Hyundai’s Sub-brand Genesis Unveils Magma GT Concept

The Magma GT Concept may be just a concept, but we’d bet that a production version isn’t far off. And we are willing to bet that it will share much of this car’s appearance, which already seems quite close to a production reality. The Magma GT Concept was unveiled in France as a precursor to a sportscar to compete with the likes of Porsche, Aston Martin, etc.

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The Magma GT Concept represents the pinnacle of our performance vision and stands as a symbol of our commitment to true motorsport capability. It isn’t defined by raw aggression or uncompromising speed — it is defined by balance. The Magma GT doesn’t ask the driver to prove their skill; it enhances it. This is not simply a faster Genesis. It is the most complete expression of Genesis performance to date
– Luc Donckerwolke, president and chief creative officer of Genesis

Ready to Rock

Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury/performance arm in the same way that Lexus plays that role for Toyota. The Korean automaker has taken some notes from the Japanese. After establishing the Genesis brand, which we don’t receive in SA, it decided to go racing. Genesis is already in advance stages of an assault on the World Endurance Championship (read more here). The natural extension of that is to have a product that elevates the brand, a sportscar for fans to aspire to. In addition, the company has already made the decision that a car, such as the Magma GT Concept, will go racing as well.

The Ideal Recipe

Luc Donckerwolke, president and chief creative officer of Genesis, was responsible for the appearance of the Magma GT Concept. If his name sounds familiar it’s because he previously penned models for Bentley, Lamborghini, Škoda, and Audi. Some his most notable works include the Lamborghini Murcielago and Gallardo. His latest creation has the hallmarks of a true sportscar, with a cab-forward design that hints at a mid-mounted engine position. The rest of the design takes cues from existing Genesis products, such as those twin-spar headlamps. In addition, it wears the company’s chosen shade of orange.

Click here to read our review of a Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster.

The brand made clear at the launch that the GT signals its long-term ambition to enter the GT racing class. This means that the halo car will not be a powered by an electric drivetrain, but rather by a traditional internal combustion engine, as called for by most categories of GT racing around the world. We look forward to the day that we get to see the production version and a race version in the metal.