Genesis takes on Le Mans 24 Hours in push to expand in Europe

(Hyundai Motor Group)

Genesis, Hyundai Motor Group’s premium vehicle brand, signaled its renewed push into the European market by competing in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race and doubling its market footprint in the region. The move is part of a broader strategy to strengthen its high-performance image and accelerate brand growth in Europe.

The company announced Sunday that its racing division, Genesis Magma Racing (GMR), participated in the LMP2 class of the Le Mans 24 Hours that took place from June 14th to 15th, 2025, in France. The LMP2 class is one of several categories within the race, which is also a round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC).

Unlike the Hypercar class, where manufacturers are free to develop proprietary engines, LMP2 is designed to minimize performance differences between teams, making it ideal for initial participation and testing. Genesis described the 2025 entry as a stepping stone ahead of its planned debut in the top-tier Hypercar class in 2026.

The Le Mans 24 Hours is one of the world’s most prestigious motorsports events and the most prominent endurance race. It requires teams to operate a single vehicle continuously for 24 hours under extreme conditions, making it a powerful stage to showcase automotive performance and reliability. For European consumers, particularly those interested in high-performance vehicles, participation in this event is often seen as a key benchmark when evaluating brands.

Hyundai Motor Group President, Chief Design Officer, and Chief Creative Officer Luc Donckerwolke said in a media briefing that motorsport experience and technology will be applied directly to Genesis’ production models.

Genesis also plans to more than double the number of European countries in which it operates, expanding from the current three – Germany, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland - to seven. New markets include France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. In these new countries, Genesis will focus on selling its electrified lineup, including the GV60, the electrified GV70, and the electrified G80.

The expansion aligns with Europe’s stringent environmental regulations. Despite recent delays in electric vehicle transition timelines, the EU still plans to ban the sale of internal combustion engine vehicles from 2035 onwards.