Hyundai Genesis: A Premium Challenger

Motoring Channel Staff - 9/January/2008

Detroit, America — Hyundai has achieved a huge amount in the last decade and a half, emerging as a 'cheap and cheerful' brand in early '90s to become 'reliable and respected' today.

But arguably it's biggest moment occurred at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show, when it officially launched it's first ever rear-wheel drive luxury sedan, the Genesis.

The new model is also being evaluated for Australian roads, and could be here by the end of this decade.

According to the company, it's goal is "to shatter premium automobile paradigms" with the introduction of its new flagship, which benefits from a range of premium features at a price which is expected to stun new car buyers. 

The fervour surrounding this new car - and it's sleek and sporty coupe cousin - are matching that of a brand-new Porsche or Ferrari. The hype is huge, and still building.

It's not surprising as the standard features list is extensive. Powered by either V8 or V6 engines, the new Korean-made luxury sports sedans will be fitted with 6-speed automatic transmissions and feature leather interiors, with soft-touch instrument panels USB/iPod auxiliary inputs, heated and cooled front seats, an automatic windshield defogger with humidity sensor and rain-sensing wipers, and even an electronic ultraviolet reflective leather steering wheel - the first of its kind in this segment - which keeps the wheel cool to touch in scorching sunlight (something Australian's will be familiar with during the summer months).

But will the feature-packed rear-wheel drive sedan ever come to Australia? 

There's certainly a place for it, as it could compete against the Holden Calais, Ford Fairmont, and some premium German cars, but Kevin McCann (director of sales and marketing at Hyundai Motor Company Australia) said it would be at least two years away.

"The Genesis is a great looking car and a very exciting prospect for Hyundai. If we were to launch it in Australia it would be post 2009," said Mr McCann.

Hyundai says that when the car launches in North America mid way through the year, it will have "capabilities and features comparable to $60,000 premium sedans" yet will be "offered at a starting price under $30,000".

While BMW and Audi probably won't be shaking in their boots just yet, you can be sure they'll be sending spies over to the Hyundai exhibit at the Detroit Auto Show to see what build quality and standard features are like. 

"While Genesis will compete for customers with cars like Chrysler 300 and Pontiac G8, our engineering benchmarks were Mercedes E-Class, Infiniti M, and Lexus GS," said John Krafcik, who is the vice president for product development and strategic planning at Hyundai Motor America. 

"Genesis provides a potent combination of performance, luxury, and value. We think it has the opportunity to be an extremely disruptive force in the large sedan and near-luxury segments," predicted Krafcik.

Lexus currently outsells the German luxury marques in North America and with Hyundai's quality and reliability reputation consistently in the top five (Lexus often takes top spot), it could poach a few sales from Mercedes, Audi, or BMW.

The Hyundai Genesis is based on a new "performance-driven rear-wheel-drive architecture" that provides lots of interior space. According to Hyundai, the Genesis "has more interior volume than Mercedes Benz E-Class and BMW 7-Series."

The car measures almost 5.0 metres long (4975mm) and around 1.9 metres wide (1890mm).

Boot space isn't class leading at 450 litres, and the new car uses high density steel in the frame to improve crash worthiness. This however increases kerb weight to a hefty 1,715 - 1,737kg for the V6 models. The specs for the V8 model have not been divulged, but expect the flagship 8-cylinder performance model to tip the scales at close to 1.8 tonne.

The two V6 engines on offer to American buyers will be the 3.3- and 3.8-litre V6 engines, codenamed Lambda. They output 193kW (262hp) and 213kW (290hp) @ 6200rpm, and 316Nm and 358Nm of torque @ 4500rpm respectively. The engines purport to deliver fuel efficiency of between 9.6L and 10L/100km.

As for the 4.6-litre V8 engine, Hyundai has not yet come clean with exact figures, but the concept version of the car that was shown inApril at the 2007 New York Motor Show suggests strong performance:

     Power: 270kW (368hp)
     Torque: 407Nm+ (300 lb. ft.+)
     Displacement: 4627cc
     Block: High pressure die casting aluminium block
     Cylinder head: Aluminium
     Valvetrain: Dual Over Head Camshafts (DOHC)
     0-60 mph: (96km/h): under 6.0 seconds
     Top speed: 130mph (209km/h) restricted

The V8 engine will be coupled with a German-made ZF 6-speed automatic, while the two V6 engines will be paired with Japanese-built Aisin 6-speed autos.  Interestingly, Hyundai claims that unlike many competitors and most premium sedans, it achieves more 270 kilowatts using regular unleaded fuel which is a "further demonstration of Hyundai’s commitment to value." 

Furthermore, Hyundai is claiming the 4.6-litre V8 engine will produce "more horsepower and torque than the powerplants found in Lexus GS450, BMW 750i, Audi A8 and Infiniti [Nissan] M45 and has more horsepower per liter than any of its V8 competitors." 

Best of all, the Korean car maker has even hinted that it may turbocharge the V8 engine, offer larger versions and possibly add hybrid technology: "The Tau engine is built with flexibility for the future. Future Tau [V8] variants may offer larger displacement, forced induction options and other technology enhancements."

Other features that will be part of the new Hyundai Genesis include electronic stability control (ESC), no less than eight air bags, adaptive front xenon headlights that swivel to illuminate round corners at night, and a Lexicon-branded state-of-the-art audio system featuring LOGIC 7 technology. 

There's currently only one other vehicle in the world that uses this premium audio system that comprises a 12-channel digital amplifier and a mind boggling 17-speakers producing more than 500 watts of sound in 7.1 discrete audio. That other vehicle is the Rolls Royce Phantom.

The suspension system is also state-of-the-art, featuring shock absorbing technology used in BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz models. With Amplitude Selective Dampers (ASD) that allow for "tuning flexibility at smaller damper displacements" the ride and handling are expected to be suitably luxurious.

As well as the advanced suspension and interior features, the Hyundai Genesis range will be fitted with eight ultrasonic sensors (located on the front and rear bumpers) which make parking easier by determining how close objects are. A rear backup camera will be optional, anda radar based 'Smart Cruise Control' will adjust the vehicle's speed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead in the same lane without driver input.

In terms of the design, there have been many parallels drawn between the Hyundai Genesis and BMW 5 Series, and viewed from the side this comes as no great surprise. The silhouette is similar to the German premium car.

The front and rear ends of the car are less flattering, with styling cues that attempt to emulate European designs but come off looking slightly dated.

Listed below in point form are some of the technologies that will debut on the new Hyundai Genesis:

•    Electronic active front head restraints
•    Electronic Stability Control
•    Eight airbags
•    Heated / cooled seats
•    High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps with adaptive leveling
•    Adaptive Front Lighting System
•    Push-button start
•    Navigation with backup camera
•    Electric parking brake
•    Standard Bluetooth technology
•    iPod/USB auxiliary inputs
•    6-speed transmissions
•    HD Radio receiver
•    XM Satellite Radio with NavTraffic
•    Lexicon Discrete Surround Audio Systems
•    Automatic windshield defogger with humidity sensor
•    Rain-sensing wipers
•    Smart cruise control
•    Five-link front and rear suspension
•    Tau V8 engine (4.6-litre)

Related Articles:
- Hyundai Concept Genesis Coupe (2009)
- Hyundai i30 (Road Test)
- Hyundai Santa Fe (Road Test)
- Hyundai Getz (Road Test)
- Hyundai Tucson
- Hyundai Vera Cruz
- Hyundai Elantra