The old cliché among automakers going racing is “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday,” because of the belief that victory at the track translates to success in the showroom. The plethora of modern motorsport events gives manufacturers a wealth of options for highlighting their products, ranging from grueling off-road events to the political drama of Formula One. Genesis, Hyundai Motor Company’s premium marque, is the latest automaker to test this concept by offering the first glimpse of the car the brand plans to take endurance racing “very soon.”
The newly released line drawing (above) of the racer reveals its sleek design. The image highlights the three curves that accentuate the front fenders, cockpit, and rear haunches. A vertical fin runs from above the roof to the tall wing at the back.
A Familiar Look
The Genesis LMDh shares elements from the 2024 Genesis X Gran Racer Vision Gran Turismo Concept (above) from the Busan International Mobility Show. One version of that car has a central fin that attaches to the rear wing, like on the upcoming endurance racer. The Gran Turismo Concept has a longer nose, but the muscular fenders also give it a resemblance to the real-life race car.
The Vision Gran Turismo Concept for the game uses a mid-mounted V6 engine with an electric supercharger, producing a total of 1,540 horsepower and 1,015 pound-feet of torque. Don’t expect the LMDh to be quite so potent because there is a balance of performance rules in endurance racing to keep things competitive.
In September 2024, Genesis revealed its plan to build a car to compete in the LMDh endurance racing class. “We have carefully analyzed LMDh and found it to be a natural fit for our motorsport ambitions and a valuable platform to drive the development of future mobility technologies for road cars,” the company said at the time.
More Mysteries
There are still no details available about the powertrain from the Genesis LMDh. The class rules stipulate the vehicles must have hybrid assistance, but there isn’t a mandated engine configuration. For example, the Le Mans-winning Ferrari 499P packs a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, but the Porsche 963 uses a twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8.
At the 53-second point in the video, there’s a brief audio clip of an engine. Assuming this is the LMDh car’s powerplant, it has a high-pitched, raspy note that should sound great on the track.
“We have nothing to lose. No hesitation, now we go forwards,” said Formula One legend Jacky Ickx in the new Genesis video (above). It’s a fair point because, with no history in this type of racing, the company doesn’t have the same amount of pressure on it that venerable endurance competitors like Ferrari and Porsche experience. Still, the Genesis LMDh project aims to win “as fast as possible.”
While the Genesis name is new in motorsports, Hyundai already has an extensive history in racing. It has years of experience in the World Rally Championship and various touring car series around the world.
Genesis isn’t saying where it plans to enter the LMDh car. The regulations mean that it could compete internationally in the World Endurance Championship, the North American IMSA SportsCar Championship, or in both series.
Don’t take the Genesis LMDh as a sign that the brand plans to launch a road-legal version. The rules don’t require manufacturers to build homologation specials for these machines. This is a vehicle solely for competing in the top levels of endurance racing. If anyone else wants to drive one, it would probably need to be in a video game.
TopSpeed’s Take
More competition in the top levels of motorsport is always welcome. This decision gives Genesis a stage to show off what the brand can do. Racing fans get another car to root for on the track.
Beyond the vague promise of the vehicle coming “very soon,” it’s unclear when Genesis plans to begin racing with this machine. Judging from the gradual release of details about the program, we should better understand the company’s strategy in 2025.
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