If the big three luxury German automakers showed the industry something, it’s the fact that an in-house tuning division helps sell vehicles and boost the overall brand image. This business model has changed the way we perceive these automakers, and now other manufacturers are following suit and launching their own lines of special performance models.
Get Fully Charged
Genesis wants to be like BMW, Mercedes and Audi
The benefits of a performance-oriented sub-brand are innumerable and have an impact on the brand as a whole. Genesis wants to be more like its German rivals by launching Magma, which is its interpretation of BMW M, Mercedes AMG and Audi RS.
This spring, Genesis unveiled a series of “Magma” concepts that preview its future line of performance-oriented cars. Magma's variants won't be quite as hardcore as BMW Motorsport or Mercedes-AMG cars, but they will be a step above the regular lineup. The first to enter production will be the electric GV60 Magma, which will stay true to the concept with the same name and offer performance similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N or the Kia EV6 GT.
The GV60 Magma will enter production in the third quarter of 2025 when it will go on sale in South Korea, while European deliveries will kick off in the fourth quarter. This announcement came from Genesis officials present at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where the manufacturer had a GV60 Magma prototype alongside a G80 EV Magma concept, the G70 Track Taxi Nordschleife, and the GV80 Coupe concept.
Gallery: Genesis GV60 Magma Concept
There is no word on how much power the GV60 Magma will have, but it will probably be around 600 horsepower. The EV6 GT has 576 hp, while the Ioniq 5 N has 641 hp and there’s a good chance the hot GV60 will have a different output from its sister models from Kia and Hyundai. It may even be more powerful and quicker to reflect Genesis’ status as the Hyundai-Kia group’s top brand.
In the press release, Genesis notes that the GV60 Magma will have “an authentic, Magma-exclusive sound system that will provide a rich, dynamic auditory experience that further boosts the excitement of every ride.” We believe it will get its own version of the Ioniq 5 N's acceleration sounds, although we don't know if you'll be able to shift fake gears in the Genesis.
Genesis Magma cars will have lower and stiffer suspension, upgraded brakes and other enhancements to improve how they drive, especially around a track. Electric Magma models will also feature an upgraded battery thermal management system, allowing them to better cope with multiple laps of spirited track driving before resorting to thermal throttling to protect the battery and motors.
In terms of its design, the GV60 Magma will feature aggressive front and rear bumpers, prominent aero elements including a big rear wing and fins on the roof and a diffuser. It also has wheel arch extensions to cover the car’s larger wheels and wider track. The Germans also make the track wider on their top performance variants, but they usually fit them with special flared fenders not just plastic cladding around the wheel wells.
Genesis hasn’t released official photos of the interior of the hot GV60—the prototype they brought to Goodwood had completely blacked-out windows—but at the car's debut in New York, we saw sporty bucket seats, a sportier steering wheel and lots of orange details to highlight the fact that it is a special model.
Keep in mind that it branded a concept and is not representative of the final series production car, which may undergo some modifications before reaching the production line.
