Genesis ignites with GMR-001 Hypercar

GENESIS has unveiled its GMR-001 Hypercar as a precursor to its plan to take the luxury brand onto the racetracks from 2026, replicating similar competitive aspirations as Cadillac that earlier this year announced its entry into Formula 1.

 

It will also globally introduce the Magma special product range, including Australia that will launch the Genesis Magma GV60 in early 2026 through Genesis dealerships.

 

The new Genesis Magma Racing (GMR) division is supported by Hyundai Motorsport and has announced its sights set on global motorsport focusing on an endurance program in WEC and IMSA.

 

Hyundai Motorsport has represented the race and rally activities of Hyundai Motor Group for over 10 years. It will now lend its expertise to Genesis Magma in the prestigious World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2026, followed by participation in IMSA SportsCar Championship (IMSA) in 2027.

 

As part of its preparations, an LMP2 team will compete in the 2025 European Le Mans Series.

 

The WEC and IMSA campaigns will each have a two-car team from Genesis, supported by ORECA Motorsport and IDEC Sport.

 

Andre Lotterer and Luis ‘Pipo’ Derani have been enlisted as the race drivers and will take on technical development and conduct simulator sessions to prepare for the debut LMDh season in 2026.

 

Genesis will participate with a hybrid car built to the LMDh (Le Mans Daytona h) class, a premier category that combines the latest hybrid technology with standardised components.

 

This ensures cost control and competitive parity with direct advantages for participants who are volume manufacturers of hybrid cars. LMDh cars compete in WEC and IMSA, making them a global platform for showcasing engineering excellence and innovation.

 

Showcasing the racing program is the unveiling of the Genesis GMR-001 Hypercar, described as a high-performance prototype that embodies the brand’s design philosophy ‘Athletic Elegance’.

 

The unveiling of the GMR-001 Hypercar and the announcement of Genesis’ bold motorsport strategy are part of a step by Genesis into a broader vision to redefine high-performance luxury.

 

The GMR-001 Hypercar was developed at Genesis Design Europe under the guidance of Hyundai Group designer Luc Donckerwolke.

 

The company said that the car's distinctive black finish and design cues drawn from the Magma lineup signal a powerful new era for Genesis performance vehicles.

 

“The model serves as both a tribute to Genesis’ design DNA and a forward-looking inspiration for upcoming models, embodying a balance of elegance and raw racing capability,” it said.

 

The brand said that this vision “extends beyond the racetrack and is embodied in the five unique Magma concept models that were displayed at the event, each representing the brand’s relentless pursuit of excellence in design and innovation since the introduction of the GV80 Coupe Concept in April 2023.”

 

The five models on display were: The GV80 Coupe Concept; G80 EV Magma Concept; the GV60 Magma Concept; the X Gran Berlinetta Concept; and the X Gran Racer VGT Concept.

 

“These concept models highlight the evolution of Genesis’s high-performance capabilities and showcase the Magma Program’s impact on the brand’s direction for its next phase,” Genesis said.

 

Magma is the performance division of Genesis, alongside the Hyundai N division and equating to the M division of BMW.