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Genesis is making a mid-engine V8 supercar!

Magma GT Concept. [All images courtesy of Genesis]

 

 

Genesis surprised a lot of people last week when it announced it will make a mid-engine supercar -- and then rolled out a red-hot concept vehicle that looks almost production ready to prove it. The company wants the Magma GT Concept to be its halo car that will serve as Genesis' high-performance identity for the next decade.

Genesis has a lot of hot stuff in the works. Its new performance division, called Magma, will put out its first vehicle -- the 640-hp all-electric GV60 Magma crossover -- in 2026 as a 2027 model. It's a spicy number too, but not as dramatic as the Magma GT Concept, which could be available before the end of the decade.

The Magma GT Concept aligns closely with the performance roadmap announced at Hyundai Motor Company's CEO Investor Day in New York this past September, where Genesis signaled its long-term ambition to enter the GT racing class.

Luc Donckerwolke, president and chief creative officer of Genesis, was previously the design director at Volkswagen Group's Bentley, Lamborghini, Skoda, and Audi brands, so he has a lot of street cred and experience when it comes to top-shelf vehicles. Rather than trying to top the latest performance numbers from high-end carmakers like Ferrari or Lamborghini, though, Donckerwolke seems to be pushing Genesis in a different direction, which is kind of brilliant because Genesis will really need to demonstrate something unique if it wants to succeed long term in such a competitive market -- the top of the top.

"The Magma GT Concept represents the pinnacle of our performance vision and stands as a symbol of our commitment to true motorsport capability," said Donckerwolke. "It isn't defined by raw aggression or uncompromising speed. It is defined by balance. This is a car that feels instinctively connected to its driver, composed under pressure, and meticulously tuned so that every component serves a single purpose: to make performance effortless."

"This is not simply a faster Genesis," Donckerwolke added. "It is the most complete expression of Genesis performance to date."

For now, the most we know about the powertrain for the Magma GT Concept is that it will be a mid-engine, twin-turbo V8 configuration and will pretty much be a road-legal version of a GT3 race car. The Genesis Magma performance division will sell GT3 race cars to professional teams. We do not know if the Magma GT Concept will have a hybrid setup, as is the trend with many of the top performance vehicles today -- incorporating a single or even pair of electric motors in addition to an internal combustion engine. Since most GT3 race cars are not hybrids, it is likely the Magma GT will not be one either.

Key design features of the Magma GT Concept include a low-set front hood and elongated sloping roofline, which creates a sleek, race-ready silhouette; butterfly doors; and wide, muscular rear fenders that reinterpret classic GT race-car proportions through the lens of Genesis' "Athletic Elegance" philosophy.

The two-seater sports a boat-tail cabin that narrows toward the rear to maximize stance and emphasize its low-and-wide posture. Its front canards are integrated seamlessly with the headlamps, which is a distinctive execution that enhances both downforce and identity.

The car also features G-Matrix aerodynamic patterns, expanding from the front splitter outward into wing-like forms, which serve not only as a visual signature but also as functional airflow-optimizing elements.

In the back, a mechanical rear two-line lamp graphic and fully optimized rear aero structure create a wide, planted, and (hopefully for Genesis) an unmistakably Magma GT presence.

The Magma GT could end up being a long-term, profitable model for Genesis if the market responds positively and Genesis/Magma plays its cards right.

According to a recent MotorTrend article, Donckerwolke explained that "supercars have quite long model cycles -- the production Magma GT platform should be good for 14 years -- and that the key to profitability with cars like these is to introduce a constant stream of variants."

"You launch the base car, then do an S, and a GT3, and do a roadster. Then you give the car a big mid-life facelift and do it again. It's not rocket science," Donckerwolke said.

Donckerwolke also said the concept's design was really close to final but not all the way there yet. "I want the production car to be more polarizing," he told MotorTrend.

We can't wait to see how it all ends up.

Sources: Genesis, Hyundai, MotorTrend

Published November 2025

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