Genesis G90 Wingback is Korea’s Wannabe Audi RS 6 Avant Fighter

Le Castellet, France—Talk about a surprise! During the media presentation leading up to the debut of the GV60 Magma on Thursday, Genesis design chief Luc Donckerwolke showed a group of automotive journalists including yours truly a secret build even the company’s PR folks in North America knew nothing about. It started as a designer's fantasy, but this car actually highlights the breadth of possibilities of the new Magma division, which will expand beyond the GV60—and EVs—in the coming years.

Called G90 Wingback, the production-like concept is directly derived from the G90 sedan. It retains the same 3,180mm wheelbase, but sports a very aggressive-looking wagon body style—or what the British might call a shooting brake—with a menacing front fascia, flared fenders, oversized wheels and quad tailpipes arranged in the style of those on the now-discontinued Lexus IS F. The impressive and splendid long-roof treatment is finished by a double spoiler and massive diffuser.

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The signature dual-line headlights and taillights make it easy to identify the G90 Wingback as a Genesis right at first glance despite the wild and unorthodox silhouette. The body-coloured, integrated roof rails are a cool touch but clearly just for show.

By the way, we received no technical information about this super wagon, which is finished in dark green and riding on huge 22-inch wheels. You won’t find it anywhere on the Genesis media website, either, as it was never meant to the revealed. Will further details be shared in the coming weeks or months? Possibly. Seeing the enthusiasm of the 150 or so journalists on hand, the company has to give us more.

For now, however, we can tell you that the G90 Wingback is fully operational and that behind the dark-tinted windows lies a fully equipped and meticulously detailed cabin. Oh, and the exotic growl we heard from the quad tailpipes sounded awfully like that of a V8 engine—not a twin-turbocharged V6 with an electric supercharger such as the one motivating the standard G90. The aggressive exhaust note and the beefier brakes suggest that Genesis hasn't simply redesigned the body and called it a day.

To be clear, the G90 Wingback is officially identified as a Magma model, as evidenced by the emblem on the front bumper and rear liftgate. Made up of two squares and a triangle in between, this new logo, while reminiscent of American Motors’, actually stands for Genesis Magma Racing.

One thing’s for sure: Genesis now has a serious option on the table to replicate the success of the Audi RS 6 Avant, BMW M5 Touring and Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid. All three of those have proven more popular than their sedan counterparts. We believe that a production model based on the G90 Wingback concept would definitely boost sales of the oft-forgotten G90 while making a strong statement about Genesis' performance capabilities.