• Hotter than lava – Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Concept will make its global dynamic debut at Mount Panorama with legendary driver and Bathurst 1000 winner Jacky Ickx at the wheel 
• The X Gran Berlinetta Concept headlines the Genesis Magma program, marking the brand’s expansion into high-performance vehicles
• Also hitting the track at Bathurst will be a star of Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024, the Genesis GV60 Magma Concept
• Genesis will enter the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2026 and IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2027

Jacky Ickx

Frankfurt, Germany, 7 January 2025: Motor racing legend Jacky Ickx will return to Mount Panorama for the first time since his 1977 Bathurst 1000 victory, driving the Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Concept in its global dynamic debut.

The stunning Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Concept will thrill the crowds at the Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race (31 January – 2 February 2025), as Jacky Ickx gets behind the wheel for a series of spirited demonstration laps across the weekend.

This will be the first time anywhere in the world that the X Gran Berlinetta Concept will be seen on track.

The Concept was first shown at the 2023 Gran Turismo World Series Finals in Barcelona, Spain. It was created as part of Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo series and has been available to race in the game since January 2024.

A high-performance showcase

The Genesis GV60 Magma Concept will also be demonstrating its capabilities at the Bathurst 12 Hour, having secured the fastest four-seater production car title at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed 2024. A hugely impressive achievement in what was the car’s global dynamic debut, GV60 Magma Concept took an impressive 16^th place overall in the weekend’s Shootout.

GV60 Magma is set to enter production later this year, becoming the first Genesis Magma model to go on sale. Genesis ultimately aims to develop a high-performance Magma variant for all production models, comprehensively enhancing aesthetics and performance across the lineup.

The perfect partnership

Known within the world of Genesis as the “Gentleman Disruptor”, brand partner Jacky Ickx is the perfect collaborator as the premium Korean brand launches its high-performance Magma program. 

Ickx has an epic and enduring motorsport career that spans more than six decades, starting out racing motorcycles in 1960 before accelerating into the world of Formula One in 1967, winning eight races and scoring 25 podiums.

The Belgian simultaneously tackled the world of endurance racing, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans a record-breaking six times, and in 1977 achieved his famous Bathurst 1000 win on his circuit debut, co-driving for Alan Moffatt in the mighty Ford Falcon XC V8.

Head of Genesis Motors Australia, Justin Douglass, said he was beyond thrilled to have such a luminary of motor racing on hand for the dynamic debut of the X Gran Berlinetta Concept, and exclusive track appearance of the GV60 Magma concept.

“With his phenomenal achievements over many years, his unique knowledge and a contributing strong desire to influence the automotive landscape, Jacky aligns perfectly with our brand,” Douglass said.

“As a prominent figure who has been consistently ingrained throughout the evolving automotive performance landscape over the years, it is an honour to have Jacky on board to help shape the future of Genesis.”

For his part, Ickx is excited about tackling the Mountain again, more than 40 years after his victory at one of global motorsport’s most iconic races.

“I have always admired Genesis for its cultured elegance and design aesthetics and sincerely believe in a relationship that is founded on authenticity and admiration for each other,” he said.

“I have also long admired Mount Panorama at Bathurst as one of the world’s great motor racing venues, and I can’t wait to put the incredible Genesis X Gran Berlinetta through its paces, for all the world to see.

“What I loved the first time was the atmosphere of Bathurst, it’s very special. The people are really passionate for motor racing. The success of the event is created by the public and the spectators and that was what was so nice about Bathurst.”

A commitment to motorsport

Genesis recently announced its intention to enter the world of endurance motorsport with the launch of Genesis Magma Racing team and will compete in the prestigious World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2026, followed by the IMSA SportsCar Championship (IMSA) in 2027.

This exciting venture will put Genesis on the world’s most challenging tracks, showcasing the brand’s engineering expertise and endurance capabilities, bringing the Genesis’ ‘Athletic Elegance’ design philosophy to the world of motorsport.

By entering the LMDh sports prototype category, Genesis joins an elite group of manufacturers vying for success on the world’s most prestigious racing stages. Iconic endurance events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Daytona 24 require teams to balance peak performance with durability and efficiency, testing both machinery and drivers to their limits.

About Genesis

Founded in South Korea, Genesis offers premium cars with a luxury experience and is committed to delivering an exceptional service to its customers. From its European headquarters in Frankfurt, Genesis Motor Europe operates in Germany, Switzerland and the UK. Since launching in Europe in 2021, the brand has received multiple company and product award wins across all three markets. 

The Genesis range includes three dynamic pure electric models as well as the most recent addition, Genesis G90, the brand’s flagship luxury saloon. Central to Genesis’ identity is the distinctive design language of ‘Athletic Elegance’, blended with the very latest technology to deliver state-of-the-art customer features. Genesis is dedicated to a sustainable future and aims to become a carbon net zero by 2035. 

For more information about Genesis and its definition of premium, please visitwww.genesis.com.