Dual motors on the GV60 Magma produce 641 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque.Courtesy of manufacturer
Genesis, the luxury arm of Hyundai, is stepping into the performance space with plans to enter racing.
As a prologue, Genesis teased the GV70 Track Day last summer and last fall revealed the GV60 Magma, a high-powered, all-electric crossover that is the first production vehicle with the Magma name. It signals a new direction for the South Korean brand that has been selling cars in Canada for 10 years and has a network of 24 dealers across the country.
Genesis showed off the GV60 Magma for the first time in Canada last week at one of its newest dealerships near Yorkdale mall in Toronto.
Genesis says it needs to build brand awareness as it isn’t as well known as established luxury automakers such as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and will use the global stage of World Endurance Racing (WEC) to do it.
Its new team, Genesis Magma Racing will debut its GMR-001 Hypercar this month at the 6 hours of Imola, an endurance race held at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Italy.
“Racing is a great way to get your credentials,” says Eric Marshall, director of Genesis Canada. “It gives us an audience [of potential buyers] we typically wouldn’t have access to.”
The rear motor is more powerful for a rear-wheel drive bias.Courtesy of manufacturer
The representation of the effort, time and investment it takes to enter the WEC is reflected in the new GV60 Magma, the company says. Powerful dual motors produce 641 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque, enough to propel it to 100 kilometres an hour in 3.4 seconds. If you were to find a racetrack, it can hit 200 km/h in 10.9 seconds, making it the fastest and most powerful production Genesis ever made.
It’s more than just a straight-line rocket, Genesis says the Magma introduces a host of sophisticated chassis control technologies that include torque vectoring, a rear-mounted electronic limited-slip differential and a new drift mode. The rear motor is also more powerful than the front for a rear-wheel drive bias.
The suspension geometry has been revised, it uses 0.65 metres of extra structural adhesive and 20 extra welding points for increased torsional rigidity. It has fender extensions to accommodate lightweight forged wheels and wider tires and large 400-millimetre brakes all around.
The signature “Magma” orange colour of the GV60 and the Magma racing team is a reference to Korea’s volcanic landscape and also symbolizes the emotion, passion and vibrancy of Korean culture, according to the company.
The interior of the GV60 Magma with 'Magma' orange stitching and accents.Courtesy of manufacturer
The GV60 Magma has fender extensions to accommodate lightweight forged wheels. And the orange colour extends to the calipers.Courtesy of manufacturer
If the Hyundai IONIQ 5N is any indicator, the new GV60 Magma, which shares a platform, is going to be a lot of fun to drive and will offer a similar immersive experience with virtual engine sounds and gear changes.
The GV60 Magma spearheads a new line of performance-focused luxury vehicles as the brand enters a new chapter it hopes will get them global brand recognition, but also as a way to improve its products.
“The [racing program] is an opportunity for our engineers to use it as a laboratory for testing to figure out what works and what doesn’t and be able to bring that down to the everyday product,” says Marshall.
It’s still a big risk for a car company to enter racing, especially one as young as Genesis. Marshall acknowledges it isn’t a surefire way to sell more vehicles, especially if the team doesn’t race well. But it’s an organic way for a company to build brand awareness and one that Genesis believes is worth investing in.
“I think we’re going to see lots of success coming out of the [GV60 Magma],” says Marshall.
The new Genesis GV60 Magma will go on sale this summer with pricing to be announced closer to that time.
The GV60 Magma gets high-performance bucket seats.Courtesy of manufacturer
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