Genesis unleashes Magma GT supercar and 820 kW X Skorpio
1/6
Genesis took two of its wildest concept cars onto the track together for the first time. The mid-engined Magma GT and 820 kW X Skorpio tackled the 9 km Strada Borromea hillclimb course on Italy’s Mount Mottarone, showing in very different ways what the Korean luxury brand means by “performance”.
The Magma GT made its dynamic debut at the event, while the X Skorpio made its first European appearance. Genesis has yet to confirm series production for either.
The Magma GT finally hits the track
Genesis already showed the Magma GT Concept as a static display at Le Mans in June. Now, the mid-engined supercar has made its first officially confirmed track debut.
Genesis describes the Magma GT as a road-focused grand tourer, and the model is the most ambitious expression of the brand’s Magma programme to date. The car’s significance extends beyond a single concept, as Genesis is also exploring the possibility of entering GT3 racing.
The manufacturer’s official Magma GT page lists a twin-turbo V8 producing up to 800 hp, or around 597 kW, but the press release for the dynamic presentation on 14 September does not specify the powertrain of the particular car driven on track. There is therefore no reason to attribute unconfirmed details of a 3.2-litre V8 to the prototype.
Genesis is already building a genuine racing programme with the GMR-001 hypercar. The Magma GT links that activity with future high-performance road cars.
The X Skorpio is an 820 kW off-road monster
While the Magma GT plays in Ferrari and McLaren territory, the X Skorpio approaches performance from an entirely different direction.
The extreme off-roader, built around a tube frame, uses a V8 engine developing 1,115 hp, or around 820 kW, and 1,152 Nm. The vehicle runs on 18-inch beadlock wheels and huge 40-inch off-road tyres. Brembo Motorsport is responsible for the brakes.
Genesis combined fibreglass, carbon fibre and Kevlar in the body’s construction. It is therefore not simply a luxury SUV fitted with larger wheels, but a prototype built from the ground up for extreme off-roading.
In Italy, the X Skorpio was driven by three-time Le Mans winner and Genesis Magma Racing driver André Lotterer.
Genesis is building a new identity for itself
Sending the Magma GT and X Skorpio onto the track together was no coincidence. The former represents a low-slung, mid-engined, road-focused sports car; the latter, raw off-road performance. Genesis wants to show that Magma does not merely mean more powerful versions of existing luxury cars.
This is particularly important from a European perspective. Genesis is expanding its sales network here, and alongside BMW M, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche, it needs to offer more than good equipment and competitive pricing stemming from its Korean origins. Motorsport, the Magma GT and demonstration vehicles such as the X Skorpio give the brand a technical image that would be difficult to create with a luxury GV80 alone.
Genesis has yet to say whether the Magma GT will ultimately reach series production. For now, at least one thing has changed: it is no longer merely a sculpture standing on a show floor.
