Genesis Launches High-Performance 'Magma' Series

Genesis Unveils High-Performance Model 'Magma' for 10th Anniversary

Genesis, the luxury brand of Hyundai Motor Group, is set to launch its high-performance model 'Magma' in January next year, marking a significant milestone in its 10-year history. Once known for its quiet and sophisticated executive cars, Genesis is now shifting its focus to the high-performance market to redefine its brand identity.

At a briefing held on the 21st (local time) at the Paul Ricard Circuit in Le Castellet, southern France, Genesis executives, including Luc Donckerwolke, Hyundai Motor Group CDO (Global Design Head) and CCO (Chief Creative Officer, President), and Song Mingyu, Genesis Head (Vice President), shared their pride in the brand's achievements over the past decade and their commitment to the "high-performance luxury" market.

Song Mingyu, who oversees Genesis operations, said, “Although Genesis was part of Hyundai’s business divisions, we built our own brand over the past 10 years with the mindset of a startup born in 2015. While our performance over the past decade may not have reached 100 points, we believe we at least achieved an ‘A’ grade on the traditional Korean evaluation scale of ‘excellent, good, average, below average, poor.’”

Luc Donckerwolke, who joined Genesis in 2015 after serving as Bentley’s chief designer, stated, “Genesis is like a child I created.” He added, “While other brands slowly build lineups by testing the market with one model at a time, Genesis simultaneously developed nine models in just 10 years. This shows the brand’s strong confidence and seriousness.”

Genesis has set its focus for the next decade on "motorsports," with the high-performance 'Magma' lineup at the forefront. The first mass-produced model, the high-performance electric vehicle 'GV60 Magma,' set to launch next January, delivers up to 650 horsepower and accelerates from 0 to 200 km/h in 10.9 seconds. The model targets demand for luxury vehicles that can rival Porsche, BMW M, and Mercedes-AMG in explosive performance.

Genesis aims to grow its annual sales from the current 225,000 units to 350,000 units by 2030—a 55% increase—with the Magma lineup accounting for approximately 10% of the target.

Song explained, “When developing Magma, we first referenced Bentley and Rolls-Royce. We didn’t aim for the best-performing car on the track but sought to create a luxury model that a gentleman or lady would choose and occasionally seek for driving thrills.” Regarding the name 'Magma,' he said, “We cannot see how much energy lies deep within the Earth’s magma. We wanted customers to feel the same curiosity about this car’s potential.”

On the unannounced price of the GV60 Magma, he noted, “While other high-performance brands typically add a 7–10% price premium, Genesis will not prioritize price competitiveness. We plan to set a price that reflects the value we provide, though it may be slightly lower than the perceived worth.”

Regarding competition with Europe’s 'Big 3' and rapidly growing Chinese electric vehicles, Song said, “We have much to learn. From Toyota Lexus, we admire their quality efforts and know-how; from German companies like Mercedes, their century-old engineering; and from Chinese firms, their speed in 'time to market.' Every competition is a challenge, and we are ready to learn.”

Donckerwolke added, “The 1990s belonged to Japanese cars, now it’s China’s era. In 15 years, we’ll be talking about India. History repeats, and through competition to outperform others, Genesis will grow stronger.”

With most sales concentrated in Korea and North America, Genesis has yet to make a significant impact in Europe, the heart of global motorsports. Peter Kronschnabl, Genesis Europe Vice President, stated, “We cannot succeed by competing directly with Germany’s 'Big 3'; we must find our own position. We will focus on high performance, interiors that exceed market expectations, and Korea’s 'SON-NIM' service philosophy, which treats customers as honored guests.” He added, “European premium customers have high service expectations. Beyond expanding sales outlets, we will offer a 5-year care-plan—including vehicle pickup and service experiences unmatched by other premium brands—to differentiate ourselves.”