First there was the Hyundai Genesis sedan, a hopped-up rear-wheel-drive. V8-powred luxury flagship from a manufacturer that wasn’t really accustomed to making those – not for North America, anyway. Then there was an entire Genesis brand, complete with a flagship sedan and SUV. Soon, there will be a performance line as well as a top-flite endurance racing team.
That’s all led us to here: the Genesis Magma GT concept, making its debut in Le Castellet, France. That’s across the country from where Genesis will be competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June of 2026.
That name – “Magma” – should be familiar to Genesis fans because that’s what the Korean brand has called its performance division, a line that starts with the GV60 Magma next year. It’s also the name of the GT racing team that will be competing at Le Mans and elsewhere. The car, which is only debuting now but was hinted at during last year’s New York International Auto Show, is a low-slung coupe, complete with gullwing doors and clamshell front and rear openings.
Genesis has made no claims as to the Magma GT Concept’s powertrain past the fact that it will have a mid-rear engine layout. Could that mean it will be getting a detuned version of the twin-turbo V8 found in the GMR-001 race car? It wouldn’t be the first time a manufacturer has taken a race car engine and dropped it in a road car; look back into the history of the BMW M5 or the Porsche Carrera GT to see what we’re on about. Plus, Genesis did say that this is a look at their ambition to compete in GT racing series.
As futuristic as it looks, there are a few nods to the Magma GT’s Genesis family; the narrow twin headlamps are reminiscent of pretty much ever other Genesis product, for example. Only here, they include front canards for extra downforce. ‘Round back, there’s also an application of the G-Matrix theme found on any given Genesis grille, as well as a full-width light bar. There’s no rear spoiler at the moment, but that doesn’t mean one can’t be added if ever this was to make production.
Will it? Well, Genesis is being coy thus far but remember: this is a brand that delivered a performance EV crossover with “fake” gears and engine sounds and is about to deliver a sedan in the same vein. It’s also a brand that pretty much out of nowhere, announced it was going to be competing in the top class at Le Mans, against stalwarts like Ferrari and Porsche; who knows what they’re capable of?