Genesis Magma Racing (GMR) has proudly presented its first full-scale GMR-001 Hypercar alongside the team’s complete visual identity, encompassing the striking livery and driver race suits. This momentous unveiling signifies a decisive stride in the brand’s ambitious global motorsport endeavors. The worldwide debut of the GMR-001 Hypercar, strategically timed ahead of the New York International Auto Show, establishes the foundation for the team’s anticipated entry into the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), with the ultimate aspiration of competing in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Sculpted for Speed: The Design of the GMR-001 Hypercar: Central to Genesis Magma Racing’s aspirations is the GMR-001 Hypercar, a vehicle that effectively translates Genesis’s established “Athletic Elegance” design philosophy into pure, unadulterated racing potential. Drawing significant inspiration from the brand’s high-performance Magma line-up, the GMR-001 Hypercar masterfully blends precise aerodynamic engineering with a fluid, almost sculptural aesthetic, achieving a harmonious balance between inherent elegance and aggressive performance-oriented design.
Signature Lighting and Aerodynamic Intent: The GMR-001 Hypercar prominently features Genesis’s distinctive Two-Line lighting signature, which wraps horizontally around both the front and rear of the vehicle. This design element serves to visually emphasize the car’s width and its purposeful aerodynamic intent. The strategic inclusion of this recognizable design cue ensures a strong visual brand consistency with Genesis’s range of road-going vehicles, all while maintaining the critical nighttime visibility required in the demanding environment of endurance racing.
Aerodynamic Efficiency and Thermal Management: The meticulously crafted bodywork of the GMR-001 Hypercar, conceived at Genesis Design Europe under the guidance of Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke, showcases a sweeping Parabolic Line that defines its side profile. A completely flat underbody plate is integral to maximizing aerodynamic efficiency, generating crucial downforce. Furthermore, carefully integrated inlets are strategically positioned to effectively extract hot air, thereby significantly enhancing the vehicle’s overall thermal performance under extreme racing conditions.
Hybrid Power and High-Performance Chassis: While the final technical specifications of the GMR-001 Hypercar are currently being kept confidential, it has been confirmed that the vehicle will feature a sophisticated hybrid powertrain and a state-of-the-art chassis. This advanced chassis has been expertly developed through a strategic partnership with the renowned ORECA Motorsport, a collaboration that strongly suggests the GMR-001 Hypercar is poised to deliver highly competitive performance and exceptional speed on the world’s most demanding race circuits.
A Fusion of Korean Heritage and Motorsport Innovation: Luc Donckerwolke, Chief Creative Officer of Genesis, eloquently described the design ethos behind the hypercar and its livery: “The GMR-001 Hypercar, like every race car, is a sculpture designed by the constraints of efficiency and performance – combined with the design DNA of Genesis – the brand with the Two Lines. The livery is an orchestration of the tension and balance of the distinctly Korean character of the brand with gradients from Magma orange to dark red emphasizing the high temperature of the powertrain. And the color gradients from light to dark of the Magma writing in Hangeul is an optical doppler effect that expresses the glorious sound of the V8 Twin Turbo engine in motion.”
GMR-001 Hypercar Livery: Celebrating Korean Identity: The visually striking livery of the GMR-001 Hypercar masterfully blends intensity with subtle detailing. The dominant color is the signature Magma orange, a vibrant hue chosen to symbolize Korea’s dynamic energy and passion. Subtly integrated into the design are the Korean Hangeul letters for “Magma” (마그마). The consonants “ㅁ, ㄱ, ㅁ” of this word are cleverly incorporated as geometric motifs that subtly echo the team’s distinctive logo. This thoughtful visual language effectively reflects Genesis’s commitment to fusing its rich cultural authenticity with cutting-edge motorsport innovation, ensuring that the GMR-001 Hypercar stands out as a dynamic and moving representation of Korean identity on the global racing stage.
Artistic Expression of Performance: The distinctive livery goes beyond mere aesthetics, seamlessly blending high-performance intent with artistic expression. A dynamic gradient transitions from the vibrant Magma orange at the front of the car to a deep, intense red at the rear. This visual flow is designed to evoke a powerful sense of speed and rising intensity, effectively mirroring both the extreme temperatures generated by a high-performance engine operating at its limit and the acoustic phenomenon of the Doppler effect as the car speeds past. Towards the rear of the hypercar, the bold Hangul script for ‘Magma’ prominently emerges, further reinforcing the concept’s inherent emotional energy and connection to the brand’s identity. More than just a traditional race livery, it serves as an artful statement, where carefully chosen color and form effectively convey the unique performance identity of Genesis.
Forging a Motorsport Legacy: Cyril Abiteboul, the team principal of Genesis Magma Racing, expressed his enthusiasm for this significant milestone: “Today marks a significant milestone for Genesis Magma Racing as we unveil the GMR-001 Hypercar, along with our striking livery and race suits. As we gear up for our 2026 WEC and 2027 IMSA campaigns, we are not merely assembling a race team; we are forging a legacy. Each day brings us one step closer to realizing the full potential of Genesis in the world of motorsports.”
GMR Race Suits: Embodying Brand Identity: Complementing the cutting-edge GMR-001 Hypercar, the Genesis Magma Racing team’s race suits feature the brand’s signature Two-Line visual element in combination with the distinctive G-Matrix graphics. The thoughtful design of these suits effectively reinforces the crucial connection between the driver, the sophisticated machine, and the overarching brand identity of Genesis Magma Racing.
World-Class Driver Line-up: Tasked with bringing Genesis Magma Racing’s ambitious vision to life on the track are a team of highly accomplished drivers. The initial driver roster includes André Lotterer, a three-time winner of the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Luis “Pipo” Derani, a four-time victor at the grueling 12 Hours of Sebring. Both drivers will play a pivotal role in shaping the team’s performance and providing invaluable feedback in the crucial lead-up to its debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
A Driver’s Perspective: André Lotterer, a key driver for Genesis Magma Racing, shared his excitement: “Putting on the race suit made me realize how exciting this opportunity is. This suit is more than just a uniform; it shows Genesis’ commitment to great design and performance. You can feel the pride in every detail. Competing for Genesis Magma Racing is a real honor, and I can’t wait to push the GMR-001 Hypercar to its limits at famous tracks like Le Mans, Daytona, and more.”
The Hyperspeed Ethos: Endurance racing, widely recognized as the pinnacle of global motorsport, represents a demanding test of ultimate speed, strategic brilliance, and long-term sustainability. Genesis Magma Racing embraces this formidable challenge through its core “Hyperspeed” ethos. This guiding philosophy is deeply rooted in Korea’s well-known relentless drive for innovation and progress, a spirit that is clearly mirrored in the brand’s audacious design language and cutting-edge engineering capabilities.
Building Towards Future Success: Genesis Magma Racing has already embarked on its competitive journey by participating in the 2025 European Le Mans Series (ELMS) with an LMP2 entry. This effort is strategically supported by IDEC Sport and features two talented drivers from the Genesis Magma Racing Trajectory Program: Jamie Chadwick (UK) and Mathys Jaubert (France). At the season’s opening round, the highly competitive 4 Hours of Barcelona, the team, further strengthened by the experienced Daniel Juncadella (Spain), achieved a sensational victory on its debut in the LMP2 class. This Trajectory Program and the active participation in the ELMS serve as crucial foundational steps for Genesis Magma Racing, leveraging the championship-winning expertise of Hyundai Motorsport, as the team prepares to compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2026 and the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2027.
Technology Transfer to Road Cars: Genesis’s strategic entry into the demanding world of motorsport is a natural and logical extension of its overarching performance vision. The GMR-001 Hypercar serves as a dynamic and invaluable testbed for the development and refinement of advanced technologies that will ultimately elevate the performance capabilities of the Magma sub-brand’s road-going vehicles. The critical lessons learned on the racetrack—in areas such as vehicle durability under extreme stress, advanced thermal management techniques, and the optimization of hybrid powertrain efficiency—will directly enhance the engineering and performance characteristics of future Genesis road cars, ensuring that drivers experience the pinnacle of the brand’s signature Athletic Elegance in their everyday driving.
Public Display at New York Auto Show: The groundbreaking GMR-001 Hypercar is scheduled to be prominently displayed at the Genesis booth during the highly anticipated 2025 New York International Auto Show, which will open its doors to the public on April 18th at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, offering attendees a first-hand look at Genesis’s bold entry into the world of top-tier motorsport.
Summary:
- Genesis Magma Racing unveils the GMR-001 Hypercar for WEC and IMSA.
- The design blends “Athletic Elegance” with motorsport innovation.
- The livery features Magma orange and Korean Hangeul script.
- A driver lineup including André Lotterer and Luis “Pipo” Derani has been announced.
- Genesis Magma Racing is competing in the 2025 ELMS in preparation.
- Technology developed for the GMR-001 will influence future Genesis road cars.
- The GMR-001 will be displayed at the 2025 New York International Auto Show.
Disclaimer: Information provided is for general informational purposes only and is based on available details. Potential buyers are advised to conduct their own thorough inspection and verification of any vehicle.
Source: Genesis
AI Assistance: Chatgpt
