Genesis is hitting the ground running ahead of the New York International Auto Show with the presentation of not one, not two, not three, but four very orange concept cars, and some of them aren’t very “concept car” at all. These four cars are previewing a new high-performance production car lineup from Genesis called, as its extremely orange paint would suggest, “Magma.”
In reality, only one of the Magma cars I saw at Genesis’ event is actually a brand new reveal, the very close-to-production all-electric GV60 crossover. There is also the G80 Magma sedan, which was shown a few months ago in the Middle East and will be sold there in limited numbers, and the GV80 Magma Coupe concept, which was unveiled last year (and we’ve already seen the production version in non-Magma form). Then there’s the most outlandish orange car of the bunch, the X Gran Berlinetta concept, which you can play in Gran Turismo 7 right now on your PlayStation 5.
The GV60 Magma will be the first model to reach series production, and it won’t be region-limited. We don’t have any performance details or know what sort of mechanical upgrades have been made — Genesis only makes vague mention of improved battery and motor tech. That being said, if I were a betting man I would probably assume its performance would line up somewhere near the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Kia EV6 GT. They are platform mates, after all.
As you can see in the wonderful pictures I’ve taken, the GV60 Magma concept sits lower to the ground than your run-of-the-mill GV60, with a wider stance and some really great-looking fender flares with 21-inch aero wheels tucked inside them. There’s a heavily changed front fascia with a wider air intake, a more aggressive diffuser, a big ol’ spoiler on the back, and some fins up top which I am guessing will help channel air around the GV60 Magma.
I didn’t get a look myself, but Genesis says the GV60 Magma’s interior has bucket seats with body-colored leather and suede seatbacks, as well as a double-diamond stitching pattern in the Magma orange color. Nice.
Here’s what Genesis has to say about its new lineup of performance cars:
“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,” said Donckerwolke. “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, prioritizing the driving experience to kindle the joy of sporty driving with effortless comfort.”
A spokesperson for Genesis said these Magma cars would not be “all show and no go,” with the lineup aiming to be be all about rewarding the driver who is behind the wheel. To that end, newly minted brand ambassador and racing legend Jacky Ickx will be assisting with the development of the Magma models.
