GENESIS MAKES WAVES IN AUSTRALIA WITH DYNAMIC DEBUT AND NEW SHOWCASE OPENING
SEOUL, Feb. 7, 2025 — In less than a week, Genesis opened its largest retail space in Australia and delivered the global dynamic debut of the X Gran Berlinetta Concept at the renowned Bathurst track.
Here are the highlights.
The Genesis Sydney opening event on Jan. 29. Genesis has expanded its presence in Australia ever since entering the market in 2019, today running two flagship studios and five metro showcases.
Among the displayed vehicles at the opening event was the GV60 Magma Concept, marking the first time the model was shown in Australia.
Genesis Sydney goes beyond traditional car showrooms and embodies the brand’s Korean aesthetic philosophy emphasizing the “Beauty of White Space.”
Mike Song, Global Head of Genesis, told local journalists that the brand's aim isn’t restricted to sales. “We want to be recognized as a luxury brand that builds authentic connections with customers,” he remarked. “It’s not about selling one million or two million cars a year. We’re dedicated to building the brand in our own unique way — the Genesis way.”
The exterior of the Genesis Sydney showcase. Regarding Australia, Song noted that it’s a highly valuable market essential to the brand’s global success strategy. "With a deep-rooted motorsports culture and a consumer base that shows a strong interest in automotive technology and performance,” Song said, “Australia provides the perfect environment to effectively promote Genesis' high-performance models."
Jacky Ickx, left, a Belgian racing legend and Genesis Brand Partner, presented the winning trophy from his 1967 Bathurst 1000 victory to Bathurst Mayor Robert Taylor at the Bathurst racetrack on Jan. 30. Behind them, from left, are the X Gran Berlinetta Concept and the Ford Falcon XC V8, the car that Ickx drove to triumph 58 years ago. Delivered at the request of Ickx’s then-co-driver Allan Moffat, the trophy will be permanently displayed at the National Motor Racing Museum in Bathurst.
An iconic member of the high-performance Genesis Magma family, the X Gran Berlinetta Concept, featured at front above, was initially unveiled in December 2023, created as part of Polyphony Digital’s Vision Gran Turismo series. Before last week, it had never been seen in action. In the back is the GV60 Magma Concept, which made its dynamic debut on July 11, 2024, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, winning that year’s four-seater production car category in the Sunday Shootout.
“It’s not an easy place to drive racing cars,” Ickx said after completing several laps on the Bathurst racetrack in the X Gran Berlinetta Concept. “But it was an excellent decision to showcase Berlinetta here, as the Australian people have such a strong passion for Bathurst and motor racing. This place is truly one of a kind.”
After driving nearly 6,000 kilometers across the Saudi desert last month in the GV80 Desert Edition, Ickx said Genesis is undoubtedly taking bold strides into the unknown. “Even though Genesis makes luxury cars for the road, they still aim to have the energy and capability to perform on racetracks or in the desert,” he said. “What a privilege to be a part of that journey.”