At an occasion on the eve of the New York Worldwide Auto Present, Genesis launched what it’s calling its Magma undertaking. The G80 Magma Particular is a limited-production sedan for the Center East, and shortly, we’ll see the GV60 Magma, a warmer model of the model’s small EV crossover.
However don’t name Magma a sub-brand within the mildew of BMW M or Mercedes-AMG—Genesis needs to do one thing totally different right here.
“We don’t wish to create a hardcore product that can be a disconnect from the opposite Genesis product,” Luc Donckerwolke, Genesis Chief Artistic Officer, tells Motor1. “It’s an evolution, an extrapolation of the Genesis product.”
A Genesis Magma automobile, Donckerwolke says, gained’t be a track-car first, highway car-second. The concept is to create extra of a high-performance GT automobile to sit down atop the lineup. Extra energy, wider tracks, greater brakes, distinctive inside trim—together with some snazzy Recaro buckets—however nothing excessive. (Aside from the vivid Magma Orange bodywork, maybe.)
“It’s a bit like carrying a fur coat inside out,” Donckerwolke says. “It’s about making a automobile that has the qualities you understand, the initiated know, however you don’t wish to brag. The automobile has a sure aesthetical high quality that’s designed to be for efficiency. And that ought to be a logo of the capabilities of the automobile.”
Genesis is clearly a challenger to the luxury-car institution, but it surely’s consciously totally different from Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and the remainder. That’s true of its upcoming efficiency fashions
“The plain method can be to principally do one thing which is disconnected to the [Genesis] model,” Donckerwolke says. “We now have simply began this model. We won’t simply now make a 90-degree curve and do one thing totally different… The Magma program is—and this is the reason it’s not a sub-brand—is simply an extension of the model. It principally is just not making an attempt to be one thing else.”
That stated, Donckerwolke confirmed to Motor1 that there’s a devoted engineering staff for the Magma vehicles. He additionally instructed our colleagues at InsideEVs that the GV60 Magma will use a whole lot of the identical {hardware} as the brand new Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, however gained’t be a easy rebody. It is going to be tuned in another way, to higher slot in with how Genesis conceives its high-performance vehicles. Nonetheless, it’ll have “a whole lot” extra horsepower than the 429-hp GV60 Efficiency.
Genesis didn’t present a manufacturing timeline for the GV60 Magma, however in a presentation, Donckerwolke stated the automobile is coming “quickly.” The idea proven on the New York occasion appeared principally manufacturing prepared, although. Genesis has finished a superb job creating a reputable luxury-car challenger, and we’re very curious to see what its Magma vehicles can be like. Primarily based on appears alone, the Korean model may need yet one more winner.
