We had a chance to drive several Hyundai Genesis Coupes this week at Hyundai’s launch event outside of Las Vegas. Our summary: The Genesis Coupe is both intriguing and confusing; kind of like a girlfriend you probably had once (or have now).

The basic car is an all-new design, done with the attention to detail that we saw on the much-praised Genesis sedan. But don’t let the name fool you; the Genesis coupe is not a Genesis sedan without the rear doors. Genesis, in Hyundai-speak, indicates a rear wheel drive car with premium aspirations. You can almost see Genesis being a sub-brand at the top of the Hyundai line.

The Genesis Coupe is a short car (182 in. long) on a long wheelbase (111 in.). Two engines are offered, a 3.8-liter V-6 with 306 horsepower, and a 2.0-liter turbo four, with 210 horsepower. You might be tempted to write off the turbo, but remember that intriguing bit? Well, the 2.0-liter is related to the 4B11 engine used in the much loved Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart and Evo X. The intriguing part is what Hyundai calls “scalable power potential”. Basically, tuners can increase the turbo boost level for more power and torque.

Hyundai also offers different packages with each engine. Essentially the three packages are Base, Premium/Grand Touring and Track. The Premium level gets you some luxury features and the Track gets you a more responsive suspension along with a limited-slip differential, better brakes (Brembo), and bigger tires.

We started our driving with the 3.8 Track model ($30,250) with manual transmission. More intrigue. The interior finish of the Genesis Coupe is to a high standard. The design is pleasant and the materials are of high quality. You won’t confuse it with an Audi, but you won’t confuse it with a Hyundai either. The seats are very comfortable, and we quickly found a good driving position.

More importantly for the driver, the body structure feels very solid. Hyundai used the last generation (E46) BMW M3 as a benchmark and built the Genesis Coupe to have 24% more torsional rigidity. You can clearly feel this, which is a good thing because you can’t really modify a car to solve problems with a flexible chassis. The structure also pays dividends in terms of ride quality and quietness.

The 3.8-liter V-6 sounds great as you run it through the rev range. The torque curve feels pretty linear and torque is modest to begin with (266 pound-feet at 4700 rpm), so this engine feels ample but not amazing in a 3389-pound car. While the shifter feels solid, it has wide gates, which make it notchy. We also thought it was placed a tad too far back and to the right of the driver.

The suspension calibrations on the Track model are about what you’d expect for a sport suspension on other cars. In other words, if you mostly drive on the street, there is no reason to avoid the Track model. Highways around Las Vegas are pretty smooth, so we couldn’t fully assess ride quality, but the Track suspension seems moderately firm, with good compliance. The long wheelbase and stiff structure worked well on those highways. Stability is good at 80-90 mph, and in this setting the Genesis coupe feels a lot like luxury coupes at more than 2X the price.

Even on the street, the Genesis Coupe Track is clearly set up to understeer at the margin. You can feel the rear roll a bit more than the front, which is a telltale sign of an understeer bias. 55 percent of the weight in the Genesis Coupe is on the front tires, as well, supporting that tendency.

On the track the understeer was more evident. The 3.8-liter Track is fun on a track (sounds right), but that isn’t its natural habitat. The car is easy to control and is great for practicing good race habits because it punishes overdriving. The track environment also revealed that Hyundai’s traction and stability control system is pretty aggressive. Fortunately, you can switch it completely off.

Not fully satisfied with the 3.8-liter on the track, we jumped in a 2.0T Track model, again with manual shift ($26,750). Switching to the turbo four removes 95 pounds from the car and it removes it in the right place–off the front end. You instantly feel this as you dive into the first hard corner. The 2.0T feels more balanced and rotates more willingly. If you’re really hardcore, the 2.0T could use a stiffer set-up with bigger roll bars (especially in back). But for quick street driving, this is a well-calibrated suspension.

The intriguing and confusing limitation of the 2.0T Track is the engine. This may share DNA with a Mitsu 4B11 deep down inside, but Hyundai has tuned the turbo and ECU for a much smoother torque curve than Mitsu would ever dream of. The result is that the 2.0T seems to have just adequate power. On a short track it isn’t bad, but on the street it lacks the character and fun that we think it could show. As a point of comparison, the Genesis Coupe 2.0T engine delivers 210 horsepower, while the Lancer Ralliart version musters 237. When it comes to torque (a better indicator of what you feel on the street), the Hyundai makes just 223 pound-feet, while the Mitsubishi is good for 253. Those differences aren’t huge at a little over 10 percent, but you feel it even though the Lancer Ralliart is about 150 pounds heavier. You really feel it because of the artful, non-linear way Mitsubishi ramps the torque curve. On the other hand, Hyundai delivers the Genesis Coupe with a 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty.

In our view, this leaves room for an uprated 2.0T version in the future. Hyundai may address that itself (the company knows that coupes need to be freshened regularly), but it also plans to let the tuner community pursue it. To that end, in the fall of this year, Hyundai will release a 2.0T R-Spec version. This has the Track model suspension, wheels, tires, Torsen LSD, and Brembo brakes. It deletes a bunch of small items (sunroof, xenon lights, power seat, Infinity audio, Bluetooth, Homelink, etc). And, instead of charging more for this basic performance model, Hyundai intelligently has taken $3000 off the MSRP, bringing the R-Spec in at $23,750. If you invest your $3000 savings in suspension and ECU upgrades, you could well have a very fun car. To make this really attractive, Hyundai needs to work with a few tuners to create a dealer-installed package that retains the factory warranty and which can be rolled into the financing for the car.

Walking away from a full day in these cars, we’d say that the Genesis Coupe has real potential. For our tastes the current lineup is too slanted toward middle-of-the-road smoothness and inoffensive behavior. This should go down well with first-car buyers, young women, and empty nester couples. But the basic car could eventually be tweaked to live up to the Track name, and tuners could do a lot with the basic elements on hand. We hope they do.

Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch
NextAutos.com

Oriental drifter: It turns, drifts, and stops on not too many dimes.

C’mon, really? Hyundai? No pedigree. No racing history. No factory museum filled with dusty glory machines. Yet here’s what Hyundai dares–dares!–to call the phosphorescent-Slurpee spill of paint on our Genesis coupe: Lime Rock Green.

Puh-leeze! Weren’t these jokers riding around on donkeys when Bob Sharp was running 240Zs at Lime Rock? There’s also Nordschleife Gray and Interlagos Yellow. On a Hyundai? They can’t be serious!

Uh, they’re serious. On sale since March, the Genesis coupe is a revelation, no pun intended. It’s a genuine yardage gain for the yin-yang team and a serious kink in the law dictating that rear-drive hoots must cost big bucks.

Is it HUN-dye, hi-WON-dye, or hi-YOON-day? (Around the factory, at least, it’s the latter). If we can’t concur on a pronunciation, let’s agree that Hyundai has come a long way. Lately, the workmanship has stood with that of the Japanese masters. The designs are fresh, and the dynamics have firmed up and flattened out.

Still, Korean culture works against a Hyundai sports car. Car guys are scarce in a homeland-come-lately to the auto age. Almost everyone drives thrift cubes–often white, always slow–and Korea only built its first racetrack, Everland Speedway about 35 miles south of Seoul, in 1993. In contrast, Japan has a high-performance heritage going back to the A6M5 Zero.

With Hyundai, it has always been about the price, and so it goes with the Genesis twins. The syrupy $33,000 sedan upon which the coupe is based dives for Lexus’s knees. The four-seat coupe also aims below the waist at competitors, with a 210-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four starting at $22,750 and a 306-hp V-6 at $25,750. The standard-equipment list is decent and includes a six-speed manual, power locks and windows, cruise control, stability control, a trip computer, and stereo auxiliary jacks.

The 2.0-liter turbo Premium and V-6 Grand Touring are the middle models, with leather, sunroof, and hot stereo, while the loaded Track version comes with all that, plus a stiffer suspension, Brembo brakes, limited-slip diff, and trunk spoiler. The V-6 Track runs $30,250, right where the foreign rivals start.

The base Nissan 370Z opens at $30,625, a poverty-trim BMW 128i, at $30,225. Only a strip-o Mazda RX-8 swings lower, at $27,105. The Genesis coupe is the first Asian to move into the neighborhood ruled by Mustangs, Camaros, and Challengers. As in the movie Gran Torino, we’re expecting fireworks.

Considering the price–always considering the price–Hyundai has bull’s-eyed the target, starting with specs that are right for enthusiasts. Firstly, it’s rear drive, the ne-plus-ultra credential for a sporty car. Also, the base 2.0-liter turbo offers wiggle room for tuners, the V-6 enough horsepower to satisfy if not electrify with its 5.7-second runs to 60 mph (all on regular gas!).

And there’s no shell game with the performance options. Six-speed manuals can be had with both engines, as can the Track equipment group. The V-6 gets a name-brand ZF six-speed automatic with paddle shifters (turbos get a five-speed auto made by . . . somebody). A harder-core R-Spec model is coming as basically a Track version cleansed of luxury bits. As you see, Hyundai is working to get this right.

Even after cutting 4.6 inches from the Genesis sedan’s wheelbase, Hyundai still had a plus-size form to clothe. The wheelbase is 10.6 inches longer than the new Z’s, and the body is 15.1 inches longer. There’s enough capsule space for a pair of folding back seats with decent legroom, though Hyundai opted–wisely, we think–to favor a foxy roofline over adult-rated rear headroom. Quarter glass that sags down for extra visibility also gives the coupe some graphic identity, as do the two scimitars for headlights. The fenders bulge alluringly with their big Bridgestones. However, Hyundai couldn’t resist pasting on a corporate Sonata grille that does little for cooling and even less for the coupe’s cunning visage.

About two years into the sedan’s five-year gestation, Hyundai started work on the coupe. Perhaps an inherited emphasis on cabin space explains why the coupe’s engine sits a little forward, straddling the front suspension. The best-handling cars aren’t nose heavy, and the coupe’s 55-percent front weight imbalance isn’t ideal–even though it’s very similar to the Z’s–especially when it’s 55 percent of 3480 pounds. Also, struts in the coupe replace the sedan’s pricier four-link front suspension.

All things considered, the coupe threatens to fumble the whole mission with la-di-da handling. But it doesn’t. Hyundai aces one of the critical tests: steering feel. Cornering forces load the wheel naturally, bumps twitch it, and a ratio tuned for snap-to quickness sharpens your aim.

Fitted with the firmer springs and shocks of the Track package, rolling and pitching is tamped down, but there’s just barely enough bounce to allow the suspension to work a rough patch without skittering. No, we’re not going to bemoan the rigid highway ride. This is the Track version, after all. Go for the base or the Grand Touring if you need more commuting cushiness.

Drifting glamour boy Rhys Millen demonstrates in the TV ads the stability control’s most interesting mode: off. The 3.8 has torque enough to whipsaw the coupe sideways–at least, with some provocation to overcome the inherent understeer. The other stability mode is “on,” which ends playtime PDQ. Hyundai either lacked the budget or the chops to program an intermediate stability setting. Perhaps on the next one.

Was it tactile authenticity the engineers sought in giving the clutch a Viking heaviness? Maybe. The stubby, short-throw shifter glides in a satisfying tight path from gear to gear. We’re told shift smoothness is thanks to triple-cone synchronizers on the lower ratios. The RS3800 V-6 (RS stands for “rear-drive sport”) doesn’t rank with the great voices of our age, but it punches back when stepped on and with a high-protein burble not unlike a Z’s.

Our 3.8 V-6 Track’s stats are healthy, but they are stomped on by the 370Z’s: 5.7 seconds to 60 mph against the Z’s 4.8 seconds. Skidpad pulls of 0.87 g to the Z’s 0.98. Braking distances are much closer, at about 160 feet, the coupe’s Brembos supplying solid, repeatable braking but with a flaccid pedal. We suspect flexing in the master cylinder causes the pedal softness.

Both the Genesis coupe and the 370Z are shod in summer rubber from Bridgestone, though the 332-hp Z wears them wider all around. And the Z weighs about a hundred fewer pounds. And comparing test cars, the Z costs about five grand more. Remember, with Hyundai it’s always about the price.

When it came to deciding between luxury accoutrements or go-faster parts, Hyundai says it always opted for the latter. A BMW-stiff body, a cross-tower strut brace in front, a Torsen limited-slip differential on Track versions, 18-inch standard alloy wheels, and the like were paidfor with some glaring austerity. Soviet-era hard plastics adorn the seatbacks, dash, doors, and rear-quarter trim. The Track’s driver’s seat is powered; the passenger’s is not, though, oddly, the trunk and fuel-door releases are electric.

There’s no sci-fi engine cover to hide the ugly wiring conduits and click-fit connectors underhood, and simple gooseneck arms instead of multilinks support the trunk. Hey, we’re merely pointing out that lunch continues to not be free. One item we wish Hyundai hadn’t cut is the telescoping steering column. Longer-legged drivers must reach for the wheel and shifter.

The low dash opens up forward vision. Despite the coupe’s bigness, the interior feels hand-in-glove cozy if lacking in luxury or gee-whiz design theatrics. Folding rear seats help make the 10-cubic-foot trunk more useful, even if there’s no hatchback to widen the narrow entry hole.

The Tiburon notwithstanding, Hyundai is an interloper in the sports-coupe arena. Its bloodline is defined by transport cubes and rent-me sedans and long warranties, the latter for reassuring newcomers lured by the low prices. Hyundai’s performance pedigree starts here, now, with this engaging, well-orchestrated Genesis coupe. And as at Lime Rock, a good start is critical.

BARRY WINFIELD

When I read that the Hyundai Genesis coupe was based on the fine Genesis sedan, I assumed it would share much of that car’s refinement and isolation. Then I drove the V-6 model, fast. Whoa, this thing is unexpectedly hard core. There’s vigorous throttle response, a husky V-6 exhaust note, and giddy acceleration. In the canyons, the steering turns in with a vengeance, the car tracks through corners like a race car, and the brakes are from Brembo. One small downside: It gets jumpy when it gets bumpy.

JONATHON R. RAMSEY

Compare this car to the biblical book of Genesis, and it’s as if Hyundai–playing The Omnipotent–had only reached day four. The coupe possesses intense looks, excellent dynamics, superb braking, and braceable seats. Yet the exhaust note is soggy, the trunk aperture is a mail slot, highway refinement . . . isn’t, and the car badly needs a rear-window wiper. Still, it’s an achievement: Where there was once a void, there exists an exemplary sports car. Hyundai has earned some rest–a half-day at least.

BY AARON ROBINSON
CarandDriver.com

The list of six-cylinder sport coupes that actually matter is a short one. Let’s face it, until now it’s been BMW 335i and Infiniti G37. And then, about two weeks ago, Hyundai dropped a bomb. A big one.

It’s called the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

And all of a sudden, the Korean carmaker — whose previous attempts at “sporty” included machines like the unenviable Scoupe and the forgettable first-generation Tiburon — has thrust itself into the spotlight with a car that at once looks good and has the specs to do the deed. Three hundred horsepower. Six-speed manual transmission. Rear-wheel drive. Limited-slip differential. So put that in your Scoupe pipe and smoke it. Here comes a real car.

Sounds remarkably like the territory of the 2009 Infiniti G37, doesn’t it? And it is. In every way except price. So there’s your comparison test.

It’ll Run Ya
If you’ve read our full test of the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8, then you know it’s a solid machine with ample power, gorgeous styling and a low price. A really low price.

For $29,500 you can have yours with a 3.8-liter V6 and the Track package, which adds a stiffer suspension, a Torsen limited-slip differential, Brembo brakes and 19-inch wheels. A six-speed manual transmission is standard equipment and our test car has one. Complete with its floor mats, iPod connector and destination fee, it costs $30,375. This number, by the way, is $6,625 less than the base price of the Infiniti G37.

But let’s not rule the G37 out of the game just yet. It has proven itself to be a sufficiently bad-ass machine by winning multiple comparison tests in sedan form and remaining a favorite among editors here at IL.

Our G37 test car piled on the options: a $3,200 Premium package added a Bose audio system, memory driver seat, Bluetooth and other amenities. The Navigation package added $2,200, the rear spoiler $550 and illuminated door-sill plates another $330.

The grand total for the 2009 Infiniti G37, which also had a six-speed manual, totaled $44,095 with destination. Cha-ching.

Specs Face Off
Let’s not mess around; the price of entry for both of these machines is considerable. The G37’s is just far more considerable, that’s all. But the Infiniti also has the more impressive specs of the two. Its 3.7-liter V6 is rated at 330 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. It has huge 19-inch wheels and sticky Bridgestone Potenza summer tires, plus fixed four-piston brake calipers are matched with 14-inch front rotors.

But the Genesis holds its own on paper with 306 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque from its own 3.8-liter V6. It, too, comes with 19-inch wheels and the same Bridgestone summer tires, and four-piston Brembo calipers are up front with 13.4-inch rotors.

So are G37’s extra amenities, power and proven platform enough to better a competitor which both in-person and on paper appears to have it covered in most critical arenas?

That’s what we pondered as we drove both cars for two weeks. We slid them around wet roads, spun dyno rollers and sliced through slalom cones — we even squeezed into their cramped backseats. Before it all began, we decided price and performance would weigh equally on the outcome of this test (25 percent each). The rest would be down to feature content (15 percent), our subjective evaluation score (15 percent), fuel economy (15 percent) and editors’ picks (5 percent).

On the Road
If this contest were boiled down to the driving experience alone, the win would go to the 2009 Infiniti G37. It is the better driving car. Its suspension offers a better compromise between a comfortable ride and crisp handling, its engine is better suited to the character of a sport coupe, and all its controls provide better feel and response. Even its steering, which at first seems to be artificially cursed with too much effort, comes alive at speed to inform its driver precisely how much cornering grip remains at the front tires. It’s a well-refined formula that Nissan has nailed on all its FM-platform cars.

The Infiniti’s VQ-Series engine is the big selling point here. With a ripping 7,600-rpm redline, it’s living large at high speed rather than just surviving (an impression we’d verify later at the dyno). This kind of power delivery is better suited for hard driving than the grunty mill in the Genesis. Start singing up a mountain road with the G-machine and you’ll find yourself at high rpm early and often. And you’ll want an engine that’s comfortable there.

Perhaps the only area where the 2009 Infiniti G37 falls short relative to the Genesis is in the use of a viscous limited-slip differential. Slower reacting and therefore less predictable than the Torsen LSD in the Genesis, the G’s viscous unit simply isn’t as effective as it should be in a platform this capable.

Yet there’s no denying that the Genesis is very, very good. Enough so, in fact, that most drivers wouldn’t miss the G37’s added dimension of communication unless they’d had a back-to-back run with the Hyundai. The steering and brakes of the Genesis coupe lack the G37’s immediacy, but nonetheless offer ample confidence. Its shifter isn’t as bolt-action precise, but we never missed a shift.

And its 3.8-liter engine, well, there’s the heart of a minivan under the coupe’s sloping hood and we can’t pretend otherwise. We swear there’s still a little Kia Sedona in its otherwise throaty intake note, which sounds far better than the G’s raspy howl. But let’s not forget, this Korean engine is fractionally bigger than the Infiniti’s mill. The Genesis’ V6 makes ample yank right off idle and equals or exceeds the G’s engine in power and torque production until 4,800 rpm according to the Dynojet chassis dyno at MD Automotive in Westminster, California.

Where the BS Stops
At the test track the 2010 Hyundai Genesis proves itself a worthy entry into the sport coupe segment by giving the pricier Infiniti a run in several categories. First, the Genesis tips the scales at just 3,488 pounds — 221 pounds lighter than the G37. Porkiness has long been a valid gripe about any car built on Nissan’s FM platform and the G is no exception.

But being lightweight didn’t help the Genesis coupe accelerate as quickly as we had hoped. The Genesis hit 60 mph from a standstill in 6.4 seconds (6.1 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and went through the traps at the quarter-mile mark in 14.5 seconds at 97.9 mph. That’s considerably slower than the G37’s 5.7-second run to 60 mph (5.4 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and its quarter-mile performance of 13.9 seconds at 101.4 mph.

Accelerating the Genesis quickly can be tricky because of a drivetrain protection feature built into its engine calibration. Shift the Genesis coupe aggressively at redline and you’ll occasionally experience a power cut in your target gear which lasts 3 seconds.

The problem is exacerbated by the car’s tachometer, which doesn’t keep up with the engine speed in the first few gears, so it’s too easy to run the engine to its 6,800-rpm maximum speed (redline is 6,500 rpm). Hyundai says the drivetrain protection is triggered at 6,800 rpm, but once it intervened, we experienced a power reduction in the next gear at much lower engine speeds. Run this V6 to the rev limiter in any given gear and it will hang there comfortably. But if you shift hard and quickly at the indicated redline, you’ll occasionally be punished with that cut in power.

Hyundai is considering a new calibration, but there are cars going on sale that incorporate this 3-second power intervention, a feature that can punish drivers at engine speeds well below redline. Some people won’t notice it, but to others it could be a deal breaker in the purchase of a Genesis 3.8 coupe.

The Handling Story
Throttle inputs can be used to adjust the cornering attitude of both coupes around the skid pad, but the Torsen differential in the Genesis makes these adjustments quicker and inspires more confidence while doing so. The Torsen diff also gives the Hyundai better lateral grip than the G37, with a 0.88g performance on the skid pad versus 0.85g for the G37.

Through the slalom, the G37’s heavier steering offers high-resolution feedback, which helps making prudent decisions at speed easy. But the Genesis has better body roll control and provides more than enough feedback to sense its limits. The Infiniti is quicker at 69.7 mph vs. the Genesis coupe’s 68.2-mph run.

The real story here is bigger than the numbers. Drive these cars back-to-back over the same section of road and you’ll find them similarly capable. You’ll squeeze more speed out of one exiting a corner yet find the other more confident going in. You’ll learn to love the G37’s instant brake response and then fall for the Genesis’ more relaxed but equally confident pedal action. Going quickly in the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe is a product of its guttural grunt, intuitive feel and textbook rear-drive balance. By comparison, the Infiniti is more anxious, more precise and more immediate.

In this case, both approaches work well. But if we were going to split hairs, we’d say that the 2009 Infiniti G37 makes a bigger sacrifice in daily driving where its heavy steering and immediate brake response seem unnecessary and, at times, awkward. But then we’d have to tell you that the Genesis coupe’s engine mounts are too soft, so its big V6 flops around way too much during quick shifts or rapid throttle transitions, creating intrusive drivetrain lash. But we won’t do that because we genuinely like the way both cars are tuned.

Living Inside and Out
Hyundai’s interior quality and design are a step up from many comparably priced cars, but when compared to a machine as costly as the G37 it’s sometimes clear where the corners were cut.

The G37’s center stack offers two additional knobs that are universally more expensive and offer more expedient, rapid control than buttons. In this case, there’s another knob for the G37’s passenger temperature, because dual-zone climate control is standard on the Infiniti and not available on the Genesis. There’s also another knob for radio tuning. The radio and ventilation controls for both cars operate with quality feel, but with few exceptions, the Infiniti offers a slightly improved level of precision and damping from its knobs.

The Infiniti’s $2,200 Navigation package provides one of the best nav systems in the business as well as XM Nav Traffic, 9.3GB of hard-drive storage for music and a compact flash slot for MP3 playback. Navigation won’t be available on the Hyundai until mid-model year.

Hyundai has cut no corners on the seats of the Genesis, however. In fact, the only way we can think to realistically improve them is to put a non-slip surface on the seat bottom. Otherwise, they are supportive, adjustable, even good-looking. And they’re superior to the G37’s seats in every way except there is no easy-entry release for either of the front seats, a feature the G offers.

Once in the backseat, passengers 5-foot-10 and taller will have to duck down in the Genesis but will still fit in the G37. Both cars make compromises in their rear seats, which is to say, don’t plan on riding in the back of either one for very long.

And finally, the ability to make the Infiniti G37 look slab-sided and stodgy requires a car as aggressively styled as the Genesis coupe. This is truly a beautiful machine with lines and angles which literally stop traffic. If you’re not a wuss, you’ll get yours in Bathurst Black, which best shows off the coupe’s gorgeous haunches and sculpted sides. Hyundai managed to knock off the G37’s elegant proportions and then add some much-needed shape. And we love it.

The Rest of the Story
It’s the undeniable value equation that tips this test in the favor of the 2010 Hyundai Genesis 3.8. You simply get more car for your dollar with the Genesis coupe. Sure, it’s not as much car as the 2009 Infiniti G37, but at two-thirds the cost, it doesn’t have to be.

Plus the Hyundai effectively opens up the sport coupe arena to a new buyer — one who isn’t prepared to drop the better part of $50 large on a car but wants the looks and most of the performance of the big players. And that, friends, earns the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 a spot on anybody’s short list of possible purchases.

The manufacturers provided Edmunds these vehicles for the purposes of evaluation.

By Josh Jacquot, Senior Road Test Editor
Edmunds.com

In a world where gaps in product lines are filled as quickly as they open, Hyundai–yes, Hyundai–has found a new one. Let’s call it the semi-affordable, pretty-good-looking, rear-wheel-drive performance-coupe segment. Hyundai has identified and filled that gap with the surprisingly sporty Genesis Coupe.

It is not simply a two-door version of the Genesis sedan. Hyundai says the Coupe shares only the rear subframe, rear suspension and a ZF six-speed automatic transmission with the sedan.

The entry-level coupe, starting at about $23,000, is powered by a 210-hp, 2.0-liter turbo four. Above that is a $26,000-to-$30,000 306-hp, 3.8-liter V6. There’s not much in the way of competition offering that particular combination.

So, what’s it like to drive?

First, a caveat: Disregard those Web sites that have “first drives” of the Genesis Coupe. Those guys drove Korean-spec cars, tuned for luxury. We will get a much more performance-oriented car than that.

After a day spent lapping the Streets of Willow racetrack in Southern California, along with a short drive over two-lane highways, we can say that the new Coupe felt surprisingly taut, responsive and downright fun to drive–more than we expected, frankly.

Our first drive was in a 2.0-liter turbo four with the Track package and the traction and stability control turned off. We were all ready to experience a shorter version of the luxurious and somewhat soft Genesis Sedan, like a Korean SC400. So when we launched onto the Streets’ uphill front straight with a chirp from the rear tires and steering that actually communicated, we were startled. This car was downright sprightly, fairly leaping out of the blocks.

The MacPherson strut front and five-link rear kept the tires on the ground and pointed in the right direction all the way. Laps in the V6 variant were similar in terms of handling, only quicker. You pay only a 95-pound weight penalty for the extra 96 hp. Curb weight of the base four-cylinder model is 3,294 pounds versus 3,389 for the V6. About 54 percent of that weight is on the front axle.

There was way more power available in the V6 than we could wrangle out on the short connecting links between the Streets’ tight turns (Hyundai lists 0 to 60 mph for the V6 at less than 6 seconds). As we said, we did all of our laps with traction and stability control off yet rarely felt the rear end get squirrelly.

It’s a well-balanced car. All our drives also were in cars with the Track package and its 19-inch wheels with summer Bridgestones–225/40 fronts and 245/40 rears, upgraded Brembo brakes, a limited-slip differential and a “track-tuned” suspension with stiffer springs and shocks.

Both four- and six-cylinder models come standard with a six-speed manual transmission. The four-cylinder has an optional five-speed auto while the V6 model lists a ZF six-speed automatic.

So Hyundai’s march to world domination continues unabated, even going so far as to conquer segments without anything yet in them. Hyundai hopes there are enough enthusiast buyers out there to support the presence of fun cars such as this one.

SPECS

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

On sale: February/March

Base price: $23,000 (est–prices announced at Chicago auto show)

Drivetrain: 2.0-liter, 201-hp, 223-lb-ft, turbocharged I4; RWD, six-speed manual

Curb weight: 3,294 lb

0-60 mph: Less than 6 seconds for V6 (mfr)

Fuel economy: 25 mpg combined city/hwy (mfr est)

AutoWeek.com

Ssssssssliderule: Calculating Performance Numbers for the Hyundai Genesis Coupe was Easy. Figuring Out Where it Fits Into The Sports-Car Equation is Another Story.

Just a year ago, Hyundai pulled out the red carpet to launch the Genesis, a rear-drive, V-8-motivated luxury car with power and grace akin to that of a Lexus LS 460. Its pricetag, however, resembled the one dangling from the rearview of a Chrysler 300C. And wouldn’t you know it, just as the original Lexus LS did 20 years ago, the Genesis garnered much attention, plenty of love, and due respect.

It certainly got ours. In fact, had it not been for the extraordinary Nissan GT-R, the Genesis would be reveling in Motor Trend Car of the Year glory for the next seven months. Suffice it to say, the Genesis is one of several top-notch products coming from the now formidable Korean brand.

Don’t believe us? Well, Hyundai was one of only four automakers to sell more vehicles in January 2009 than it did in January 2008. In other words, in a month when such terms as “Great Recession” were floating around and Chrysler’s sales were down 54.8 percent, GM’s 48.9, and Toyota’s 31.7, Hyundai’s were on the rise. Baby steps? Hyundai is making giant strides.

One such stride — and it’s a big one, especially considering Hyundai’s sportiest vehicle to date was the 172-horsepower front-drive Tiburon — is the all-new 2010 Genesis Coupe. Just as the Genesis sedan’s mission was to boldly lead Hyundai into the luxury-car arena, the Coupe’s is to unabashedly storm the sports-car field. What’s the formula? Try 300-plus-horsepower, rear drive, and styling that’ll startle a Town Car. But does it work? Let’s explore.

HEART AND SEOUL

Similar to Nissan’s VQ-series V-6, which powers everything from the Altima and 370Z to the Infiniti FX35 and G37, Hyundai’s Lambda V-6 is an engine that gets around. In transverse configuration, it powers, among others, the Hyundai Azera and Veracruz, and the Kia Amanti and Sedona. Shift the configuration 90 degrees, though, and the 3.8-liter Lambda is ready for rear-drive duty, as in the Genesis sedan and the Kia Borrego SUV. Now it trickles its way into the Genesis Coupe, in which it represents the topline power plant. (A 2.0-liter turbocharged four gets the call for entry-level assignment.) Accordingly, the 3.8 is tuned to 306 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, and features all-aluminum construction, dual overhead camshafts, and continuously variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust. Perhaps most pleasing is the fact that the 3.8 consumes good old-fashioned 87 octane. Every other rear-drive import in its class, including the 370Z, Mazda RX-8, and BMW 135i, guzzles costlier 91 octane. Plus, the 3.8’s estimated fuel economy of 17 city/26 highway is better than that of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo BMW (17/25) and the 1.3-liter rotary Mazda (16/22).

Transmission choices for the Genesis Coupe, which is built alongside the sedan at Hyundai’s Ulsan, Korea, assembly plant, include a Hyundai-sourced six-speed manual and a ZF six-speed automatic. The manual utilizes a sporty 3.54 axle ratio while the auto, also used in V-8 Genesis sedans, gets an even more dynamic 3.73 as well as steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Saddled with curb weights within just four pounds of each other (the 3478-pound manual vehicle, surprisingly, weighed more than the auto car), the two 3.8 Track models each hoofed from 0 to 60 in 5.5 seconds, with the negligibly lighter and more aggressively geared auto car clipping the quarter mile two-tenths sooner, at 14.0 at 101.0 mph.

This is a quick coupe, for sure — a Jag XK needs 5.8 seconds to reach 60 and to 14.3 at 98.3 to nab the quarter — but not as brisk as several others in its class. The 370Z, 135i, and Mustang GT all put up better numbers. Maybe the onus falls on the engine. The so-called “RS 3800” V-6 (for Rear-drive Sport), which does emit a pleasing growl as it revs effortlessly to the 6500-rpm redline, is no-doubt a refined engine — arguably more refined than Nissan’s VQ — but it doesn’t seem 306 horsepower strong. “I realize that on paper this is a 300-plus-horsepower car,” says associate editor Allyson Harwood, “but it doesn’t feel like it. It was pretty quick off the line, but I guess I expected a little more thrust.”

The six-speed manual also was a bit of a letdown. Its rubbery feel generally led to imprecise experiences, especially when attempting to shift quickly, and its placement on the center console seemed an inch or so too rearward. An RX-8’s gearbox will make you jealous. And as editor-at-large Arthur St. Antoine notes, our manual test car suffered from “Lots of driveline lash, making it very difficult to execute smooth shifts and throttle inputs.” The manual, alas, left us feeling that the proven ZF slushbox is the transmission of choice, certainly in light of the standard paddle shifters and generally quicker acceleration times.

BETTER THAN AN E46 M3

The last-generation BMW M3 was, and still is, a fantastic GT car. No person in his right mind could say its structure felt like soggy fettuccine. Well, according to Hyundai, the Genesis Coupe boasts a body 24 percent stiffer in bending rigidity than that of the E46 Bimmer. Better than an M3? In this instance, it appears so.

We all agreed the Genesis Coupe feels sapphire solid. Build quality seems first rate. The doors shut with a reassuring thump. Whether navigating a straight highway or a winding byway, the Hyundai comes across tight and well put together. This overall feel of solidity, of course, is a welcome plus, as it not only gave Hyundai engineers a strong starting point, but it also provides the driver with quicker and more communicative responses. Within these realms, the robust Genesis Coupe mostly succeeds. The front strut and rear multilink suspension can be best described as modestly stiff, thanks in part to our Track model’s sport-tuned gear, which flaunts firmer springs, larger front and rear anti-roll bars, and 19-inch alloys with summer Bridgestones. The ride is never jarring, but it does act unrefined at times, occasionally crashing onto its bump stops and relaying a wee too much road granularity.

Present the Genesis Coupe with a curvy road, though, and the tautness of the track-tuned chassis pays dividends. The steering, with its relatively rapid 14.7:1 ratio, offers crisp turn-in and solid linearity, but disappoints with a somewhat gluey feel. When the pace quickens, the Hyundai displays modest roll and understeer, but its instinct to stay flat inspires confidence when exploring the limits. Speaking of limits, the Genesis Coupe’s standard stability and traction control can be turned completely off. But unless you’re impersonating drift champ Rhys Millen, it’s probably best to leave that button untouched, as the Track’s Torsen LSD can’t cheat the laws of physics.

In our instrumented handling tests, the 3.8 Track cars recorded lateral acceleration of 0.90 g (manual) and 0.91 g (auto), and figure-eight runs of 26.2 seconds at 0.67 g and 26.3 at 0.68. Again, these figures outgun those of the upper-echelon Jag XK (0.89, 26.8 at 0.66), but not of its two main rivals, the Mustang GT and 370Z. Ditto for 60-to-0 braking, which, at 111 feet, is just shy of the spans from the Ford (108) and the Nissan (109). As usual, credit goes to the Track model’s unfaltering Brembo braking system, which uses meaty monobloc fixed calipers and substantial 13.4-inch front/13.0-inch rear vented rotors.

CHECKING THE BOXES

While the Genesis Coupe doesn’t head its competitive field in driving dynamics, it is far and away the value leader. A base 3.8 with a manual, which comes with leather, automatic climate control, foglamps, active front head restraints, keyless entry, Bluetooth, and USB/iPod connectivity, starts at $25,750, or $3095 less than a base Mustang GT. Select the ZF auto, and the cost jumps an extra $1500. Step up to the luxury-bent Grand Touring that adds distinctive brown leather, heated seats, a 360-watt Infinity audio system, and HID headlamps, and the bottom line barely crests $28,000. Or, opt for the go-getting Track and pay just $30,250. A comparably equipped 370Z Touring with Sport Package demands over $38,000. And did we mention that the 210-horse turbo starts at under $23,000?

Obviously, Hyundai has much to be proud of with its first rear-drive sport coupe. The value is unbeatable. The quality is tip-top. The road manners are respectable. The styling, with its unique Z-shaped character line and drop-beltline rear window, is standout. Sure, there are some details — namely, the inexact manual and the numb steering — that need some fine-tuning. But for an initial effort, in a field that it’s never played, Hyundai has delivered a solid, sexy product.

UNNATURAL ASPIRATIONS

Don’t need a V-6?

If a large-displacement V-6 seems superfluous, the Genesis Coupe’s 2.0-liter turbo four will seem just plain super. With 210 horsepower and 223 pound-feet channeled through a six-speed manual (a five-speed automatic is optional), the 2.0T should hit 60 in about 6.0 seconds and the quarter mile in roughly 14.6 ticks at 95 mph., yet still dispense an estimated 21/30 mpg. And given the $22,750 starting price, the 2.0T delivers bang for the buck that will make such front-drive pocket-rockets as the VW GTI and Honda Civic Si take notice. For those in search of more street cred, there’s the $27,500 2.0T Track, replete with a limited slip, Brembos, and 19-inch wheels, as well as the $24,500 R-Spec, a decontented Track trim for tuners and autocrossers.

WAGGING TAILS AND SMOKING TIRES

Drift on Sunday, sell on Monday. That’ll be Hyundai’s motto as it enters the 2009 Formula Drift Professional Drifting Championship with multiple champion Rhys Millen. To achieve the target curb weight of 2400 pounds, Millen and his team gave the Genesis Coupe drift car an alkali bath to remove all rubber and adhesives from the chassis and then replaced every metal body panel with ones made from carbon fiber. The chassis is stitch-welded for extra strength, a necessary step given the stiffness levels of the KW three-way adjustable coil-over suspension. A stroked 4.1-liter Lambda V-6 that makes 550 horsepower and 520 pound-feet provides the rubber-melting power; and there’s plenty of it to instantly fry a pair of Toyo Proxes R1R tires. Look for Millen and his Red Bull Genesis in the drift championship as well as in the Pikes Peak hillclimb and select Redline Time Attack events.

2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track
POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS
Drivetrain layout Front engine, RWD
Engine Type V-6 alum block/heads
Valvetrain DOHC 4 valves/cyl
Displacement 230.6 cu in/3778 cc
Compression ratio 10.4:1
Power (SAE net) 306 hp @ 6300 rpm
Torque (SAE net) 266 lb-ft @ 4700 rpm
Redline 6500 rpm
Weight to power 11.4 lb/hp
Transmission 6-speed man; 6-speed auto
Axle/final-drive ratios 3.54:1/2.81:1 (6M); 3.73:1/2.58:1 (6A)
Suspension, front; rear Struts, control arms, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar
Steering ratio 14.9:1
Turns lock-to-lock 2.7
Brakes, f;r 13.4-in vented disc; 13.0-in vented disc, ABS
Wheels f;r 8.0×19 in; 8.5×19, cast aluminum
Tires f;r 225/40R19 89Y; 245/40R19 94Y, Bridgestone Potenza RE050A

DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase 111.0 in
Track, f/r 63.0/63.6 in
Length x width x height 182.3×73.4×54.5 in
Turning circle 37.4 ft
Curb weight 3478 lb (6M); 3474 lb (6A)
Weight dist, f/r 55/45%
Seating capacity 4
Headroom, f/r 39.2/34.6 in
Legroom, f/r 44.1/30.3 in
Shoulder room, f/r 56.7/52.8 in
Cargo volume 10.0 cu ft

TEST DATA (6M; 6A)
Acceleration to mph
0-30 1.9; 1.9 sec
0-40 3.1; 2.9
0-50 4.3; 4.1
0-60 5.5; 5.5
0-70 7.5; 7.2
0-80 9.3; 9.1
0-90 11.8; 11.1
0-100 14.3; 13.7
Passing, 45-65 mph 3.0; 2.8
Quarter mile 14.2 sec @ 99.5 mph; 14.0 sec @ 101.0
Braking, 60-0 mph 111 ft
Lateral acceleration 0.90 g (avg); 0.91 g (avg)
MT figure eight 26.2 sec @ 0.67 g (avg); 26.3 sec @ 0.68 g (avg)
Top-gear revs at 60 mph 2250; 2050 rpm

CONSUMER INFO
Base price $30,250
Price as tested $30,250 (6M); $31,750 (6A)
Stability/traction control Yes/yes
Airbags Dual front, front side, front curtain
Basic warranty 5 yrs/60,000 miles
Powertrain warranty 10 yrs/100,000 miles
Roadside assistance 5 yrs/unlimited miles
Fuel capacity 17.2 gal
EPA city/hwy econ 17/26 mpg*, 18/26 mpg*
Co2 emisssions 0.96 lb/mile*, 0.93 lb/mile*
Required fuel Unleaded regular
* Estimated

By Ron Kiino
MotorTrend.com