This article is based on the behind-the-scenes design feature in Auto&Design magazine, issue 276, offering an in-depth look at the philosophy, vision, and long-term plan behind the Genesis Magma GT. The feature reveals how Genesis is blending luxury, performance, and motorsport ambition in a car that marks a pivotal step for the brand. Alongside the GMR-001 Hypercar, the Magma GT represents what Genesis Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke calls “the pinnacle of our performance vision, the symbol of our commitment to true motorsport capability.” Thanks to @ahhoang_cdn for the screenshots.
From Concept to GT3 Contender
The Magma GT was first unveiled in November at Le Castellet, during a festival celebrating the Genesis Magma Program. The event also featured the production GV60 Magma and the G90 Wingback Concept, highlighting Genesis’ expanding portfolio of performance and design innovation.
Currently, the Magma GT is a work-in-progress concept. While it isn’t yet the car that will compete directly with Ferrari, Porsche, or Lamborghini on European circuits, it is positioned as the future GT3-class contender. A fully revised concept is scheduled to debut later this year, followed by a presentation at Le Mans, before beginning the GT3 homologation process.
Performance Philosophy: Balance Over Aggression
According to Donckerwolke, the Magma GT is not about raw speed or brute force. Instead, it is designed for driver connection and balanced performance.
“This Magma GT is not defined by raw aggression or uncompromising speed. It is defined by balance. It is a car instinctively connected to its driver, composed under pressure, meticulously tuned so that every component serves one purpose: effortless performance.”
This approach reflects Genesis’ new Luxury High Performance philosophy, blending Athletic Elegance with racing capability—a hallmark of the brand’s evolving identity.
Design: Aerodynamics Meets Athletic Elegance
Every element of the Magma GT has been engineered for aerodynamic efficiency and performance, while maintaining Genesis’ distinctive design language. Key features include:
- Low front profile and extended roofline
- Wide, muscular rear fenders reinterpreting classic GT proportions
- Rearward-set cockpit for optimal driver positioning
- Signature Two-Line Genesis lighting graphics
The result is a car that merges motorsport functionality with refined luxury aesthetics, signaling a new design direction and establishing the Magma GT as a strategic icon for Genesis.
Racing DNA and Road Car Duality
The Magma GT is envisioned as both a track-focused GT3 machine and a luxurious road car. Donckerwolke emphasizes that, unlike typical aggressive supercars, the Magma GT can be driven elegantly in daily life:
“No one will look out of place driving that car to the opera. It will be elegant rather than loud and aggressive.”
The road and race versions share the same body silhouette, though the GT3 model will feature reinforcements such as a roll cage and specific panels. From a distance, the two cars appear nearly identical—but one is fully race-prepared.
From Virtual Tracks to Real Racing
Genesis’ motorsport ambitions trace back to the Vision Gran Turismo program, developed with Polyphony Digital and the Genesis California design studio under John Krsteski. The virtual X Gran Berlinetta Concept became a real-world testing platform, driven by Jacky Ickx at Bathurst and André Lotterer in hillclimb events, laying the groundwork for Genesis’ transition from concept to performance reality.
Jacky Ickx and Endurance Racing Expertise
Now 80, Jacky Ickx serves as a brand partner and race adviser, reflecting the Magma GT’s connection to endurance racing and Genesis’ broader motorsport vision.
While Formula 1 is a long-term possibility, Genesis is prioritizing endurance racing compatibility with customers and performance development in the WEC and GT3 series, waiting for favorable engine regulations before investing in an F1 program.
The Future of Genesis Performance
Together with the GMR-001 Hypercar, the Magma GT defines the upper limits of Genesis’ sporting ambition, uniting luxury, high performance, and endurance racing pedigree. With its upcoming full concept reveal and GT3 homologation, Genesis signals a new era where Luxury High Performance meets world-class motorsport capability.
