Hyundai follows Toyota with a supercar that turns petrol into speed.

Hyundai and Toyota are two titans of the automotive industry, battling for the top spots in car markets across the globe. For the benefit of motorsport fans, that rivalry has also played out on the world stage in the World Rally Championship (WRC) and the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

As the saying goes, things come in threes. That head-to-head is now set to spill over into the supercar segment too-feeling like a throwback to “race on sunday, sell on monday“. On Toyota’s side, Gazoo Racing is leading the charge and (in all likelihood) Lexus will be footing the bill; on Hyundai’s side sits Genesis, the South Korean group’s premium brand.

The car is called the Genesis Magma GT and… it isn’t electric. This supercar is loud-very loud, as you’ll find out further on. For now it has only been shown as a concept at the 2025 Los Angeles Auto Show, but everything suggests it won’t remain in that status for much longer.

According to Genesis, the Magma GT is not merely a styling exercise; it is far more than that-a direct preview of what the brand intends to launch in the near future.

Genesis Magma GT and the “first pure sports car”

Up to now, Genesis has limited itself to saloons and SUVs aimed at German premium rivals and Lexus (particularly in North America). The Magma GT, however, is-using the brand’s own words-its “first pure sports car”, and a first step in its evolution into a high-performance luxury marque.

Its design follows the classic proportions of a mid-engined supercar, and the emphasis on aerodynamic efficiency shows through even in the smallest touches. Look, for instance, at the twin-line headlamps that also function as small integrated canards at their outer edges.

It’s a subtle yet purposeful feature-and a sign this concept appears to have been conceived more for the circuit than for the showroom.

At the front there’s a pronounced splitter and a large nose intake with a G-Matrix pattern which, beyond acting as a visual signature, also serves an aerodynamic role. At the rear, the brand only points to an aerodynamically optimised structure, with the lighting echoing the same twin-line theme seen up front.

There are two clamshell-style covers providing access to the front and rear, the doors open in a butterfly arrangement, and the blacked-out A-pillars help create a glasshouse that resembles a helmet visor.

What engine is that?

Yet the real headline sits well beyond the styling. Powering the Magma GT is an old-school internal-combustion engine mounted in a mid-rear position.

Genesis hasn’t disclosed what lies at the heart of this supercar, but despite its prototype status it appears to be functional: it drove on and off the stage under its own power and… made a tremendous amount of noise doing it. From the sound, it seems to be a V8-but judge for yourself.

It certainly looks like Hyundai’s premium marque wants to enter the high-performance arena in earnest - Toyota, are you listening?

The Japanese giant is preparing to unveil its own supercar, the GR GT, next month, and it too is expected to use a V8. The distinction is in the layout: the engine is placed between the front axle and the cabin, giving it more traditional GT proportions-a (very) long bonnet and a (very) set-back cabin.

But the Genesis Magma GT is also taking aim at one of America’s greatest icons: the Chevrolet Corvette. The C8 generation moved the engine from the front to a mid-rear position, repositioning itself as a genuine supercar, with the most powerful versions exceeding 1000 hp. Hyundai’s supercar won’t be short of rivals.

Competition ambitions

Genesis has confirmed the concept aligns with the plan it presented last September, which includes launching a halo-car-a model intended to represent the brand’s technological and sporting pinnacle. And what better way to meet that brief than with a supercar?

Still, the Magma GT may be more than a flagship statement; it could be the decisive step towards Genesis becoming a recognised force in motorsport too. The company’s press release makes its intention explicit: “the Magma GT is an indicator of the ambition to explore motorsport in the GT categories”.

A South Korean supercar trading paint on track with Porsche, Ferrari and Aston Martin? That scenario is starting to move beyond fiction-and feel increasingly close to reality.