Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury sub-brand, caught everyone off guard last month by revealing a mid-engine supercar concept called the Magma GT. Even more surprising, the automaker confirmed this car is headed for production, which could happen as soon as next year, if the road car’s debut coincides with Hyundai’s plans to race in the GT3 category.
While I’m arguably more excited by the G90 wagon concept Genesis also showed off that day, I will admit seeing a new, ground-up supercar from any brand right now fills my heart with joy.
Going by this latest Autocar interview with creative director Luc Donckerwolke, it sounds like Hyundai will be taking a strategy from one of the most successful sports cars of all time to give the Magma GT the widest appeal possible.
Ah, Yes, The Porsche 911 Approach
By “strategy,” I mean Genesis will sell the Magma GT in a bunch of different trims, similar to what Porsche does with its iconic 911 sports car. From the Autocar article:
The GT will be the only Genesis vehicle that is offered purely as a hot Magma model from the firm’s new performance line and Donckerwolke said the version shown so far is “the base model”.
“We will add S, GTS, roadster, lightweight, club sport, a GT3 road car, a GT3 R for track use,” he said.
“It’s a complete life cycle of products to offer different possibilities to customers that will combine performance and luxury inside.”
By my count, Porsche offers no fewer than 20 different trims of 911, from base coupes to top-of-the-line Turbo Cabriolets, to three different types of track-focused GT3 models. This approach has proven incredibly lucrative for Porsche, effectively allowing it to amortize the cost of several different cars into one vehicle that it can produce on the same production line, sharing many of the same parts while appealing to a vast clientele.
Genesis taking a similar approach makes sense, then, if it wants to entice as many buyers as possible. Whether this strategy will actually work is an entirely different story.
This Has Been Attempted Before
Genesis is not the first automaker to try something like this, of course. Mercedes with its AMG GT, Aston Martin with the Vantage, and even Audi, to a degree, with the R8, have all tried to steal market share from the 911 by offering lots of different trim levels. Did you know there are at least 18 different models of Jaguar F-Type?
All of these cars have used the Porsche 911 to varying degrees of success. I’d argue Chevy, with its five different types of Corvette, is the only company right now that maintains a similar model line structure that actually makes sense.
While at least some of the cars mentioned above were very much 911 fighters, neither Donckerwolke nor the greater Hyundai group sees the Porsche as a true rival to the Magma GT.
While the decision to offer a full line of Magma GT variants will draw comparison with the 911, Donckerwolke said it took inspiration from “clever life-cycle management” but wasn’t conceived as a direct rival: “Our design and engineering will be completely different and applying the Genesis recipe of refinement and athletic performance will give it special positioning.”
Hyundai Motor Group tech chief Manfred Harrer, who previously worked at Porsche on the 911, added: “We cannot go up against such an icon. We have to find our own way.”
Ultimately, it’ll be price that determines whether the Magma GT and the Porsche 911 are cross-shopped. If the V8 powertrain in the concept makes it to production, it’ll probably end up on the more expensive end of the 911 comparison spectrum, while also being stacked against cars like the Corvette ZR1, McLaren Artura, the Ferrari 296, and the upcoming Aston Martin Valhalla.
Being a Hyundai at heart, it’s possible the Magma GT, at least in base form, could undercut all of those cars on price, which would be pretty cool. I’m all for more affordable supercars, even if “affordable” still means six figures.
Top graphic images: Genesis; Porsche
I will sum up the title for you: Genesis will try to pretend to be a Porsche, but it will only have this part in common with them “GTS, Roadster, Lightweight, Club Sport, A GT3 Road Car, A GT3 R For Track Use”. too bad it is missing one critical ingredient : winning some races
Probably won’t sound as cool as a 911 when you stand on it. And really not my kind of car anyway. But it will be interesting to see how it turns out.
And Donckerwolke sounds like a name Jason would make up.
Why bother competing with a flat Beetle?
Trite … look it up
Sentences are not your thing, are they?
When the effort is far from worth it, certainly not.
Tired dribble from decades past is clearly your thing.
You’re not my thing, no worries.
But don’t describe yourself so harshly, I’m sure you have good qualities too.
If we’re really talking comps/benchmarks, my best guess is Corvette and even they (at Genesis) know they’re not in 911 territory. That said, I’m into this car! Would buy.
Well that’s very smart of Genesis. It’s not good business to attempt to compete with something you stand no chance of competing with.
And I look forward to seeing these marked 80% off on the Buy Here, Pay Here lots in a decade!
This might be my least favorite Genesis design, kinda got a temu koenigsegg thing going on that I cant get into. That said, if they make drive right, give it a v8 and a manual, and price it inline with a C8 and I think it could (eventually) be a winner. An ev/hybrid/turbo v6/automatic with mega power that’s priced like a 911 turdblow S seems like a much tougher sell.
it very much looks like “generic AI generated supercar in the year 2025” with some genesis lights pasted on.
I don’t hate it. I’m bullish on Genesis considering their trajectory to this point. There was a time when Hyundais and Kias wouldn’t have been considered decent cars, let alone really good ones. Genesis has some very competitive luxury offerings. A decade from now, maybe we’ll talk Genesis/Magma in the same breath as Porsche.
And to the point about the Vette, yes it’s a killer value, but I can’t do the styling and it can’t seem to get past the boomer reputation.
“A decade from now, maybe we’ll talk Genesis/Magma in the same breath as Porsche.”
Porsche is a very unique company but Lexus seems achievable, and it credibly does supercars.
Er, people still recite that tired old meme, but the reality is that the C8 has driven a massive decrease in “Average Buyer Age”.
Normalized by $$ Spend, the average C8 buyer is now even several years younger than the average Tesla buyer.
GM’s been tremendously successful in moving the car to a new (admittedly sorta dickish, inflencery) demographic.
I’d argue the best non-Porsche implementation of this was Dodge with the Challenger and Charger. No, they didn’t have tons of body style variations, but they had something for you at every price point from sub-$30,000 to $110,000. No matter what you had to spend, there was a Charger or Challenger for you to buy.
EDIT: I’m not saying that the Charger and Challenger were to compete with the 911, but that Dodge manged to not leave a “price umbrella.” From the most basic V6 Charger to the Challenger Demon, there were an enormous number of trim levels to cover everything in between, to ensure they could capture more of a buyer’s money… and it paid off.
Whether you’d just passed basic or had been promoted to lieutenant, there was a Charger/Challenger for you!
Scrolled to make this same point, but to mention that Dodge took it too far. I am waiting for the people to start trying to sell their rat pack, 392, widebody (but only on one side due to Dodge production line), in razzberry lime metallic. It is a 1 of 32 built to this spec!
Jeep is the real criminal when it comes to trim levels. You could have a Wrangler Willy’s S with the Artic Package, or a Wrangler Artic Edition, or a Wrangler Unlimited Polar Edition. All the same Jeep with a hard roof, remote start, and heated seats.
Jeep always feels like they have 4 core models, but 8 trillion weird sticker packages 🙂
Dodge did it fine. I think they had 11-14 trims span the range (can’t recall).
By comparison, Porsche can have more than 2 dozen trims and/or editions spanning the 911 range in just a given “refresh” within a generation.
EDIT: This is actually important for success. The idea is when someone takes a gander because they like how something looks and appears, you ensure you have SOMETHING that meets their needs. You want to avoid the, “Yeah, but I need…” entirely, by having something that checks all the boxes. Most people still buy on packaging and functional requirements in the end, so you ensure you still have AWD, or an automatic, or a different body style, or engine, or handling, or price, etc.
I would argue it also results in dealerships having way too many cars on the lot to try and have the right thing for each person. Porsche gets around this by pretty much forcing people to order their car rather than just having thing on the lot. A friend has a yellow 4 door Dodge with the massive engine that he got for an absolute steal because the dealer couldn’t get rid of it. He test drove it then waited six months before buying it. Each of those months the dealer called to offer a reduced price. It got to the point where it was difficult to not buy it.
For sports cars, about 35% of Porsches are custom ordered. Rest the dealers spec. Yes, even the very special stuff, because they’ll stuff one to the gills with options to ensure they get what they want, rather than let someone order one lighter.
Porsche dealers are weird things. I have a friend working towards a GT3 or GT4. He is on his second suv and I he still has a brand-new sports car between him and an order. My understanding is the dealer specs these things then “offer” them to people as part of a long term “deal” where the customer gets the “opportunity” to buy what they really want after jumping through enough hoops. The scarcity gives Porsche some ability to play games that Dodge just can’t.
Meanwhile I am over here just enjoying my Fiero 🙂
Your friend is getting rinsed.
I ordered a 718 Spyder RS without “playing the game.”
My previous Porsche was an ordered 981 Spyder without any prior.
No other Porsches owned. No “buying cars to get other cars” (bridge cars). I just found sales people who would play ball, and kept making phone calls until I got a yes. All amazing toys, no filler.
The 718 Spyder RS was a very heavy build because I knew it had to be to a get a yes, but got a yes after 27 months. No nonsense though, just spec’d everything six-year old me would’ve wanted. I provided my own financing (put 80% down, got lowest rate in the country), arranged my own shipment the 3000 miles back home. Flew out for < $600 to see it before I signed to take delivery, and even negotiated a 100% back-out clause in case something was super sus with it. I handled the shipment carrier bill of lading and loading myself.
You can either do the work, or spend a fuckton of money to not do the work. I did the work, and got it done how I wanted: fairly.
I guarantee I could get a GT3 Touring, if I wanted one, without any shenanigans. I’d need to pay market, but if I waited long enough (2027), I bet I could get a 992.2 Touring without ADM or the lowest prevailing one in the country if I were in the market for one.
Granted, I’ve studied how to play this game for 20+ years. So when it was finally my time to play, I knew how to win for the lowest possible price that could be managed. The only “whiff” is I couldn’t get a build to be within the Paint to Sample calendar window, so I had to get a standard color — otherwise I would’ve had PTS, too.
EDIT: The 981 Spyder was finding “old guard” salespeople who understood what kind of buyer I was. Spent 5 years building the relationship without a purchase, got a very easy yes by being patient, and even got it for $1000 under MSRP with a Porsche Exclusive request gratis. The 718 Spyder RS ultimately required calling 141 of the 201 dealers in the country, but I eventually got my yes with zero nonsense, and it was very easy to get done.
I love the nonsense but calling 141 people 🙂 My friend was going to buy an SUV anyway so he justifies it that way.
For something like a GT3 RS, Porsche has 8 – 10 buyers for every car built. In theory.
You know what they do? They go through their “Rolodex.” They find the people with more money than sense that will pay top dollar. $150K ADM (for the 992.1 GT3 RS when it hit), and ideally have already put millions through the store. This is because some dealers have successfully duped people like your friend in thinking they HAVE to buy shit they don’t want to get what they want. No. You don’t.
“But doing work…” 141 dealers. What is your time actually worth? The answer is unless you would actively be making money during that time — for real, not in theory — your time is worth $0. That’s what I value my free time at. $0.
300+ calls/emails (to 141 dealers) over 27 months or $75,000. That’s what the ADM I would’ve had to pay at launch. Possibly with a forced trade where I lost $20K on that trade relative to what I sold the car for myself. $95,000 (plus sales tax on the ADM, so $100K) or 300 phone calls? Do you actually have to weigh that decision? It’s a hundred fuckin’ grand! I’d make 3,000 phone calls without hesitation.
—
To the dealer, the people who put millions through the store and then pay ADM on top? They’re easy, free extra money, so they grab it. If you’re not willing to play their game, initially they won’t talk to you unless you approach the conversation in a specific way. Then you just periodically follow up. Trust me, they usually remember you. Be nice. Make it clear you understand how the game is played. Be patient.
But over time that initial surge of interest wanes. ADMs come down. By April 2024, GT3 RS ADMs were down to $75K. By January 2025? Zero, because everyone who wanted one already had theirs. Or they moved on to the latest new hot bauble that their friends are talking about or is blowing up on Instagram. The dealers now have some allocations left that they are genuinely having trouble moving.
… and that’s when I then “solve their problem” by buying the car exactly as I want it, for a fair price, paying them ASAP, making sure they have to do none of the work. I’m in, out, and with a handshake it’s done. Salesman gets a very fat commission check, new car sales manager is glad that the allocation is sold through. Though now… they know I’m that guy, and that if I’m calling, I’m deadly serious. I’m not a tire kicker. I’m calling because I’m ready to get everything done as quickly and easily as possible for them.
—
Don’t do the work? Get rinsed. Do the work? You eventually win. Porsche isn’t Ferrari, outside of very limited production, numbered cars. The production numbers are higher, the overall demand is lower.
I am just a watcher / popcorn eater. My sports car is a garage built K20 swapped Fiero. I have done the Porsche experience and drove a GT4. I have been lucky enough to drive other people’s 911’s over the years and enjoy them to no end. Tons of respect for Porsche as a company and as a customer group. Personally, I prefer something I can fix if I break it and where things go wrong at reasonable speeds. Years of track days seeing people write off expensive cars cured me of the desire to have an expensive toy. But again if you hand me the keys I will drive the shit out of your Porsche 🙂
I do most of the work on my own. Bendpak Quick Jack, the giant “cheater bar” torque wrench for the centerlocks (ugh) and a cutesy tool for spark plugs (to not remove rear wheels) is all I need outside of just normal, high quality metric tools. After that just need an old eBay laptop with a virtual machine on it for the software you want to use for any diagnostics… if you even need to use it for anything outside of resetting service intervals.
The OEM workshop manuals eventually “leak” in time as giant PDFs. 6000+ page tomes that are indexed front-to-back for both assembly and disassembly, an insane amount of photos and diagrams, torque specs for everything, etc. They put all other OEM workshop manuals to shame. You could nearly assemble an entire car from scratch with those manuals.
With few exceptions, the packaging is pretty reasonable and they’re way easier to work on than normal German stuff (sedans/crossovers). On the “big kid” cars they’re a bit more challenged simply because the parts are even larger in the same space. By comparison, Lotuses, Astons, etc. get their rep partly due to packaging, and working on them can be obnoxious at times.
You just don’t… half ass anything. Parts are not cheap, tolerances can be insane. You review how to do it, and you do it exactly. You don’t adapt a tool to “make it work”, just ensure you have the right tool — which isn’t hard, as you don’t need special tools.
EDIT: My comments above though were to prove you need to “buy nothing” to buy what you want from Porsche dealerships, it may just not be a walk in the park. Either your friend is getting taken for an absolute ride without realizing it, or they “want a GT3” in air quotes, and don’t actually want one. GT4s are out of production and are dime-a-dozen secondhand. They hold their value, but buying one is little different than buying a Camry outside of the price you’ll pay and the kinds of places that are selling them.
I don’t think anyone would ever confuse the two. I don’t hate what Genesis is doing, but even pretending that Porsche is on the same level is a complete joke and should be blatantly laughed at to their faces. Title should have read “Genesis claims they don’t want to complete with the 911 and then a lot of laughing emojis, not whatever world salad title this ended up with.
Will they do PTS and custom interior mods? Do we have to look forward to the Genesis guys hanging out at Cars and Coffee and discussing how each of them has spec’ed a “one of one” Magma? How do you say Sport Chrono in Korean?
Oh man that Magma GT is a looker!
Every time I here genesis I think hyundai. When I think hyundai and sports car, I think tiburon. Then I laugh a little. Pretty sure porsche and GM have nothing to worry about.
Just get a C8
I could have had a C8.
“If the V8 powertrain in the concept makes it to production, it’ll probably end up on the more expensive end of the 911 comparison spectrum, while also being stacked against cars like the Corvette ZR1, McLaren Artura, the Ferrari 296, and the upcoming Aston Martin Valhalla.”
I don’t think any Porsche, McLaren, Ferrari, or Aston Martin buyers will be cross-shopping at a Hyundai dealership.
Macca and Aston buyers wish they had Hyundai depreciation, and the Hyundai dealer will still be there in five years.
The kind of people who by McLarens and Aston Martins new for the most part don’t care a lot about depreciation (or they’d be buying Porsches or Ferraris).
Did anyone else think the part in quotes (with the model lineup) was a joking analogy to Porsche’s lineup, only to read the article and realize they were literally doing all of it verbatim?
I love Porsche, but only when they’re old, cheap, and common enough that I don’t care about the original owner paying $5k for matching vent covers. 🙂
If they have the engine in the back or middle, a roof, and stick they don’t get cheap anymore.
Side note. Every time I see the Corvette lineup I always gravitate to the base Stingray. It has the most palatable price and the performance of 0-60 in 2.9 seconds seems like way more that I could and should ever use on a road. Does that mean I’m cheap or sensible??
I don’t think anyone in the market for a car with a starting price of 70k could be called “cheap”. If you can afford to pay ~75k in cash or let’s say ~$1,000/month for the Stingray, a car that almost assuredly will be your second or third car, you could probably afford the E-Ray at ~$1,500/month or even the Z06 at ~$2,000/month.
At the point where you have a grand a month to light on fire for a vehicle as impractical as those, you can afford another few hundred bucks a month if you wanted to move up a bit (I did not include the ZR1 as that is not in the same league as the Stingray).
That said – yes, I’d take the Stingray even if I could afford the next two steps up. No one, including myself, would be taking a brand new ‘vette to the track and needing the Z06 in order to shave off another few seconds of your lap time. If that’s your goal, you’re going to be in a dedicated track car, not a mint Z06 fresh off a dealer lot.
The point of the Z06 is not pure acceleration (get the E Ray) but the sound and feel of taking a mid mounted V8 to 8600 RPM.
Only you can decide if that’s worth the extra $40-50K.
I wasn’t even thinking sound; I was thinking the sum of the other aero/suspension/brake upgrades meant to get you around the track slightly faster. But you are right, revving that baby would be a reward all on its own.
Hard to say.
Tell you what, let me borrow yours and I’ll get back to you.
You’d probably be faster at the track in a C6 due to a much lower shits given per ton ratio!
I looked at that Vette comparison, which was the first time in my life I’ve seen them all shown side-by-side, and all I could think was “Who WOULDN’T just buy the Stingray?” It’s almost like they didn’t de-tune it enough to make the others attractive.
You know what? The Stingray will decimate all, after, you put about fifteen grand in it or more. If we have to, overnight parts from Kentucky.
Redundant. Cheap IS sensible.
My very first thought on seeing that lineup was, “OK, I’m just getting the Stingray and swapping in that manual transaxle that was recently announced.”
“Ground-up supercar” sounds like one expensive burger.
Do I have something in my teeth?
Max Power! Great name.
Thanks! I got it from a hair dryer.
With the price of beef these days, maybe this comes out cheaper per pound?
I don’t know, I find this pretty hard to swallow.
Yep. Every single time I see “ground up” I can’t remember if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Don’t give Whistin’ Diesel any ideas.