The hospitality suite sits right near the final corners of the Le Mans circuit. Out on track, the two GMR-001 cars are running their first 24-hour race—and showing plenty of speed. In other words, Genesis clearly wants people to know that it didn’t enter the World Endurance Championship just to make up numbers.
Jacky Ickx is an ambassador and a major show of force, while high-caliber drivers like Daniel Juncadella and André Lotterer show significant investment. Oh, and Genesis unveiled the Concept GT the day before the big race. All of it reinforces the message that on the product side, too, the intent to offer a clearly defined roadmap is very real.
On the occasion of the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, Charles Fuster, Genesis Brand Director for Italy and France, answers questions about the Korean automaker’s future—from Magma to the Concept GT, including hybrids, EVs, and internal-combustion power.
This story originally appeared on Motor1 Italy
Genesis At The 24 Hours Of Le Mans
Photo by: Genesis
Q: Genesis Is Still Mostly Unknown In Italy. How do You Build A Premium Brand From Scratch?
A: That’s our reality, and we’re not afraid to say it. Every day, when you tell people you work for Genesis, the response is, “I don’t know it.” Even here, walking among the crowd, the first thing you hear is that the brand isn’t recognized. But then you also hear that the cars look great. And that’s where you start. We’re coming in with big ambition, but also with a lot of humility. Those two things have to go together…
Is Motorsport One Of The Tools To Accelerate Brand Awareness?
It’s an extraordinary marketing platform to get the brand known. There’s a very technical angle: the technologies we use on the track can end up on road cars tomorrow. But there’s also immediate visibility, which is just as important.
The Genesis Magma Racing team is made up of people who have won. [Cyril] Abiteboul won with Renault, [Gabriele] Tarquini won in Formula 1, and Lothar Collatz has won at Le Mans. This isn’t a styling exercise—it’s proof the company has decided to bet on motorsport to build recognition in Europe, with people who know what it means to win.
Photo by: Genesis
The Italian Market Is Often Skeptical Of Non-European Premium Brands. How Do You Respond To Somehow Who Has Always Driven German?
We can be a very credible alternative for someone who has always driven German—let’s be clear. Our cars are premium: attention to detail, high-quality materials, performance. On the product itself, we can answer the established competitors.
The challenge isn’t the product; it’s credibility. And credibility is earned over time, through consistency. The Germans took a hundred years. We were born in 2015, so it also takes humility to recognize we need time.
You’re Entering Italy With A 100-Percent Electric Lineup In An EV-Resistant Market. Isn’t That Counterproductive?
It’s a fair question. The new development is that in 2027, a hybrid engine arrives on the GV70. It’s a pragmatic response from the company: we put on the road the products customers want, not what someone tells us we have to build. That said, we’re also entering the right segment with the GV60: the compact SUV segment is exactly where EVs make the most sense, including for corporate fleets.
Then in 2028 the new multi-energy platform arrives, dedicated to Genesis, scalable from the compact segment upward, ready to accommodate any type of hybrid powertrain—from full hybrid to range-extender, including plug-in hybrid. Fifty shades of hybrid, as the saying goes.
Photo by: Genesis
Do You Have Stated Volume Targets For Italy?
That will depend a lot on the distribution network we build. In June, we open the Padua showroom, in October the Rome one, and in 2026 it will be Milan’s turn.
We’re not racing for volume; we don’t need to buy the market. Others have done that, but it’s not what’s being asked of us. We prefer to build something solid.
Genesis Is Hyundai’s Premium Brand. How Do You Manage That Dual Identity?
We’re the premium brand of the Hyundai Group, and it’s not a problem: we lean on a company that has 25 years of history in Europe, sells 600,000 cars a year, and has a recognizable design identity. But in the market, we want to be Genesis—only Genesis. You will never find a Genesis in a Hyundai showroom, nor a Hyundai special edition that carries the Genesis name.
Dedicated distribution, dedicated showrooms, a separate identity. In terms of sales and marketing, we are Genesis. In terms of technology and belonging to an industrial group, we are Hyundai’s premium brand. It’s the same path Lexus took with Toyota, even if they had more time ahead of them.
Photo by: Genesis
Magma Is The Performance Sub-Grand. Doesn’t it Risk Confusing The Positioning?
When Magma was presented to me, I immediately thought of Mercedes-AMG or BMW M. They corrected me. For Genesis, Magma isn’t only about performance: it’s proof of what the brand can do at the highest level.
Not just power, but materials, aerodynamics, attention to detail. It’s the best of every model, pushed to the extreme. The goal is to have a Magma version of every vehicle in the lineup to show how far it can go. Of course, we have to be good at explaining it: the risk of confusion exists, but it can be managed with precise communication. And when you launch a Magma on a new model (not one that’s already been on the market for three years), the positioning is much easier to communicate.
Is The GT A Marketing Move Or A Real Product Commitment?
It’s not just marketing, and I want to be clear about that. The GT is an industrial demonstration of what we’re capable of. If you have a car like that in the showroom, the customer who walks in immediately understands this is a brand that can build an excellent compact SUV and also a wonderful grand tourer. It’s like having a price band from one to ten in the showroom: it adds depth and credibility to the brand.
Look at the evolution from the first GT presented last November at Le Castellet to today’s: it’s already a remarkable progression. It shows development speed and ambition. The goal is for Genesis to remain in that segment. This isn’t a temporary exercise.
I don’t know exactly when it will reach the market. I can’t give you a precise date. But if you look at how quickly the project is developing and the progress that’s already visible, we’d like to get there soon. The day after tomorrow, let’s say. And that would be good news for everyone.
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