When Genesis pulled the covers off the Magma GT in November and the X Skorpio just last month, it was hard not to be impressed. Here’s a still nascent luxury brand finally doubling down on performance, adding a little spice to the lineup to back up its new efforts on the racetrack. The brand is floating multiple flavors of the Magma GT after all, before even having sold one, while it’s already confirmed that it will produce the X Skorpio Dakar machine in limited numbers for wealthy buyers in the Middle East. Both concepts also seemed to be in running shape, surprisingly, at a time when most automakers roll out static mockups to wow the press and public before anything material exists.
It all sounded too good to be true—which is why, according to a stunning new report from Motor1, it very well might’ve been. The website, citing an anonymous “source close to the matter,” put forth the possibility that both the X Skorpio and Magma GT are really just other vehicles under the skin. In the X Skorpio’s case, it’s said to be a Local Motors Rally Fighter. But the latter is more eye-opening, because it’s alleged that the Magma GT is actually just a C8 Corvette wearing different clothes.
We’ll concentrate on the Magma GT/Corvette link, as that would be the more egregious “borrowing” here for a variety of reasons. Per Motor1, both cars appear to wear the same TPC-spec Michelin front 275/30ZR20 and rear 345/25ZR21 tires made by the supplier for GM. Both cars have front radiators positioned in the same way. And both cars have rear subframes with mounting points that line up.
Genesis didn’t discuss the Magma GT’s powertrain much other than to say it’s packing a twin-turbo V8, a motor the company currently does not make, that we briefly heard during the car’s reveal. Our man Jerry Perez was actually on the ground for the festivities. Listening to the concept’s engine note (timestamped below) and that of a stock Stingray’s LT2 side by side, all I’ll say is that I think I hear it.
Magma World Premiere | 풀 영상 | 제네시스
The report also draws a similarity between the C8 Vette’s notably pronounced central driveline tunnel and what little we can see of the interior of Genesis’ supercar. The C8’s cabin is shaped in such a way because Chevy also uses the tunnel’s space for the hybrid models’ battery packs. Again, visibility here is limited, and Genesis has released no pictures of the Magma GT’s cabin, so it’s harder to explore this likeness in greater detail.
And then there’s the case of the X Skorpio. For this particular vehicle, I just assumed Genesis converted a trophy truck into something a little prettier and more luxurious. But the Rally Fighter, developed by a company called Local Motors that no longer exists, also has a few things in common with Genesis’ machine. Motor1 draws attention to both vehicles’ overall proportions, rear control arms, and intake manifold configurations, which can be observed through their front wheel wells.
Again, Genesis has been direct about its intentions to sell the X Skorpio in a very limited capacity. If that’s their plan, and if this report is indeed true, would they simply acquire some of the 50 or so Rally Fighters that Local Motors built before shutting its doors? Who can say? For what it’s worth, the Rally Fighter’s engineering was open-source, and the CAD data for the vehicle is public, obviously quite unlike the Corvette’s case.
Genesis hasn’t yet shared anything of significance about the allegations regarding either vehicle. A U.S. spokesperson apparently told the publication of the Magma GT, “We do not have details to share regarding platform and powertrain at this time.” The Drive has reached out to a Genesis representative in case it has anything more to say. Meanwhile, when Motor1 inquired to GM to get their reaction, one of its spokespeople simply said, “It’s not anything we worked on…”
If there’s legitimacy to any of this, it’s safe to say it wouldn’t be the greatest look for Genesis. Again, plenty of modern concept cars are non-functional design bucks. While that can be frustrating for enthusiasts, in this age of it being trivial to render anything with computer graphics in zero time, the status quo makes sense. Why bother with the expense and resources to make something actually work when the only track most concepts are destined for is the auto show circuit?
Supposing that this is all true for argument’s sake, had Genesis just used Corvette underpinnings to prop up the exterior styling of a future, production-intent supercar, I don’t think it would’ve been that big a deal. There must have been plenty more concepts than we’ll ever know about that have taken that form over the years.
But the thing is, Genesis had the Magma GT drive out, with its V8 rumble, onto a stage under its own power at the brand’s event at the Paul Ricard circuit in France late last year. That signals a degree of “we actually did the thing!” that, frankly, I don’t think the company deserves to claim or profit from if it merely bought a Corvette and replaced the body. Even if that body is a billion times prettier than the C8’s. (Sorry, somebody had to say it.)
In any case, true or not, we will be snacking on some popcorn as we watch this all play out. And look—wouldn’t it be best for everyone if Genesis and Cadillac just worked this beef out at Le Mans?
Copycat or just coincidence? Let us know what you think in the comments below.