Genesis goes AMG hunting

Genesis has drafted in racing legend Jackie Ickx to help develop its all-new high-performance division – Magma.

Hyundai’s luxury brand announced the new sub-brand, revealing the first production car will likely be a version of the new GV60 Magma concept it unveiled in New York this week. This first example is likely to be a Genesis take on the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, so while technical details are unconfirmed, don’t be surprised if GV60 Magma offers similar performance and power as the Hyundai.

READ MORE: 2022 Genesis GV60 review

Ickx was appointed a Genesis Brand Partner in February and said he is looking forward to helping the burgeoning brand take the fight to the likes of BMW’s M Division and Mercedes-AMG.

Genesis teased the idea of the Magma sub-brand last year, revealing the GV80 Coupe Concept in the same shade of bright orange ‘Magma’ paint as the GV60 concept. More production cars are expected to follow the GV60 Magma in the next few years.

Luc Donckerwolke, Genesis’ chief creative officer, said the introduction of the Magma line-up is part of the brand’s plan to eventually develop its own bespoke, high-end models, that share little in common with Hyundai hardware.

“Genesis Magma presents an exciting opportunity to push the boundaries of performance and luxury for new interpretations in high-performance vehicles, with the ultimate goal of developing models exclusive to Genesis,” Donckerwolke said. “The brand will continue to reveal experimental concepts with careful consideration of both technological and aesthetic elements. While speed and performance are important, the Genesis Magma program will look beyond, prioritising the driving experience to kindle the joy of sporty driving with effortless comfort.”

While Genesis didn’t reveal any technical details, it’s almost certain that it will use the same technical underpinnings as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. The standard GV60 already shared its architecture with the Ioniq 5 so it would make sense to lean on the already developed performance hardware. So expect a dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain with more than 400kW of power and more than 700Nm of torque.While Genesis didn’t reveal any technical details, it’s almost certain that it will use the same technical underpinnings as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

The standard GV60 already shared its architecture with the Ioniq 5 so it would make sense to lean on the already developed performance hardware. So expect a dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain with more than 400kW of power and more than 700Nm of torque.

From a design perspective, the GV60 Magma does have some very dramatic differences from the regular model. It’s lower and wider and features wider front fenders, plus three “stamped holes” at the front end to aid cooling.

The bigger fenders allow space for new 21-inch alloy wheels with integrated aero discs for added brake cooling.

There’s also canards for more downforce on the front and rear bumpers as well as fins on the roof to channel air to the large rear wing.

Inside there’s sports bucket seats trimmed in Nappa and suede leather and feature body-coloured seat backs.