The new Genesis Magma high-performance lineup will make its official debut in the U.S. this coming summer with the launch of a 641-hp version of the GV60 battery-electric vehicle. Headlight.News has more.
Luc Donckerwolke, the chief creative officer for the Hyundai Motor Group showED off the design features of the Genesis GV60 Magma at the 2024 NY Auto Show.
Korean luxury brand Genesis is determined to position itself as a serious alternative to better-known marques like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Cadillac. And the next step in the process begins this summer with the roll-out of the new Magma lineup designed to challenge the likes of BMW’s M unit, and Mercedes-AMG.
What’s unusual is the decision to launch Magma with a high-performance take on the brand’s compact EV crossover, the GV60.
Set to debut in the U.S. over the summer, the GV60 Magma certainly delivers some impressive numbers, its twin-motor drivetrain capable of delivering up to 641 horsepower – enough to launch from 0-60 in just over 3 seconds.
What is Genesis Magma?
The Genesis GV60 Magma features a steering wheel Boost button.
These days, it seems, you have to offer a high-performance lineup to be considered a serious luxury brand. The BMW M and Mercedes-AMG lines are the best-known examples, though there’s also Cadillac V-Series, Audi RS and Lexus the Lexus F-badged models. Genesis is now ready to enter the fray.
It first revealed a concept GV60 Magma at the New York International Auto Show in March 2024, the prototype appropriately drenched in near fluorescent lava-colored paint. “We will infuse adrenaline into the Genesis brand,” Luc Donckerwolke, the chief creative officer for parent Hyundai Motor Group, said at the time.
In concept form, the GV60 Magma was lowered from the stock electric crossover, with unique high-performance wheels, a big rear spoiler, a front air dam and exhausts just behind the front tires. It also uses small stabilizers on the roof to help improve high-speed handling.
What we know about the production model
The Genesis GV60 Magma sits lower and wider than the mainstream GV60.
In recent days, Genesis has begun teasing the arrival of the Magma sub-brand’s first production model, and as was widely expected, it confirmed that the launch model will be an upgraded GV60, despite the current downturn in EV sales in the U.S. market.
Certainly, no surprise, the teaser images all show the Magma crossover still bathed in lave orange paint.
The body itself is wider, and sits lower, than the stock GV60. The aggressive stance is further enhanced by large nostrils on the lower grille. While there’s no internal combustion, the performance model will clearly need to suck in more air to keep its motors and battery pack cool when pushed to extreme levels of performance. Like the original concept, the production Magma retains a large rear wing and rides on 21-inch wheels shod in summer tires.
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By the numbers
Look for 0-60 times of around 3.3 seconds.
There had been some speculation the debut Magma might push as high as 650 hp, the final figure comes in at 641 – exactly the same as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N which shares many key components, including drivetrain, with the EV60 Magma.
That figure reflects what happens when you punch the “Boost” button on the crossover’s sporty steering wheel. Otherwise, it still delivers a solid 601 hp and 546 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough to launch from 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) in 3.4 second, the automaker claims.
While Genesis hasn’t released full specs, the Ioniq 5 N is rated at 221 miles range, a noticeable dip from more toned-down twin-motor packages, reflecting the added performance and weight. It’s likely safe to assume the 84 kWh lithium-ion battery on GV60 Magma will come in with similar numbers.
Pricing and plans for the future
The Genesis Magma GT Concept.
Like Ioniq 5 N, the new Magma package will get more than just a boost in power. There will be a limited-slip differential, upgraded dampers, more bracing to stiffen the body, larger 15.7-inch regenerative brakes and revised electronics. Among other things, the crossover will feature torque vectoring to improve cornering.
What we’re waiting to hear is whether the more luxurious GV60 Magma will retain some of the quirkier features introduced on the 5 N, appropriately triggered by switching into “N Grin Mode.” That includes an artificial audio track designed to replicate the sounds of a similarly muscular gas model. A driver can also activate simulated manual shifts.
As for pricing, we’ll have to wait until closer to the Genesis launch to get final numbers. In South Korea, the GV60 Magma starts at 96.57 million won. That works out to $65,184 at current exchange rates.
Looking ahead, expect to see more Magma models from Genesis. And while these will include variants of the brand’s other mainstream products, we could see some unique offerings, in line with what Mercedes has done with the AMG GT. Last November, Genesis offered a hint of what’s possible with the reveal of the GT Concept, a sleek, boattail show car that Donckerwolke said “represents the pinnacle of our performance vision and stands as a symbol of our commitment to true motorsport capability,”
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