Genesis GV60 Magma, the New Korean Monster

With this lava-colored electric sports car, Genesis is unlikely to go unnoticed at the New York Auto Show opening this week.

Genesis might not mean much to you, but this brand has succeeded where manufacturers like Infiniti have stumbled. While the premium Nissan subsidiary left Europe after 10 years and struggles to establish itself in the United States, Hyundai’s branch is gaining momentum. Because Genesis is none other than the bourgeois cousin of the Korean duo Kia and Hyundai. Present in Europe, the firm started only with 100% thermal vehicles, via the SUV G70 or the G80 sedan. To increase its chances of success, it made the choice to pivot toward fully electric vehicles.

The GV60 is thus the upscale cousin of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. It indeed rests on the same e-GMP platform. As the last of the Korean trio, it is also the most refined. Aesthetically, it is closer to Kia with its sleek curves but dares more. However, it shares with both the quality of masking its imposing dimensions. The GV60 has everything of a good Premium model, but when you are trying to make a name for yourself and are ultimately just a re-skinned Ioniq 5, one might think that teasing the clock a bit wouldn’t necessarily be a bad idea.

To hell with discretion

Here is the Genesis GV60 Magna, a high-performance vehicle that has abandoned any notion of discretion to embrace excitement. It naturally takes the entire platform from the Ioniq 5 N but is equipped with a complete sporty package. Not a single body panel escapes the preparation, with an abundance of air intakes and exhausts, and numerous spoilers and other aerodynamic appendages. And in case that isn’t noticeable enough, we add a little aggressive lava-colored paint. And you know what? It’s fantastic! From the 21-inch wheels, it’s an invitation to pleasure that is hard to resist.

It is currently just a concept car, but with the Ioniq 5 N meeting real success, a small series production seems obvious. Moreover, Genesis plans to make Magma its sports branch, somewhat like AMG does for Mercedes. If you thought electric cars couldn’t provide any pleasure, it’s time to start reconsidering your position.