We are running pretty hard through the twists and turns of the Sespe Gorge and over the 5,100 foot pass through the Caliente Range-in the very lap of silent luxury. As the tires approach their limits, even the Dunlop grip is silent. Acceleration is robust and soundless. What is this thing?!! A Hyundai. Really!

Rushing up the San Jacinto Reyes Scenic Byway (California 33) is a tradition with southern California sports car and motorcycle fans. It is a challenge at any speed and the more you ask of your machine the more it asks of your talent–and judgment; Route 33 is ruled by production European machines and Asian tuner cars. Hyundai isn’t a name one hears in the regular gathering zones. A Tiburon may appear from time to time. They are cool in spite of limited performance perceptions among the zealots. The artful coupes are better than that, but the Hyundai name remains a mask over real quality. Until now.

The 2009 Genesis represents Hyundai’s exodus from cheap, amusing sedans and inexpensive, if handsome, SUVs, Veracruz accepted, as its corporate norm. Since the company’s recent much publicized decision to move its corporate perception onto a new plateau, the products have both lived up to the promotion and delivered profit to the dealers. Even those retail outlets have been compelled to raise their public presence with a new, Bauhaus-moderne corporate facade.

A luxurious Hyundai sport sedan (hmmm) would have been a tough sell–until July of 2008. Now the word is out. The Genesis introduces so much to the Hyundai brand in one fell swoop that the mind boggles. A 100,000-mile warranty underscores Hyundai’s perception of its own ability to deliver on the marketing surge, and with that promise is the reality that the company, together with Kia, is now the fifth largest auto manufacturer in the world; ahead of Honda and Nissan.

The base Genesis is far beyond what that word implies. Most interior appointments are matched for both the V6 and V8 models. Only the feature package differs. Both include all the current luxury car tech: proximity key, airbags everywhere, leather seats with all over the place electric adjust and heat, fully automatic climate control, auto-dim lights and mirror, Bluetooth and iPod/USB and auxiliary input jacks. But the V8 includes a Lexicon (previously exclusive to Rolls Royce) 15-speaker sound system, the ones we had were equipped with a big screen nav system that was universally loved, a power rear sunshade, and a power adjust, wood-rimmed steering wheel.

The steering is as eloquent in its communication as the best of the Germans and the NVH and soundproofing is as good as the best from Japan. The ultimate Japanese product group created a sensory deprivation chamber for all passengers, including the driver. It then introduced an electronic simulation of what the engineering staff research suggested steering loads and surface communication should feel like. But it was never much loved by performance drivers and that group remained steadfastly devoted to the German manufacturers with decades of motorsport and high performance road expectations in their development programs.

Hyundai accomplished a remarkable ride and handling chassis with honest steering wheel communication–right out of the box. How’d they do that? We asked project engineer Michael Dietz.

“The design was done in Korea at the sparkling new, state-of-the-art design center in Namyang, with regular design reviews from both our American and European design staffs. That was also true for the chassis development you asked about. Sachs in Germany was directly involved in suspension design and tuning. There were Sachs engineers at the Hyundai Kia America Technical Centers in Irvine, California, and Superior Township in Michigan every few weeks to finish the five-link geometry, springs and Sachs ASD amplitude adaptive damping details. Wendell Collins was our lead chassis engineer and we are very proud of what he accomplished. The final set up includes a 35mm anti-roll bar at the front of both models and 18mm rear bar for the V8 and 17mm for the six. TRW co-developed our electro hydraulic power steering components and I saw a lot of the country during the testing and refinement process. I would be driving with two TRW engineers in the car with laptops making incremental changes in the programming.”

The power steering is a hydraulic system with adjustable valving and powered by an electric motor that takes one element of power drain off the engine.

Genesis’ entry level 3.8-liter V6 is a modern DOHC delivering 290 horsepower with a mid-range torque of 264 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm that makes everyday driving effortless, and there is a weight advantage that makes it a strong competitor to its upscale sibling. The DOHC V8 edition produces 375 hp at 6,500 revs and 333 lb-ft of torque at 3,500 from 4.6 liters, but has to carry 264 additional pounds, mostly on the forward end of the chassis.

Both engines are essentially new. The six is the second generation of Hyundai’s Lambda engine, but is mostly new, and the V8 is a corporate first that uses some of the V6 engineering and components. Both include a dual stage intake system along with variable valve timing for clean performance throughout the rev range. The six uses Hyundai’s Aisin-sourced B600 transmission and a sporting Shiftronic gate. The V8’s torque required a shift to a ZF 6HP26 automatic that also makes use of the manual Shiftronic mode. On the track the manual mode was not as quick as some of the recent paddle shift Europeans, but it worked well and was the equal of the best of the journalists at the limit.

Curious is the engine data panel that includes performance figures for both premium and regular fuel. The V8 power goes from 375 to 368 by lowering the octane rating from 91 to 83 and the torque is only reduced by 9 lb-ft. So Hyundai’s focus on inexpensive ownership remains intact, even with a beautifully finished, high performance luxury sedan. The V8 delivers fuel consumption of 17 city and 25 highway while the V6 delivers 18 and 27 respectively; acceptable numbers for a modest mid-size sedan, impressive from a very luxurious high performance car.

The car was a surprising delight on the track. With 4-wheel, 4-channel, 4-sensor ABS and EBD (electronic brake-force distribution) switched as near to off as it would allow, the car was nearly as much fun as a Miata. It could be pitched into dramatic slip angles and brought back with a slight lift of the power pedal. It never seemed out of reach. The V6, with its P235 /50R 18 Dunlops (standard on the V8 and optional with the V6) allowed soft limits and easy return. You could feel the scrub of rubber on pavement, but very little sound until they were well over the limit.

Repeated hard runs up to tight corners had no affect on the “big _ _ _ brakes.” Ventilated front rotors were 12.6-in diameter on the six and 13-in on the eight. Rears were the same on both, with solid 12.4-in discs.

Hyundai has delivered a surprise. The company promised to raise its own bar for both quality and reliability, but no one expected this. It is a very difficult car to criticize. It has a larger interior than a BMW 5 Series and is best in class in every quantifiable target. The corporate exodus from cheap and amusing is well underway with a Genesis to lead the new line of less expensive and exceptional.

Source: Automobile.com

Unless you’ve been living in a mine deep in the hills of West Virginia, Hyundai’s newest addition isn’t coming to you as a surprise. Around these offices, we’ve been anticipating the rear-wheel-drive Genesis platform and its offspring of luxury sedan and performance coupe for years. While we’ll have to continue waiting for the eagerly-anticipated 2010 Genesis Coupe, we’ve just taken our first drive in the elegant 2009 Hyundai Genesis sedan.

Hyundai would like you to consider the Genesis a competitor to an exhaustive list of cars. The targets reportedly include the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, S Class, BMW 5-Series, 7 Series, Infiniti M, Lexus GS, Chrysler 300C, Lexus ES350, Pontiac G8, and Cadillac STS. After a day behind the wheel over road and track, we whittled it down to a much shorter list. In one breath, the Genesis will simply compete head-to-head with the Infiniti M, Lexus GS, Lexus ES, Acura TL, and Acura RL. The German buyers want their badge; the American customers are true to their flag.

Taking design cues from the best of the best, the Genesis looks like the offspring of a tryst between a 7 Series, LS430, S-Class, and an Infiniti M. Engaging at first glance, yet completely unidentifiable from the badgeless front end, Hyundai designers put it all together in a very clean yet decidedly conservative package that emits a fair amount of luxury without looking… um, Korean.

Two different Genesis models will roll into showrooms this year. The standard model is the Genesis 3.8 featuring a six-cylinder powerplant and a base price of $32,250. Under its aluminum hood is a 3.8-liter V6, mated to an Aisin B600 6-speed automatic transmission. The powerplant is rated at 290 hp and 264 lb-ft of torque (EPA fuel economy ratings of 18/27). The Genesis 3.8 tips the scales at 3,748 pounds and scoots to 60 mph in a decent 6.2 seconds.

The flagship Genesis 4.6 model offers an eight-cylinder powerplant with a base price of $37,250. Displacing 4.6 liters, the engine is mated to a ZF 6-speed automatic. The V8 is rated at 375 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque (EPA 17/25). With a curb weight of 4,012 pounds, the Genesis 4.6 sprints to 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds.

Whether you choose the six- or eight-cylinder model, both Genesis sedans feature heated leather seating, fully automatic HVAC, Bluetooth hands-free phone, and iPod/USB jacks as standard equipment (to match the upgraded standard equipment on the Genesis 4.6 with a Genesis 3.8 model, simply order the Premium Package).

The Technology Package adds navigation, satellite radio, adaptive HID headlamps, and parking assist to both models. According to Hyundai, a nicely equipped Genesis 3.8 will run about $35,000. With all option boxes checked, a loaded Genesis 4.6 tops out at about $42,000.

As the doors unlock with the standard proximity key, the Genesis sedan welcomes driver and passengers into a very inviting cabin. Soft leather envelopes the seats, door panels, and dashboard, while LED interior lighting (emitting a brighter and whiter light) illuminates the cabin at night. Wood and aluminum inlays complete the package without appearing garish or out of place. The interior quality of materials didn’t simply meet our expectations, they exceeded them.

Sliding our six-foot two-inch frame behind the power-operated tilt/telescoping wheel, we found a comfortable driving position within seconds. The driver’s visibility outward and to the primary back-lit instrumentation is good, as is the proximity to all of the controls on the steering wheel and dash. Just behind the shifter is the now-obligatory infotainment control wheel, falling readily to hand. If we had to nitpick the cabin, we’d point at the climate controls below the radio/NAV display. In contrast to the round volume knob on the audio system, the HVAC offers a non-intuitive pad of flush silver buttons.

With a push of the start button, our Genesis 4.6 came to life. It quickly settled to idle with only the slightest hint of vibration that it was even running. An exhaust note was non-existent. With the transmission in drive, we dodged the morning commuters on our way out of Santa Barbara. Hyundai pointed us towards Buttonwillow Raceway Park, a popular club racing destination several hours away that would require us to trail through the coastal mountains before dropping down into California’s Central Valley. We couldn’t help but think a race track was an odd destination for this large luxury sedan.

Compared to its German rivals (both sporting MacPherson suspension designs in the front and multi-link in the rear), the Genesis matches Lexus with a multi-link set-up fore and aft. Like its Lexus competition, the ride of the new Hyundai is soft and very comfortable. Thanks to an impressively stiff chassis (more rigid than the 5 Series, E-Class, and LS 430) and lightweight aluminum suspension components, it takes bumps and potholes in stride. However, if the vehicle is faced with a set of rhythmic dips in the road, the softly sprung Genesis gently porpoises a bit more than expected. At legal speeds it was hardly noticeable. However, in excess of about 85 mph it became unsettling. While the spring rates seemed adequate, increased damping would stabilize everything in the easily attained triple digits. Of course, the engineer’s compromise on shock valving gave the Genesis a buttery-smooth ride on all but the most undulated roads. Let the Germans keep their occasionally harsh rides to themselves, the Genesis is a luxury car.

The Korean automaker paid careful attention to aerodynamics and wind management. A low drag coefficient (Cd of .27) and an acoustically laminated windshield and front side windows keep the passengers extremely isolated. Independent testing says the Genesis equals the serenity of the Lexus LS 460 over rough pavement, and our ears believed it. It’s what you don’t hear in the Hyundai that matters.

The hushed cabin was the perfect environment to enjoy the premium 528-watt Lexicon sound system and its 11-channel digital amplifier… or so we thought. After adjusting tremble, bass, fader, equalizer and surround mode, we couldn’t get the 17 speakers to vibrate in pleasant harmony. Far from decent FM reception, and without a CD in pocket, we were forced to listen to metallic-sounding satellite radio during our drive, or sing old television tunes. We chose neither.

Arriving at the Buttonwillow track, Hyundai had set up three different challenges for us. The most interesting, and sure to embarrass the luxury-oriented Genesis, was the track course. So, we took it first. With our only instruction to “safely stay on the track,” we were offered freedom to flog both the six- and eight-cylinder models repeatedly. With a bit of apprehension, we grabbed a helmet and a V6 model shod with all-season tires. Knowing it was going to get ugly fast, we left the stability control engaged. To our disbelief, the Genesis did fairly well where the big boys play.

All-season tires slide on a warm track like Crisco on a hot skillet. Without much grip, and soft underpinnings, the Genesis initially rolled like a ship… and then it surprised us by settling down. The RWD chassis and respectfully balanced weight distribution (52:48 on the V6) kept the car relatively stable on the curves as the tires howled and cried in protest. The more powerful V8 didn’t help lap times either. In fact, with more weight over the front wheels (54:46 split); it frustratingly pushed over the front tires (demonstrating understeer) more than its lighter sibling. On both vehicles, the ESC was relatively unobtrusive until the vehicle was in a stupid angle in relation to the intended direction of travel. The brakes, beefy four-piston units that bit hard and consistently lap after lap, were the highlight of the track exercise. As expected, it was far from enjoyable tossing either sedan back and forth through the corners of a road course, but Hyundai had made its point – the “Genesis chassis was certainly up to the task.

The second comparison was a cone-laden slalom pitting each Genesis sedan against a Mercedes-Benz E350. Held in first gear with the stability control defeated, the two Koreans wagged themselves back-and-forth in quick, if not pretty, fashion without tagging a single cone. The German, refusing to stay in a throttle-controlled low gear, followed a bit slower, but just as precisely. Each was out of its element, but it was fun watching chunks of rubber fly off the tires.

The final comparison took place on an unused straight-a-way. It was essentially a “drag race” between the Genesis 4.6 and a BMW 750i. As expected, the lighter and more powerful Genesis won each time.

Leaving the track-terrorized sedans at Buttonwillow, we grabbed a fresh set of keys and drove back to Santa Barbara in a Genesis 3.8 model. Although it was down 85 horses to the V8, the 3.8 model effortlessly passed heavy trucks on the mountain passes. The car was quiet and comfortable for the 150-plus mile ride back to the hotel. While our enthusiast blood naturally migrates towards larger cylinder counts, we couldn’t help but feel the V6 is more than enough engine for this vehicle’s luxury mission. Hyundai, expecting 80% of buyers to choose the Genesis 3.8 model, agrees with us.

Two decades ago, few would have bet that a Japanese economy-car manufacturer would ever dominate the North American luxury-car market. Toyota proved everyone wrong with its picture-perfect introduction of the Lexus brand the following year. While this Korean automaker is as determined – and as financially capable – as its Japanese counterparts, the question isn’t about product. This time, it is about perception and timing. With its first world-class luxury sedan rolling into showrooms later this month, Hyundai’s bold venture is about to be placed in the hands of the consumer.

Source: AutoBlog

The story of what’s underneath — and inside — the Hyundai Genesis is central to the story of the car and what Hyundai’s trying to do with it. The body-in-white of the Genesis has a larger total body area than the Lexus LS460 and Mercedes S-Class. Yet ten years ago, if we had asked you which carmaker would create a rear-wheel-drive V8 sedan with a body structure that is larger, yet stiffer and lighter than the 5-Series or E-Class, would you have guessed it would be Hyundai?

Of course, you probably wouldn’t have guessed that BMW would be selling all the MINIs it could make, or that Alfa Romeo would sell out a run of $200K supercars. The lesson: the games — plural — have changed for everyone. Follow the jump to find out how the Genesis is the spearhead of change for Hyundai and, if Hyundai gets its wish, the entire luxury segment.

Before we dive inside, we’ll start outside with the Genesis’ design. We remember seeing the HCD-1 in 1992, and thinking, “Wow, a Hyundai…” The stream of HCDs that followed have had us thinking the same thing — meanwhile, we saw almost none of their daring on dealer floors. We were showed slides of Genesis concepts during a presentation in Korea, and some were genuinely stunning. When we got the chance to speak briefly to the designer of the HCD-1, our question was why isn’t the Genesis a little bit… bolder?

The various answers we got from him and several other designers were that, essentially, the Genesis should be considered a test of the Hyundai Luxury System. They wanted a mainstream design that wasn’t extravagant and emphasized proportion, stability and dynamism. Success on all counts. It’s a good looking car — it’s simply not memorable. We were, though, told that a more distinct design vocabulary will come. For now, they don’t want to crash the party with something that will make people wonder, “Um, who invited that?”

A discussion of design led naturally to the issue of badging. We really like the winged Genesis badges, and couldn’t understand why Hyundai didn’t call the thing a Genesis instead of a Hyundai. A few readers have asked the same question, with one commenter nailing it when he wrote, “This is one of the best arguments for a separate brand. I think Hyundai really dropped the ball on this one. A Genesis line (Coupe, Sedan, Veracruz SUV) would make a killing.” Hyundai had considered that exact proposition.

There are a number of reasons why they didn’t follow through. Hyundai hired an outside consultant to estimate the cost of launching a standalone brand, and the number they quoted was $250 million, with a break-even point 13 years hence. For a company focused on delivering a lot for a little, and not selling cars at a loss, that’s a large number to spend in the unscientific arena of penetrating brand consciousness, which is what this would come down to. And we assume that is the necessary number only if the brand succeeds as intended; other standalone brands have spent much more than that to launch in the U.S. and, arguably, still haven’t met their objectives.

Beyond hard cash is the softer, marketing-driven reason: Hyundai of America’s marketing honcho said “We want to use the Genesis to sell 30,000 more Azeras.” When looking for the kind of association that will lead to that kind of sales impact, not creating a separate brand makes sense. A Nissan GT-R can be expected to help shift more 350Zs — certainly far more than the supposed Infiniti version of the GT-R would.

Hyundai wants you to think of the Genesis as a Hyundai, not a Genesis. Initially, in light of the branding, we didn’t realize that — the banners in Korea all read “Genesis by Hyundai,” not “Hyundai Genesis.” Once we understood the sales aspect, it made sense. The Genesis will be sold in a special area of a dealer’s showroom, described at one point as a “well decorated corner.” So it won’t be quite like the Maybach, but looking in that direction. Dealers are installing touch-screen kiosks called iTubes that will mirror information onto laptops, and getting copious tours and training on the car.

They’ll be rehearsing their lines to talk about some of the 20 new technologies that Hyundai created for the Genesis — things about which the typical Hyundai buyer isn’t used to hearing. They’ll also be talking up the segment advantages a buyer would get from what is supposedly a non-premium car. Among Hyundai firsts and segment advantages are:

* HID headlights with auto-leveling depending on the load, and Active Front Lighting that swivels with the steering wheel.
* Navigation with a multimedia controller and MOST fiber optic wiring.
* Parking sensors in front and back.
* Rear back-up camera.
* Brake assist and electronic brake distribution.
* Cooled driver’s seat.
* ZF 6-speed transmission in the V8.
* Sachs Amplitude Selective Damping (ASD) suspension.
* Acoustic laminated glass (windshield and front side windows).
* Auto windshield defogger with humidity sensor and rain-sensing wipers.
* Highest specific output (HP/liter) V8.
* Iridium double-tipped spark plugs good for the life of the engine.
* 5-link suspension with aluminum knuckles, lateral arms, tension arms, and carriers front and rear.
* Electronic active head restraints.
* Proximity entry with electronic pushbutton start.
* Aluminum hood.
* Replaceable “crash box” structures to absorb low-speed impacts and reduce repair costs.
* Roof and side outer panels fused with a continuous laser weld, not spot welding.
* HD radio.
* 500-watt Lexicon LOGIC7 audio system with 17 speakers, a 12-channel digital amplifier, and available 40GB hard drive.
* Three-stage Smart Cruise Control available after a year.

Speaking of that ZF 6-speed, sixth is geared to run laughably low RPMs — on the test track, the V8 was doing 3,500 RPM at 130 mph.

Otherwise, on the tech front, Hyundai has teamed with Microsoft to work on future car entertainment systems. According to Hyundai, things like voice-controlled connectivity between mobile devices will be available in the U.S. from 2010. The Genesis also has a “cluster ionizer” — but we didn’t press that button for fear it would zap us back to the scene of our parents’ courtship.

That’s a lot of gadgetry for a Hyundai. Or, Hyundai would probably like you to think that used to be a lot of gadgetry for a Hyundai. Some readers have made much of the troubles Hyundai had with the Excel. Yet if things had really been that thoroughly awful, Hyundai wouldn’t be here anymore. Forget about Yugo — anyone remember Renault, Peugeot, and Fiat?

During our time in Korea, we got a kick out of the story of Chung Mong-koo, Hyundai’s chairman. He headed Hyundai Motors’ after-sales service division for 20 years when the company was focused on volume more than quality. When he took over the company, he had long experience with the company’s quality problems and knew just what needed to change in order to make better cars.

Are there going to be issues? It’s certainly possible, as with any new car. But Hyundai was hitting the top three in J. D. Powers’ Initial Quality Survey back in 2006, and you get that five years of bumper-to-bumper protection with 24-hour roadside assistance, and that 10-year / 100,000-mile warranty… and $33,000 for the V6, come on — it’s a great deal on paper and continues Hyundai’s tradition of offering more car for less money. In this case, the Genesis is a lot more car.

Other tidbits from our time in K-town:

* The Hyundai Corporation comprises 42 companies, including rolling stock, parts, steel, construction, logistics, finance, R&D, and IT.
* The Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group (HKAG) is the world’s #6 automaker.
* Hyundai made its first car, the Pony, in 1967. Before that it built Ford Cortina and Granada kits imported from Europe.
* Hyundai motors has 6 R&D centers. It also has a proving ground that it “cribbed” from another automaker by looking at Google maps.
* Hyundai’s Ulsan, Korea factory is the world’s biggest by volume, putting out 1.2 million units annually.
* Last year Hyundai sold 1.7 million cars in Korea, 911,000 internationally.
* Iran and Egypt are the largest importers of Hyundais (build kits).
* In 2009 Hyundai will sell an Elantra that runs on LPG in Korea.
* Hyundai plans on having a fuel cell vehicle in production by 2010.
* On creating the Genesis: Hyundai got the idea for it five years ago; designing the body took three years; it cost $500 million to develop and included 23 months of development work; reliability testing ran for 800,000 miles.
* The Tau engine took 100 engineers four years and $260 million to develop.
* Technologies such as direct injection and air suspension were nixed for cost/benefit reasons.
* The Genesis is ULEV II compliant.
* There is no plan for a diesel Genesis in the near future, nor will the Genesis be going to Europe. The car will go to North America, China, and Russia.
* Hyundai is developing paddle shifters, but don’t expect them on the sedan any time soon.
* There is no 4-wheel-drive version planned.
* The guide lines on the reversing camera screen don’t turn when you turn the steering wheel.
* All workers in the paint, body, assembly, and quality departments of the Genesis factory have at least 19 years of experience.
* HKAG has 7 new vehicles planned for the US by 2010.
* Now that Hyundai and Kia each have their own designers, Hyundai is planned to be modern and refined, Kia will be sport and dynamic.
* In spite of the economic climate, Hyundai plans on adding forty new dealers to its U.S. network.

Source: AutoBlog

One thing was clear long before we first set eyes on the Hyundai Genesis premium rear-wheel-drive sedan prior to the April 2007 New York International Auto Show: the Genesis four-door phenomenon is only partially about driving the car.

This big Hyundai (not the smaller and rather unsurprising coupe replacement for the Tiburon, which is also inexplicably called Genesis) had better be ready for the toughest critics in the world to peel its business case apart like a pile of kimchi and analyze every bit of it for credibility. Hyundai has big notions of what the Genesis sedan can accomplish, and the company needs to convince a mess of people to jump on board. With the U.S. intended to buy just under 40 percent of all Genesis four-doors per year (more or less 30,000 units), this event is only slightly less important than Hyundai’s unassuming launch into the U.S. market in 1986 with the two-door Excel hatchback.

Following a really well-executed drive event and information download at the Hyundai–Kia proving grounds outside of Seoul, we feel honest in giving the bigger Genesis a solid eight out of ten score. We were allowed free rein through obstacle courses and around the high-speed 43-degree banked oval, and we did so back-to-back with not only the 375-horsepower Genesis 4.6-liter V-8 and 290-horsepower 3.8-liter V-6, but also with a 268-horsepower BMW 530i, 272-horsepower front-wheel-drive Lexus ES350, and 275-horsepower Infiniti M35. This all proved enlightening, to say the least. (We also have to mention that while being bussed to the drive location, we spotted a Maybach 62 in the heavily guarded R&D parking lot. Talk about your benchmarks.)

Project “BH,” as the upmarket sedan is called internally, started back in 2003. Our firsthand knowledge of BH dates back to late November 2005 when we were brought to the then new Namyang design center to eye the final three full-scale models and give our opinions and our pick. Turns out our pick was the version put forth by the Hyundai–Kia Engineering & Design Center in Irvine, California. And thank goodness that one won out in the end, because suffice it to say that the other two non-California versions were really dumpy. The California BH is handsome work from any angle, to our eyes representing a lot of what the BMW 5-series design should have been. We could do without the very Korean-taste gleaming grille treatment and slightly cheap-looking wheels, but the full package is hot stuff.

So, from the start of BH sightings and showings we’ve liked this car a lot from the outside. Having the Lexus, BMW, and Infiniti on hand, though, allowed us to get inside all four in quick succession and make our judgment. In short, the Genesis sedan’s interior wins in the balance. What we mean is that there are individual categories among the many where one of the other three cars beats the Genesis, but overall the Genesis interior feels like more of a whole and well-cared-for product. In every single passenger dimension you can think of, too, the Genesis gives more room without feeling at all bloated.

Most importantly, however, is the fact that we’re as much enamored of the inside as we are of the outside. Whereas BMW interiors are only now beginning to awaken from their deep gray funeral-parlor world, the Genesis is simply handsome and enjoyable to look at and live with. In the case of the Infiniti M35, the interior is fine but weirdly incongruous with the exterior form, especially with its swathes of wood veneer and the step effect of its dashboard. Lastly, the Lexus ES350 interior–despite the model’s popularity that in theory would indicate the opposite–is almost embarrassing in its dated un-handsomeness versus the really attractive Genesis approach.

Now, we drive. The first two hurdles were a brisk double lane-change and then a slalom set. This was a great baptismal, since it showed right away where the Genesis stands among these three competitors, or versus a Mercedes E350, Audi A6, and so on. BH chassis director Baeho Jeong and his team have done some excellent work balancing cushioning and dynamics. In this pair of tests the Genesis V-6 and V-8 proved themselves almost identical in feel to the 530i, the heavier V-8 approaching the sensations of a 550i. With the Genesis wheelbase at a class-leading 115.6 inches (overall length at 195.9 inches is roughly five inches longer than any competitors mentioned here), this agility was slightly surprising to us. The Hyundai dynamicists have incorporated aluminum steering and suspension knuckles, aluminum front link arms and brackets, a sophisticated five-link suspension geometry at all four corners (as on the Lexus), and a simple yet solid all-around Amplitude Selective Damping system. The best of the cars through these first two sections was definitely the Infiniti M35, though we are again left a little conflicted over the overall package and image of the Infiniti brand. At a glaring opposite end of the spectrum handling-wise was the Lexus ES, which was heavy and laborious through both the lane-change and slalom exercises. Hyundai engineers also confirm that the suspension feel for North America will be less soft than the Korean setup, so the final U.S. version may be even better than what we drove at Namyang.

Hyundai executives repeatedly mentioned that the Lexus was their chief benchmark target, with the BMWs a close second. All we can say, at least based on the Lexus ES present at the test, is that the Genesis out-handles and out-drives the ES quite easily. Then on the rough pavement section at the proving grounds, the Lexus on its factory-issued wheel and tire setup transmitted almost thunderous road noise to the cabin. While the ASD system of the Genesis works as well comfort-wise as the Infiniti or Lexus in a straight line or gentle curves while cruising, it is calibrated to a fairly unsophisticated rebound feel over bumps. The default damping on the 530i with its straight-six was noticeably the best of the bunch, though one would hope so at a base price tag approaching $50,000. Hyundai aims to bring the V-8 Genesis to the U.S. this summer starting at just under $40,000. The already satisfying 3.8-liter V-6 sedan, however, is our favorite bottom-line choice and set to begin at roughly $33,000.

Hitting the big high-speed oval at the R&D center shed yet more light on the Genesis sedan’s credentials. Both the V-6 and V-8 with outstanding six-speed ZF automatics are great cruising powerplants, the V-6 reaching 140 miles per hour after some waiting, the V-8 shifting to sixth gear right at 140 mph on its way up to a 155-mph v-max. While the V-6 idles at 625 rpm, and more quietly than any car in this class at just under forty-two decibels, under acceleration it shows (as the new V-6 in the CTS Caddie showed us) just how much harder it has to work to compete with V-8s. The new Tau 4.6-liter V-8 is right in range of the biggest players in this class so far as acceleration, responsiveness, cabin noise, and fuel efficiency are concerned (17 miles per gallon city and 25 mpg highway, according to the EPA; 19/27 for the V-6). The V-8 Genesis sedan also boasts a respectable 0-60 acceleration time estimated at 5.8 seconds. Initial dealer orders for the car in the States show a 70 to 30 percent V-8 to V-6 split, but Hyundai expects that to balance out over time to a 40-60 split in favor of the V-6.

Entering and heading through the steeply banked curves of the oval at top speeds on fairly sturdy standard eighteen-inch Dunlop tires, the Genesis required a slightly firmer hand at the wheel, with a little more steerage to the right required to stay on the perfect line. This is a sign of a lower-tech steering setup, but it is honestly not a black mark. How often will you be driving at 140 mph on a 43-degree banking for half a mile? Off the banking at tippy-top speed on the flats, either Genesis is a fine contender for any buyer in this part of the market.

Complementing the widespread use of aluminum (including the engine hood) and a consequent contained curb weight for its size of 3748 pounds (4006 pounds for the V-8), the Genesis boasts a heavily streamlined coefficient of drag of 0.27, which is top of its class. We noticed an acceptable level of wind noise off the front pillars and side mirrors. In addition, the extensive use of high-tech adhesives for joining chassis sections and sheetmetal is reflected in equally class-leading torsional and bending rigidity. NHTSA has just awarded the big Genesis a five-star rating, too, in all front and side impact tests. One particular luxo touch that we noted immediately is the substantial laminated windscreen and front window glass. Opening and closing the front windows is an absolutely silent operation a la Rolls-Royce. Genesis is also the first car for sale in the U.S. with major use of fiber-optic technology for onboard systems, reducing the complexity and weight of a traditional wiring harness.

As a side note, the Genesis sedan has been on sale in South Korea since January, and it had 10,000 advance orders when deliveries started. Customers are still willing to wait two months to get their car. By 2009, there will be a stretch version of the Genesis sedan (VI is the name internally) to replace the current and still popular Equus in South Korea, China, and the Middle East. The front-drive Equus with iron-block V-8 sells for the equivalent of $80,000 U.S. dollars and is the most expensive domestic car available. The Genesis four-door–stretch or normal–is by comparison a huge step up in the Korean premium image, and Hyundai is hoping this home market enthusiasm translates in more mature markets. Meantime, the BK Genesis Coupe we featured in the May 2008 issue of WINDING ROAD starts U.S. deliveries in early 2009.

And herein lies the challenge for the larger Genesis in the U.S. Are buyers for this style of car ready to see all the pluses this product obviously represents? Or will they automatically shell out the extra bucks and go for the Bimmer or the Lexus, unable to see past the Korean tradition in America of cheaper durable goods? The Japanese succeeded over a twenty-year period and are now conquerors. Hyundai has fewer funds to spend in support of such a long campaign in search of high-margin credibility, but it absolutely needs to take on the challenge or the Genesis effort will fizzle like a Volkswagen Phaeton or Ford’s Merkur franchise. A first step is to retrain Hyundai dealers and service people to be as top-notch as a Lexus or Mercedes store, not to mention dressing up the sales environment a bit. Then the residuals on Hyundais also need to improve significantly, a trend that has already begun.

In truth, what has led to the Genesis sedan being launched as a Hyundai flagship and not as its own brand is the sheer cost to adequately set up a luxury brand these days. When Hyundai finished the initial due diligence back in 2005, it projected a cost of $2.5 billion and then twenty years to actually turn a clear profit. General manager of the HHyundai North America team H.C. Kim and others tell us that once we’ve had three full years of Genesis sales in the U.S. that only then will the idea of a separate Genesis division be proposed with all the requisite number crunching and dealer input.

For now, we like what we see and enjoy what we’ve driven. A key marketing angle Hyundai wants to press home for the Genesis is that it approaches the size of a BMW 7-series in packaging, gives the performance of a 5-series, and costs the price of a 3-series. All true.

Source: Winding Road