Genesis finally unwraps its new GMR-001 hypercar
Slated to debut in 2026 at the FIA World Endurance Championship, Genesis has Le Mans on its mind. The post Genesis finally unwraps its new GMR-001 hypercar appeared first on Popular Science.
Everyone knew it was coming, but when the crowd finally got to see the fresh-off-the-press Genesis Magma Racing GMR-001 Hypercar in real life, wild applause broke out. Finished in a vibrant orange that blends into a deeper red as the eye moves to the back of the machine, the race car will debut in the World Endurance Championship in 2026.
If it seems strange for a production automaker like Genesis to create an expensive race car, know that this has been a passion project for the brand. However, Genesis and GMR (its motorsports division) didn’t confirm its development until 2024. Goodwood Road & Racing called it “the worst kept secret in motorsport.”
The GMR-001 Hypercar will compete in the LMDh (Le Mans Daytona Hybrid) category with a twin-turbo hybrid V8 setup. While it’s clear that LMDh rules specify a maximum of 670 horsepower at its peak, other details are kept tightly under wraps for now.
Introducing Genesis’ first hypercar
Compared to some of its global rivals, automaker Genesis hasn’t been around that long. Toyota was established in the 1930s and Honda in the 1940s, and that’s nothing compared to Buick, which was founded in 1899. The Genesis name was introduced in 2003 as a luxury concept vehicle for parent company Hyundai and then the moniker was cribbed for the Hyundai Genesis model in 2008. As a standalone brand, Genesis debuted the G80 and G90 sedans in the U.S. in late 2016 and its first SUV, the GV80, in January 2020.
Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke ensured the hypercar, while vastly different in design from Genesis’ cars and SUVs, still evoked certain brand elements. For instance, the GMR-001 Hypercar features Genesis’ signature double line lighting in the front and back of the vehicle. For maximum efficiency, the underbody features a flat plate, and inlets push hot air away from the car while the parabolic line along the side directs airflow toward the rear diffuser. True to its Korean heritage the hypercar is festooned with geometric designs that integrate the Korean lettering for “Magma.”
Genesis has created a string of bold concept cars, including its latest, the off-road-focused X Gran Equator, showing off its design chops for the future. Even so, the hypercar is way beyond what it has done before. Donckerwolke says it represents a big change of mentality for research and development for Genesis, but he relishes the freedom of expression. In motorsport, he explains, you don’t do just what is allowed, you stretch to the limits of what’s not explicitly forbidden.
“As a country, Korea is very humble,” he says. “Sometimes we have to be a little bit more—let’s say, audacious—and I think that motorsport is going to bring this type of attitude into the company and is going to motivate a lot of people.”
The race to the start line
Veteran racers Andre Lotterer and Pipo Derani will headline the new Genesis Magma team. They’ll report to team principal Cyril Abiteboul, former F1 Renault team boss and regular on the “Drive to Survive” series. Legendary Belgian driver Jacky Ickx, who competed in Formula One from 1966 to 1979, supports the team as its mentor.
Endurance racing has been around since 1905 at a one-mile oval track in Columbus, Ohio. Now worldwide, endurance racing started with road-going sports cars and settled on dedicated sports cars when prototype regulations were set in the 1950s and 1960s. The two behemoths of the segment are Europe’s 24 Hours of Le Mans and North America’s 24 Hours of Daytona, and GMR aims to triumph over both.
Starting a new team from scratch is a huge undertaking, requiring design, engineering, and development staff, not to mention vast amounts of money and the team itself. It’s a gamble, and one that could cost Genesis a lot of money with a long game approach to the racing game. Genesis has seen success in rally racing with the Hyundai Motor Group and believes the prestige of endurance racing is a better fit for the brand. GMR will be up against the clock to get ready for next year, and it’s going to be an uphill climb toward the dream of a championship.
“Obviously, we have some catching up to do,” Donckerwolke admits. He’s confident, however, that the team at large can make it happen, and the lead drivers agree.
“It’s a very tight field with a lot of big names, and we don’t come into the sport with a mentality of not winning,” Derani says, and Lotterer chimes in with, “For sure. It won’t be easy.”
Stand by to see the Genesis Magma Racing Hypercar in famous races such as the Daytona 500 and Le Mans in 2026 and beyond, competing against big names like Lamborghini, Alpine, Aston Martin, Ford, and more. The next year will show if the investment was worthwhile.
The post Genesis finally unwraps its new GMR-001 hypercar appeared first on Popular Science.
