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

It was a sunny day, and the hot dry heat of the desert radiated off the black pavement at the Buttonwillow Raceway Park in Buttonwillow, Calif. A Pearly white BMW 7-Series lined up next to the cone, with the journalist behind the wheel revving the engine. I hopped into the driver’s seat of the car to the left of 7, hooked my seat belt and toed the starting line.

I watched the gray-haired man in front of me raise his arms, and I felt a rivulet of sweat drip down my back. From the heat, yes, but also from the nervous sense of anticipation.

I had never drag raced before, and here I was pitted against a BMW… in a Hyundai.

I was focused on the man in front of me, left foot on the brake, right foot hitting the gas pedal, bringing the tachometer up to 1,500 rpm.

His hands dropped, and I simultaneously took my left foot off the brake and jammed my right foot on the accelerator. Pedal to the floor, I beelined for the finish line. Halfway through the quarter-mile stretch, I spared a quick glance at the white car next to me, and I was stunned. I was ahead of the BMW 7-Series by about 2 feet, and the gap was curiously widening.

I won my first drag race while driving an all-new 2009 Hyundai Genesis, which has a 0-to-60-mph time of 5.7 seconds.

I didn’t fare so well the second time around. Switching places with my colleague, I tried a turn in the 7. And lost. Time after time, I watched the competitive auto journalists take turns in both cars. Each time, the Genesis won the race.

Some might argue that the extra 900 pounds or the extra 2.5 inches in length carried by the 7 account for its noticeable sluggishness. I’d like to point out that the 7 also has more than 50 additional horsepower. And it still didn’t win.

While this newest Hyundai isn’t quite in the same league as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai wanted to prove that this Korean car could hold its own against the Germans. I’m pleased to say the automaker succeeded.

New for 2009, Hyundai introduces the full-size, rear-wheel-drive Genesis as a kind of halo car with a base price of $33,000. But, in true Hyundai form, that base price gets you a whole lot of goods. From leather seating surfaces to front and rear side-curtain airbags, the Genesis is packed with standard luxury and safety features. Heated front seats, fog lights, iPod USB and auxiliary input jacks, Bluetooth and automatic headlights are all standard.

Base engine in the Genesis is a 3.8-liter V-6 that delivers 290 horsepower. To upgrade to the 4.6-liter V-8 engine, you’ll tack on $5K to the price tag, but you’ll also add some additional standard items, such as ultra-premium leather seats, power sunroof, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and a Lexicon 14-speaker surround sound audio system.

While the V-8 model doesn’t require that you put premium fuel in it (thank goodness), Hyundai does, however, note that it will perform better with the premium grade fuel. Fill it up with regular and you can expect a respectable 368 horsepower. Fill it up with premium and you’ll go up to 375 horsepower. Personally, that’s not enough of a difference for me to opt for the $4.75 per gallon fuel vs. the $4.55 per gallon fuel.

During the press preview, which included more than 300 miles of street driving as well as a couple hours of track time, we had the opportunity to drive both the V-8 and the V-6 Genesis. My driving partner and I grabbed a fully loaded V-8 model for the first leg of the road trip. From twisty-turny mountain roads to desert straight aways, the V-8 was absolutely brilliant. Accelerating up hills, passing at high elevations and maintaining constant highway speeds were a breeze. My partner and I were both incredibly impressed with the road manners and performance of the V-8 model.

On the way back from the track, we grabbed a V-6, and we were no less impressed. Sure, there was a little more effort required to pass or accelerate up hills, but for a V-6, it did a darn good job. And, since it’s a little bit lighter, it was a little easier to fling the V-6 model around the twisty-turny bits.

On the racetrack itself, both the V-8 and V-6 were more than up for some spirited driving. I never would have thought of taking a large Hyundai sedan on a racetrack, but the Genesis was perfectly at home.

In addition to the drag race and actual track time, the folks at Hyundai prepared another comparison test for us at Buttonwillow, setting up a slalom course and bringing in a Mercedes-Benz E350 with a V-6 engine that delivers 268 horsepower. I started with the V-6 Genesis and took a couple turns on the course. I took the speed up between 35 and 40 mph and noticed that the V-6 model virtually glided around the cones. It was a smooth and continuous S-curve that the car just seemed to float through.

The V-8 model added some power to the slalom, and the course became a bit more aggressive. I pushed around the cones, keeping the speed closer to 40 mph. The course was more fun, and the car held the lines pretty well.

I finished with the E350, and in addition to being uncomfortable in the driver’s seat, I didn’t think the car held the line as well. I kept the speed between 35 and 40 mph, and it required a bit more effort to keep the E350 on course. Plus, there was some definite tire squealage that I didn’t notice with either of the Genesis models.

While the ride and handling of the Genesis are multifaceted and complex, its design is a study in simplicity. The exterior of the Genesis isn’t radical. It’s actually very conservative with long sleek lines. The turn signals on the side mirrors and bedazzling taillights give an upscale feel, but the most eye-catching feature on the Genesis has to be the grille. It’s an attractive chrome double waterfall, and Hyundai badging is noticeably absent. From the front or side, there is no way you’d guess this car is a Hyundai. The back simply has the circle H badge.

The interior, on several levels, is the real stunner, though. Both test vehicles had the two-tone saddle-and-black interior that reeks of high-end luxury. All of the touch points were solid and attractive, and the cockpit was well configured. I was able to get a great driving position with the power adjustable driver’s seat, and I loved the standard heated front seats that went all the way up the back of the seat.

My only quibble with the interior – and, in fact, with the whole car – was the headliner. The interior of the test vehicle was black and brown, yet the headliner was a light khaki color. This didn’t bother my male driving partner, but if I were choosing an interior I’d have to go with the Cashmere so that the headliner matched the seating surfaces.

The standard audio interface is simple yet attractive, and most of the controls on the center stack are within easy reach. The only dial I had difficulty reaching was the tuning dial, which is a lot closer to the front passenger than the driver.

The center stack is transformed when you upgrade to the Technology Package, which includes the 17-speaker Lexicon discrete audio system, DVD navigation and rear backup camera. The knob that controls the upgraded package looks frighteningly like the knob that goes with the oft-hated BMW iDrive system. So, it was with much curiosity that my partner and I spent some quality time in the parking lot tapping around the system.

BMW should take notes. The Hyundai system is phenomenal. Rather than peeling through layers of screens to get where you want to go, there are clearly labeled buttons surrounding the knob that cut out two or three layers of distracting info screens. The screen itself was brightly colored and the lettering on the screen is san-serif and easy to read.

Hyundai opted to keep the pricing and packaging simple on the new Genesis, and the V-6 model has three main packages: Premium ($2,000), Premium Plus ($3,000) and Technology ($4,000). Since the Premium Plus package includes the Premium package, a completely decked out model will top out at $40,000. The V-8, which starts at $38,000, only has one package available: Technology ($4,000). Thus the top-of-the-line, fully stocked Genesis will cost $42,000.

I know there are naysayers out there who are tsk-tsking at a $40K Hyundai. But I think Hyundai has completely hit the mark with this car. So, all I have to say is: Drive it. You’ll see.

2009 Hyundai Genesis
Engine: 3.8-liter V-6; 4.6-liter V-8
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Horsepower: 290 (V-6); 368 (V-8 with regular fuel); 375 (V-8 with premium fuel)
Torque: 264 lb-ft (V-6); 324 (V-8 with regular fuel); 333 (V-8 with premium fuel)
Drivetrain: RWD
Wheelbase: 115.6 inches
Height: 58.1 inches
Length: 195.9 inches
Width: 74.4 inches
MPG (city/hwy): 18/27 (V-6); 17/25 (V-8)
Pricing: $33,000 (V-6); $38,000 (V-8)

July 1, 2008
BY JILL CIMINILLO SearchChicago – Autos Editor