► Production version of the GV60 Magma
► First car for new Genesis performance brand
► Up to 641bhp via Boost setting

You’re looking a the GV60 Magma, the latest EV from Genesis and the first to officially wear its new Magma performance badge. In layman’s terms, it’s the equivalent of Hyundai’s N badge. In Genesis terms, though, it’s about more than just performance.

Magma? WTF is that? 

Rather than being a the sometimes-forgotten third arm to the already popular Hyundai and Kia brands, Genesis wants to be the clear sporty, luxurious brand at the top of the tree. A fully-funded Le Mans program and supercar will help that in the coming years, as will a set of Magma performance models for its range of cars.

‘Magma represents our declaration that the next ten years will be even more significant,’ says José Muñoz, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company & Genesis. ‘We’re not just building high-performance vehicles; we’re redefining what a luxury high performance brand can be when Korean innovation meets global ambition.’

However, unlike Hyundai’s N badge, which is all about smashing Nürburgring lap times or electrified buggies, Magma is about the blend of performance and luxury. ‘Magma is not a hardcore sub-brand but is actually the best of the best of Genesis,’ said Luc Donckerwolke, chief creative officer of Genesis. ‘It modulates and increases some of the facets of the car without taking the car out of balance. It’s an iron fist in a velvet glove.’

How that eye on luxury translates to a win-at-all-costs Le Mans programme remains to be seen, but it can at least work on the GV60 SUV, which is already one of the most fully featured EVs on the Hyundai Motor Group Fleet.  

‘Genesis, Magma, and Genesis Magma Racing—GMR,’ explained Mike Song, global head of Genesis. ‘These are three assets which will play a very synergistic role to enhance each other. Not only for Genesis, or only for Magma, or only for GMR—it’s all together. When these work together closely, then we may have some very good lessons learned from GMR into Magma.’

So, tell me about the GV60 Magma then…  

It’s a pretty wild thing. Naturally, it uses the regular GV60 as a base but adds an aggressive bodykit. The front is beefier, but the rear gets some sporty treatment too. There’s a new rear wing which produces actual downforce and is shaped as like it has a pair of horns at the ends, and you get more black accents and a lower diffuser to finish of the new Magma’s stance. The new bodykit enables a 50mm increase in track width and a 20mm lower ride height. Forged 21-inch wheels wearing Pirelli P Zero Elect tyres are standard.

‘We start with a bundle of energy, which is the GV60. It’s also the youngest product we have in the brand,’ said Donckerwolke. ‘So, it makes sense to start with this one, and then to mature the Magma lineup with different typologies of vehicles.’

Under the aggressive bodywork is an 84kWh battery pack, powering a pair of electric motors generating a total of 601bhp and 546lb ft. Like lots of HMG products, though, there’s also a Boost mode which takes power up to 641bhp and 583lb ft – albeit for just 15 seconds at a time. Top speed is the same in both modes, at 164mph. Genesis claims a 3.4sec 0-62mph time, and 0-124mph takes 10.9 seconds when using the car’s launch control.

‘We also slightly modified the battery and the driveline. We adjusted a little bit in terms of inverter and the RPMs of the motor to really secure this top speed [and] optimized the cooling, because the boost is now longer, and to maintain our battery temperature,’ said Manfred Harrer, head of Genesis performance development tech unit. ‘So, there are bigger changes and there are minor tweaks, but together they generate this setting – this energy.’ 

The handling has been given a boost too: there’s new electronic suspension control as well as new bushings in the front and rear suspensions. At the same time the braking system has been upgraded to front monoblock calipers and larger 400mm discs on the front axle, and better braking material at the rear axle. There’s also a Drift mode, which pushes more power to the rear. There are three driving modes too: Sprint, GT and MY.  

Comfort is still key – as this is Magma after all – so this GV60 gets Active Noise control and soundproof glass for improved road noise leakage. That means despite wider larger tyres, it should be even quieter than the standard car inside.  

Anything else?

Inside we get a Magma specific UI, with a three-circle displaying key info like motor and battery temperatures, speed and of course G-forces… Like the high-end GV60s and the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, you also get a virtual gear shift system for a more analogue driving experience. 

The cabin is also decked out in Chamude which seems to be a twin of Alcantara, and there’s also orange and grey stitching and other details, just to show off the GV60’s new Magma look.