- The Magma models will be more sophisticated and luxurious than Hyundai’s N products.
- After the GV60 Magma, future hot Genesis models will be developed and tuned in Europe.
- Like the Ioniq 5 N and Kia EV6 GT, the GV60 Magma will have over 600 hp from twin motors.
A hot new version of the Genesis GV60 is just around the corner, thanks to the company’s new Magma division. While it’ll share a lot of its components with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Kia EV6 GT, Genesis insists that the spicy EV will have a character all to its own, thanks in part to some trick software.
The new GV60 Magma has been developed in Korea, but moving forward, all other Magma cars will be developed and tuned by the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center near Frankfurt, Germany. Tyrone Johnson is heading up this facility, and given that he played a pivotal role in the creation of the last Ford Focus RS, he’s the perfect man for the job.
Read: Genesis Says Its New Hybrids Will Surprise You
While recently speaking with Top Gear, Johnson noted that Magma models developed in Germany will start to hit the market in 2027, including versions based on the GV80 and G80. He also acknowledged that Magma’s electric models will be designed as more sophisticated and luxurious than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.
“N is ‘corner rascal,’” he said. “A Magma isn’t about the track, although it will be track capable. It’s a more sophisticated, luxurious driving machine. It has to be about power, and changes to motors and engines are important. But it doesn’t have to be the most powerful [in its class]. It needs sufficient power. Weight is always important. It’s independent of luxury. You have to have weight in focus, partly because range is important and you get diminishing returns with a larger, heavier battery.”
The Software Revolution
Johnson added that throughout most of his 40-year career in the automotive industry, separating one car from another “was all mechanical engineering.” Now he said, “it’s all software,” adding that it is now possible to “fundamentally change a car with software.” Presumably, this means the GV60 Magma, as well as other Magma products, will have different software to vehicles from Hyundai’s N division, giving them unique driving characteristics.
In all likelihood, the GV60 Magma will feature the same dual electric motors and 84 kWh battery pack as the Ioniq 5 N. As such, it should pump out more than 600 hp, and be capable of hitting 62 mph (100 km/h) in the low-3-second range.
