Genesis has made bold moves before, but nothing quite like this. At the launch of the brand’s new high-performance Magma sub-brand, the company pulled the wraps off something nobody expected: a full-size, high-horsepower estate version of its flagship G90 saloon. Called the G90 Wingback, the concept previews a future where Korea’s rising luxury star intends to go head-to-head with the likes of the BMW M5 Touring—and possibly win.
A Concept… or a Quiet Promise?
Officially, the G90 Wingback is just a design study for Genesis’s One of One bespoke program. Unofficially, executives hinted it’s much more than a fantasy. While no production green light has been given, Genesis leadership suggested that turning the Wingback into a showroom model would be “relatively easy” if the business case is there. And given the industry’s renewed enthusiasm for super-wagons, the case practically builds itself.
Luxury Liner, Track Suit Heart
Underneath its long-roof silhouette, the Wingback carries over the drivetrain from the current G90 saloon—a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, offered elsewhere with 375 or 409 horsepower. Genesis hasn’t disclosed final output for the Magma version, but the sub-brand’s mission is clear: hotter, sharper, louder. Expect substantially more than what the standard G90 offers.
But Genesis insists this car is about more than numbers. It’s about blending the brand’s two emerging identities: effortless luxury and genuine performance.
Donckerwolke’s “Dr Evil”
Genesis’s design chief, Luc Donckerwolke, speaks about the Wingback with the kind of theatrical pride only he could deliver. Internally, the car was nicknamed “Dr Evil,” a tongue-in-cheek label that evolved from Donckerwolke’s own nickname for the project. The idea was to create a machine with a dual personality: refined chauffeur car by day, road-devouring performance wagon by night.
“It shows how Genesis can offer Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde,” he said. “An aerodynamic and elegant body with true sports functionality.”
He described the car as “an iron fist in a velvet glove,” claiming the Wingback embodies what the Magma brand is all about: power wrapped in sophistication.
Magma: The New Hot Line
The G90 Wingback is only an appetizer. Magma’s first production model will be the GV60 Magma, arriving next year. After that, Genesis plans to build a performance variant of every model in its lineup. And at the top of the ladder, a dedicated Magma GT sports car is under development, serving as the basis for a future GT3 racing program.
If this is Genesis testing the waters, the water appears to be boiling.
Europe Loves It—But the UK Will Have to Watch From Afar
The current G90, launched in 2021, is sold in several European countries, though still not in the UK. If the Wingback ever reaches production, it could become one of the most desirable long-roof flagships on the continent. Whether British buyers will ever get the chance to see one in showrooms remains… uncertain.
Estate Performance Reborn?
With the industry rediscovering its love for performance wagons—from Audi’s RS6 to BMW’s newly revived M5 Touring—Genesis seems poised to join the party at exactly the right moment.
The G90 Wingback may only be a concept, but it feels like a statement: Genesis isn’t following the European luxury playbook anymore. It’s rewriting it.
Source: Genesis; Photo: Autocar