Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury sub-brand, has only existed as a standalone manufacturer since 2015, but as part of its push to be a serious player amongst premium brands, it’s already launching its own performance division to take on the likes of BMW M, Mercedes-AMG and Audi RS.
Called ‘Magma’, the nameplate debuts on a pair of concepts unveiled at the brand’s flagship New York showroom, both based on existing Genesis models. The first, the GV60 Magma Concept, is a high-performance derivative of the GV60, Genesis’s smallest electric crossover.
Genesis Magma concepts
Finished in a bright orange hue that seems to be the new performance badge’s flagship colour, the GV60 Magma features some impressive-looking aero, including fins on the roof to channel air to the new rear wing. It has subtle arch flares and a set of 21-inch aerodisc wheels wrapped in some very aggressive-looking rubber. It also gets wider air intakes at the front for better cooling of the powertrain and brakes.
Powertrain details are unconfirmed, but the GV60 shares its underpinnings with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. In high-performance N form, the Ioniq 5 gets 641bhp, so we’d bank on at least that for the GV60 Magma.
The other Magma model unveiled is the G80 Magma Special. This appears to be a renaming of the G80 Performance, a concept version of Genesis’ midsize luxury saloon unveiled at an event in Dubai last December. The Magma Special gets wide arches, lots of slashes and louvres in the bodywork, lowered suspension and a carbon fibre lip spoiler.
Genesis has confirmed that the G80 Magma Special will be produced in limited numbers, exclusively for the Middle Eastern market. It says it has “improved driving performance,” although it’s unclear if this is limited to the chassis or if it’ll get more power – the current range-topping engine is a 375bhp, 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6.
Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept
A couple of other previous Genesis concepts have been retroactively grouped under the Magma umbrella. Revealed in April 2023, the GV80 Coupe Concept is a BMW X6-style ‘coupe’ version of the brand’s mid-size SUV, and is now a production car in certain markets with 409bhp from its 3.5-litre V6.
Far less likely to see production is the X Gran Berlinetta concept, Genesis’ entry to the Vision Gran Turismo programme which features a V6 hybrid powertrain with upwards of 1000bhp.
Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Concept
It’s still early days for the Magma programme, with only the G80 Magma Special confirmed for limited production, but we wouldn’t be too surprised to see a production GV60 Magma further down the line. With the Ioniq 5 N’s underpinnings, it should be a serious challenger to whatever performance EVs come out of the M, AMG and RS divisions.