Genesis at Full Speed
Zürich, Switzerland – Have you seen more GENESIS cars on Swiss highways over the last few years? If so, it’s for a good reason. These high-end luxury cars are synonymous with design, technology and comfort. They have been available in Switzerland since 2021 with studios in Zurich, Geneva and Basel. Its top-quality customer service has a solid, impeccable, and exceptional reputation. If your car needs professional care, it is picked up by a GENESIS personal assistant, who, in the meantime, replaces it with another courtesy car until your personal serviced vehicle is returned, knowing the customer wants ‘hassle-free’ driving.
What conjures high-end luxury in cars are the following aspects: exclusive designs, exquisite craftsmanship, luxury amenities, comfort and convenience, advanced technology, high-performance engines, and a prestigious name. GENESIS is at the forefront of all the aspects above, firmly making its mark as a prominent brand.
Genesis has been in the market since 2015. The name “Genesis” means “origin” or “beginning” in Greek. The brand is a luxury vehicle division of the Hyundai Motor Group and an independent luxury marque in the automobile world. Its presence has grown dramatically in the first-world luxury sector, creating its own heritage and legacy. With South Korea being its birthplace, GENESIS has steadily and successfully advanced its existence globally.
GENESIS realised that first-rate talent was required to obtain this successful position in the high-end marketplace. Therefore, the company engaged the renowned Belgian designer Luc Donckerwolke as its Chief Creative Officer and Chief Design Officer.
Luc Donckerwolke – Chief Creative Officer and Chief Design Officer of the Hyundai Motor Group.
Luc has an impressive career. He has previously worked for many prestigious brands, including Bentley, Lamborghini, Skoda, Seat, and Audi. In 2022 he was named “World Car Person of the Year” for significantly impacting the automotive industry.
Luc is pivotal in developing the GENESIS brand and producing the MAGMA concept car lineup in record time. Like a true leader, Luc recognises that it was a team effort by all company participants that made this possible.
Another maestro in his field is Tyrone Johnson, the Managing Director of the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center GmbH (HMETC). Tyrone joined the group in 2018; previously, he worked for FORD for many decades as a development lead for Ford Performance models, including Formula 1 and World Rallying. He was responsible for Europe’s first all-electric GENESIS vehicle, GV60.
The impressive GENESIS MAGMA program was unveiled at the GENESIS TRACK TAXI Nordschleife June event. The five concept cars, each orange-coloured, convey the Korean sentiment of confidence and passion: the GV80 Coupe Concept, the G80 Magma Special, the X Gran Berlinetta Concept, the GV60 Magma Concept, and the G80 EV Magma Concept.
The GV80 Coupe Concept.
The G80 Magma Special.
The X Gran Berlinetta Concept, a beautiful aeronautical design.
The GV60 Magma Concept.
The GENESIS MAGMA program of ultra-high- performance vehicles required extreme avant- gardetechnology, maximising both aesthetics and performance.
Luc Donkerwolke states, ‘We do not do cosmetic cars, but functional, high- performing vehicles, with minimalism. The car is pared down to the basics” …with luxury high-quality materials and aerodynamically designed with intelligence.
The MAGMA program has unlocked the brand’s athletic performance, with engineering experts from Namyang R&D and HMETC creating this dynamic development of performance and luxury.
All the MAGMA cars have a robust, broad design and low bodies. The luxurious interior and integrated technicalfeatures (GENESIS’s identity) have a sporty touch but with effortless interior comfort for all occupants.
Jcky Ickx, former professional Racing Driver.
The design and performance of the MAGMA cars are not solely the result of designers and engineers; they also incorporate motor racing experience. Renowned former professional racing driver Jacky Ickx acts as a brand partner, advisor, and ambassador for the Genesis team.
Ickx is celebrated for his versatility and skill across various motorsport disciplines. Ickx is particularly famous for his achievements in theb24 Hours of Le Mans, winning six times between 1969 and 1982. He also competed in Formula One from 1966 to 1979, achieving eight Grand Prix wins and finishing as the runner-up in the World Championship in 1969 and 1970.
With his wealth of racing years and expertise in sports car racing and Formula One, Jacky is in his element, and his suggestions to ‘tweak’ the product(s) are taken into consideration.
ADDICTED TO FAST, HIGH-END LUXURY CARS? HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED
RACING DOWN THE NÜRBURING RACE TRACK LIKE A RACING DRIVER?
Today, GENESIS provides this experience with the brilliant idea of the TRACK TAXI, with a G70 3.3T on the Green Hell (the Nürburgringtrack in Germany). The Nürburgring is considered one of the most complex tracks in the world, with a length of 20.832 km, 33 left turns, 40 right turns and a height difference of 300 meters.
The GENESIS G70 TRACK TAXI.
Today, GENESIS provides this experience with the brilliant idea of the TRACK TAXI, with a G70 3.3T on the Green Hell (the Nürburgringtrack in Germany). The Nürburgring is considered one of the most complex tracks in the world, with a length of 20.832 km, 33 left turns, 40 right turns and a height difference of 300 meters.
The Nurburgring is also known as “The Green Hell” (Die Grüne Hölle), a nickname Jackie Stewart coined when he looked at the Nürburgring from his plane on his way to the German Grand Prix in 1968.
For adrenaline addicts and speed seekers, the TRACK TAXI experience will energise you. It is thrilling, with 270 km/h speeds and g-force noticeable on acute corners. With the track height difference, there are moments of ‘flying down’ the track like an aeroplane at the Fox Hole Corner (Fuchsrohre) and navigating the road visibility at the Mine (Bergwerk) with the trees shadowing the surface.
The G70 TRACK TAXI at the Nürburgring.
The drivers are experts in this course. They tested the MAGMA cars for over 10,000km on this track, with each corner, curve, and slope testing a particular part of the car’s performance. Impressive is the car’s road handling of the curves, racing at speeds that you would never dare to do yourself. It perfectly demonstrates what these cars have under their hood and gives a glimpse of the future velocities GENESIS cars will achieve. It is a fantastic experience that will delight the thrill seeker.
If you wish to try the experience, the GENESIS TRACK TAXI Nordschleife experience can be booked at https:tracktaxi-nordschleife.genesis.com/.
For those who pursue additional adventure, you can purchase a GENESIS car and personally test-drive The Green Hell!
photos & data COURTESY OF GENESIS
author SANDRA ROCHE SCHAEREN