Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Hyundai Genesis Coupe was a hit at greater Los Angeles auto show last year. At the April 2008 New York Auto Show was no let down as it grabbed the headlines when two examples slid, with wheels spinning under the expert skills of a couple of stunt drivers, onto makeshift indoor drifting stadium. Music and fireworks added to. We've got to do something outlandish to make the headlines in the Big Apple and Hyundai did just that.

A six-speed manual transmission will be standard with both engines. A five-speed automatic will be optional with the four-cylinder engine while the V6 gets a stronger ZF six-speed automatic as an option. The Coupe is based on the same rear-drive platform as found under the upcoming Genesis sedan, but with almost five inches chopped out of the wheelbase. The Coupe features a MacPherson strut dual-link front suspension and a five-link rear suspension. The suspension on the sporty SE model is track-tuned and includes Brembo brakes. All models include electronic stability control and a traction control system. A limited-slip differential is optional with both engines.

We expect the base model to sell in the low $20,000s while the top-of-the range V6-powered version likely in the mid- to high-$20,000s. That's considerably less than its inspirational competitors from Japan and Europe. Hyundai officials like to point out that 20 years ago you had to pay $59,000 to purchase a rear-drive coupe with 300 horsepower.

Beyond the exterior styling, we're more interested in how this new coupe will compete in the performance arena. It's been confirmed that two engines will be available: a 3.8-liter V6 producing 300 HP and "around" 260 lb.-ft. of torque (250 lb.-ft. is quoted in the press release, but we heard more) and a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four.

On the handling end of things, the wheelbase wasn't as long as we'd originally suspected, coming in at 2,820 mm (111 inches), or 115 mm (4.5 inches) less than the Genesis sedan on which its derived. For comparison, what some are calling the Hyundai coupe's closest competitor, the Ford Mustang, has a 2,720 mm wheelbase (107.1 inches). This is going to pay dividends in the driving department, as will the five-link rear suspension and front MacPherson setup. We mentioned earlier that the E46 BMW M3 was the benchmark for bending rigidity, and according to Hyundai's engineers, they've achieved that goal.