, the doors, hood, and tailgate are made out of weight-saving aluminum.
The GV80 is available with three power trains: a turbocharged 2.5-liter unit with 304 PS (224 kW; 300 hp), a turbocharged 3.5-liter unit with 380 PS (279 kW; 375 hp), and a turbocharged 3.0-liter diesel with 278 PS (204 kW; 274 hp) horsepower, which will only be available in select markets.
It features a navigation-based smart cruise control (ASCC), remote smart parking assist, an NFC digital key, an around view monitor (AVM), 22-inch wheels, Nappa leather seating, a 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display with the 21-speakers Lexicon audio system, electric side curtains, and driver-controlled second and third row seating.
The safety system includes ten airbags, forward collision-avoidance assist, reverse parking collision-avoidance assist, driver attention warning, blind-spot collision-avoidance assist, automatic high beam assist, and lane keep assist (LKAS).
- Recalls
In June 2020, Hyundai Motor suspended delivery of diesel powered GV80, the company determined there were engine vibration issues due to carbon buildup. In September 2020, Hyundai Motor recalled 8,783 GV80 because of engine stall. Since the vehicle was launched in January, there were eight recalls with four involved engines.
- Rivals: Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X5, Audi Q7, Range Rover Velar, Volkswagen Touareg/Atlas, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Lincoln Aviator, Cadillac XT6
- Incident news source:
