Hyundai Genesis Concept

[GeneralPatton]

New Beginnings: Hyundai gives birth to its first sport-luxury sedan; Japan gets the labor pains






By Angus MacKenzie

This car is going to shock you. It's going to shock GM and Toyota, too. Even BMW and Mercedes-Benz are going to pay attention. Hyundai calls it Concept Genesis, but you can forget the concept bit; apart from the odd piece of showcar eye-candy, you're looking at Korea's first production sport-luxury sedan. It has rear drive and a V-8 engine. And it'll be in a Hyundai showroom near you sometime in 2008.

Concept Genesis gives us the first glimpse of Hyundai's much-anticipated BH rear-drive architecture. For a company with a reputation for fast-tracking new models at a pace that makes even the Japanese dizzy, the BH has been a long time coming-more than five years, in fact. But that doesn't mean Hyundai has been slacking; Concept Genesis is on its second exterior (the previous design was scrapped, after the hugely expensive tooling process had been started) and third chassis setup (the rear axle was upgraded from a four-link configuration to five-link only last year). And when the production version launches next year, Hyundai will be a player in a sector that Toyota took 15 years longer to enter.

Chutzpah? Or confidence? Both swirl through a company driven by a fierce determination to succeed and, in particular, to beat the Japanese. Hyundai wants to be the world's fifth largest automaker by 2010, and the BH architecture revealed by Concept Genesis is a key part of the strategy.

As a sport-luxury sedan, Concept Genesis breaks no new ground. Indeed, one look at the exterior suggests Hyundai's strategy is simply to follow the same BMW playbook already well thumbed by Nissan's Infiniti division. The glasshouse looks pure G35, while the rear end is a tasteful mlange of 3 Series and 7 Series cues. What you don't immediately read, thanks in part to the 20-inch alloy wheels, is the car's size: It's longer, wider, and taller than a BMW 5 Series and Lexus GS, with a wheelbase almost as long a Chrysler 300C's. Hyundai sources say the rear seat package is nearly as good as that of an S-Class Mercedes.

The BMW/Infiniti styling cues signal a similar approach to the engineering, though here Hyundai isn't content to merely play follow the leader: Insiders claim the car's body-in-white, rich in ultra-high-tensile steel, isn't only lighter than that of a 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Lexus LS, but also has 12- to 14-percent-higher dynamic torsional rigidity. Weight distribution is 53/47 percent, front to rear; however, not quite the 50/50 ideal BMW religiously adheres to.

The Concept Genesis's five-link independent rear suspension is mounted to the body via a sturdy subframe. The lower control arm is pressed steel, but all the other links are forgings. The compact coil springs are mounted separate from the shocks, which are located to the body by way of aluminum castings. The front suspension features a short/long-arm setup executed entirely in forged aluminum, with large cast-aluminum top mounts for improved precision and rigidity. Steering is via speed-sensitive rack and pinion, mounted ahead of the front axle centerline.

Under the hood is an all-new, all-aluminum 4.6-liter V-8. Codenamed Tau, it's Hyundai's first in-house V-8 and features state-of-the-moment double-overhead camshafts with variable valve timing and a variable induction system. Hyundai isn't quoting power and torque figures yet, claiming only that the engine produces more than 300 horses and 300 pound-feet of torque (which is only to be expected) and is capable of propelling the car, at a target weight of about 3740 pounds, to 60 mph in under 6.0 seconds. The Tau V-8 drives the rear wheels via ZF's smooth 6HP26 six-seed automatic transmission. Paddle-shift manumatic control will be standard on the production version.

Genesis: Concept to Production

• Grille design has yet to be finalized for production.

• Production headlights will be larger, with integrated turn signals.

• Base engine will be 3.8-liter V-6 with near 300 horsepower.

• Dual exhaust will exit under bumper, not through it.

• Base wheel is 18-inch alloy; 19s and possibly 20s will be optional.

[Shawn96VR-4]

Interesting idea. Kia/Hynd play the low end market and get people left and right who love the idea of cheaper cars and a warranty and then start bringing up the build quality. Motor Trend said it wouldn't be surprised if Kia has the Car Of The Year within the next couple of years.

[GeneralPatton]

Yeah, Hyundai is making Kia more along the line of the sporty type of cars while Hyundai is focusing on making that such name more of a luxury type. Hence after 2009, I doubt Hyundai will have any more sport-like cars (As my own). Although, I am not quite sure how well Hyundai will do as a luxury, but cheaper price, but warranty dealer. Their still known just for their cheap cars but good quality...but I would say 90% of the car buying population would never look to Hyundai for a luxury vehicle when their also looking at BMW & Mercedes

[Shawn96VR-4]

Yea, it's not going to happen overnight but their build quality has sky rocketing over the last couple of years. It's a very attractive company given the price and warranty. I just think the seats aren't that comfortable. Their new SUVs are pretty slick looking too. Time will tell.

[GeneralPatton]

I love my seats in my 05' Tiburon GT. They are leather alone the sides with a black/red mesh like cloth in the middle. People get in my car and they say "For seats being so low, these things sure are comfortable".

I take naps in my car on my lunch break at work Haha.

[blackparis]

Hyundai/Kia are building an 800,000 acre plant down in Atlanta... So expect build quality to decrease once its operational... Americans cant do anything right....

[JiM P 2001]

Originally Posted by blackparis

Hyundai/Kia are building an 800,000 acre plant down in Atlanta... So expect build quality to decrease once its operational... Americans cant do anything right....

[GeneralPatton]

Heres some nice better renders of it...

[Celtic1982citleC]

can't wait to see those being given away a huge-a-thon

[intern8tion9l]

looks like a lexus wanna-be. love the huge hyundai emblem on the trunk too

[19Cutlass94]

Originally Posted by MYIX8UR8

can't wait to see those being given away a huge-a-thon

ITS HUGE!!!! haha I hate it when they have that, Its at the bottom of my street and its always a PITA.


It kinda reminds me of a mix of acura/lexus....

[mikecentola]

I like the look of that alot!