A hot new version of the Genesis GV60 is just around the corner, thanks to the company’s new Magma division. While it’ll share a lot of its components with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Kia EV6 GT, Genesis insists that the spicy EV will have a character all to its own, thanks in part to some trick software.

The new GV60 Magma has been developed in Korea, but moving forward, all other Magma cars will be developed and tuned by the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center near Frankfurt, Germany. Tyrone Johnson is heading up this facility, and given that he played a pivotal role in the creation of the last Ford Focus RS, he’s the perfect man for the job.

Read: Genesis Says Its New Hybrids Will Surprise You

While recently speaking with Top Gear, Johnson noted that Magma models developed in Germany will start to hit the market in 2027, including versions based on the GV80 and G80. He also acknowledged that Magma’s electric models will be designed as more sophisticated and luxurious than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

“N is ‘corner rascal,’” he said. “A Magma isn’t about the track, although it will be track capable. It’s a more sophisticated, luxurious driving machine. It has to be about power, and changes to motors and engines are important. But it doesn’t have to be the most powerful [in its class]. It needs sufficient power. Weight is always important. It’s independent of luxury. You have to have weight in focus, partly because range is important and you get diminishing returns with a larger, heavier battery.”

The Software Revolution

Johnson added that throughout most of his 40-year career in the automotive industry, separating one car from another “was all mechanical engineering.” Now he said, “it’s all software,” adding that it is now possible to “fundamentally change a car with software.” Presumably, this means the GV60 Magma, as well as other Magma products, will have different software to vehicles from Hyundai’s N division, giving them unique driving characteristics.

In all likelihood, the GV60 Magma will feature the same dual electric motors and 84 kWh battery pack as the Ioniq 5 N. As such, it should pump out more than 600 hp, and be capable of hitting 62 mph (100 km/h) in the low-3-second range.

It’s two years since Hyundai revealed its epic Ioniq 5 N and three since Kia gave us the first EV6 GT, but only now is Genesis, the Korean conglomerate’s luxury maker, about ready to show us what kind of performance EV it can whip up using the same basic electric building blocks.

The GV60 Magma – Magma being the Genesis brand’s new performance label – is scheduled to make its global debut at next month’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, a year on from the original concept’s reveal at the same location.

Related: This Is The Face Of Genesis’s Fastest Car Yet

While previous spy shots show the production EV won’t look exactly like the concept, new images confirm one element that has definitely made the cut with only subtle changes. That’s the rear spoiler, which was hidden under disguise or just absent on earlier prototypes. Here it’s still covered in camouflage wrap, but the shape is on on full view, revealing horn-like end planes that are even bigger than the concept’s.

As well as being bigger, those end planes are also more vertical, which could be a result of aerodynamic analysis, or simply because Genesis or its customer clinic participants now think they look better this way. Also present is a rear diffuser mounted below the bumper, and the concept’s roof-mounted fins.

These look similar to the ones on a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, a car whose vertical wheelarch wings seem to have inspired the lower parts of the Magma’s arch extensions (though it’s hard to make out on these pictures).

The Magma will probably use the same 84 kWh battery as the Ioniq 5 N and EV6 GT, though considering their unimpressive 200-mile (320 km) real-world range, it would benefit from something bigger. Following a recent EV6 GT update both of those cars make 641 hp (650 PS / 478 kW), but some reports suggest Genesis will push the needle further to cement its position as the performance leader of the group.

We’re also expecting to see the virtual gear shift function that proved such a hit when the 5 N first appeared.

SHProshots

Luxury might be where Genesis built its name, but lately, it’s been looking beyond plush cabins and elegant sedans. The brand has started flexing its muscles in motorsport and now seems ready to explore more performance-oriented territory through its new Magma sub-brand – think of it as Genesis’s answer to BMW’s M division. Alongside that push comes word of a deeper dive into electrification.

Read: Genesis G80 Magma Hints At Performance Electric Sedan

Manfred Harrer, the head of Genesis’s performance development tech unit, recently shared that these new systems are well underway. While Genesis currently offers a limited mix of internal combustion and fully electric models, it has made no secret of its plan to expand its electrified lineup, especially by adding traditional hybrids into the mix.

Hybrids, But Not as You Know Them

We first heard about the brand’s hybrid ambitions last year, but Harrer just confirmed that Genesis is working on both conventional hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs). He also revealed he’s already had seat time in one of the prototypes.

“This is going full steam, but now is not the right moment to reveal the exact date when we can really bring it to the market,” he said of the project. “But I promise you, we are working intensively to bring it sooner rather than later. And this is really advanced technology. It fits perfectly with the brand’s premium luxury approach and is the next step for our electrified propulsion.”

The Case for EREVs

Harrer also spoke about the brand’s planned EREVs. He noted they offer a similar seamless driving experience to an EV, but with more range. Genesis’s first range-extender model is expected to be a special version of the GV70 tailored for North America, though Harrer stopped short of confirming that outright.

“The beauty of EREVs lies in combining EV driving characteristics – instant high torque and serene cabin space – with a longer range,” he said. “It’s kind of a modern hybrid: You can use it as an EV on a daily basis, but if you have to take a long trip, say, from San Francisco to Las Vegas, and you don’t want to carefully plan your route around EV charging stations, it provides seamless driving with the ICE generating electricity for you. This freedom is generating a lot of excitement around the world.”

“But there’s more to EREVs than range. There’s also the ample power for towing capacity – the energy to tow something like a horse trailer – which remains an unsolved issue with EVs.”

Next-Gen EV Platform in the Works

In addition to new powertrains, Genesis is also working on a next-generation EV platform that promises to boost driving range. This new platform will also support EREV options and include a “new kind of torque vectoring system” that promises to “bring back agility at every speed.”

“We can’t do much about the weight of the underfloor batteries in EVs,” Harrer said. “What we can do, however, is modify weight distribution within the vehicles by optimizing the placement of various components and adjusting the balance of systems. For example, different types of tires could be used at the front and rear to enhance the grip level. Another way would be balancing the drivelines. In the future, you will see more drive-oriented, more powerful e-motors with a rear-wheel bias. This would bring balance by pushing the vehicle from the rear.”

More Powertrains Coming to G90

Harrer also confirmed that the first model to carry the Magma nameplate will be the GV60. As for the flagship G90, he hinted at some notable updates on the way, including a broader range of powertrain options.

“We are currently enhancing the G90 with numerous ideas for new technologies, including digital experiences and improvements to ride quality, ” he said. We’re also looking forward to more powertrain variations, which go in tandem with our broader efforts to optimise our whole propulsion lineup encompassing electrified and hybridized solutions.”