Genesis ponders wild Magma Volcano flagships

Genesis has hinted its new Magma performance division could eventually expand with an even more extreme flagship, after senior executives refused to rule out the idea of a range-topping Volcano model.

The prospect of an even more focused performance model emerged during the Australian launch of the $130,000 GV60 Magma when Genesis Australia execs responded to questions around limited edition performance cars.

Local managing director Justin Douglass and his product planning and development manager Tim Rodgers were asked whether Magma could eventually follow the same path as Mercedes-AMG’s Black Series or BMW M’s Competition models.

While both stopped short of confirming anything, they didn’t dismiss the possibility.

“Why not is the answer, right?” Rodgers told carsales.

“We’ve got so much ambition, and I think the whole brand is riding on that. So I think of all the brands out there, I think we are the ones that could do something like that.

“But I wouldn’t want to confirm anything for you. Again, I’m just speculating.”

Genesis Australia’s MD echoed that sentiment, saying the Korean luxury brand sees significant room for growth in the high performance arena.

“The brand’s always evolving and growing, and the possibilities are endless,” Douglass said.

“And like Tim said, we’re super ambitious. We’re growing quickly and it’s very exciting as to the direction the brand could take on many fronts.”

When pressed on the momentum building within the brand, Douglass pointed to the GV60 Magma itself as proof of Genesis’s willingness to push into new territory.

“Well, that’s the reason we’re sitting here today with the GV60 Magma,” he said.

“It is exciting to bring a halo performance model like that to the brand that hasn’t been in existence prior to now.

“And we’re going to continue to grow. We’re going to continue to evolve.

“And when you’re dealing with beautiful products that are backed by the best designers and the best engineers, and you look at what they’re outputting, yeah, you can’t help but be really optimistic and excited about what the future holds.”

Any future ‘Volcano’ model (our term, not theirs) would build on a genuine turning point for the brand.

The GV60 Magma is Genesis’s first dedicated high-performance model, featuring a dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain outputting 478kW/790Nm in Boost mode.

Genesis claims a 0-100km/h sprint of just 3.4 seconds, placing it firmly in Mercedes-AMG and BMW M territory.

The performance flagship also dons a body that’s 50mm wider and 18mm lower than the standard GV60, along with 21-inch forged alloy wheels, aerodynamic canards, a wing-style rear spoiler and a larger rear diffuser.

An electronic limited-slip differential helps deploy the available performance, while a synthetic soundtrack and virtual gear shift function have been engineered to provide a bit more drama than your standard EV.

Inside, the Magma gains a bespoke steering wheel with a dedicated drive-mode button, metal pedals and Genesis’s first 10-way-adjustable bucket seats, complete with heating, ventilation and extending seat cushions.

For now, any Volcano-badged flagship remains purely speculative, but Genesis executives appear eager to underline the brand’s ambitions as it expands its Magma performance portfolio.

With the GV60 Magma marking its first serious step into the high-performance segment, the company has made it clear it is not placing limits on where the brand could head next.

Lead images edited with AI assistance

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