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SEMA 2009: The mid-engine RM460 Hyundai Genesis Coupe has landed
Rhy Millen Racing RM460 Hyundai Genesis Coupe - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's arrived. Finally. The wickedly awesome Rhys Millen Racing mid-engine V8 version the Hyundai Genesis Coupe is here, and it took every fiber of our being not to hop in and drive it off the SEMA show floor.
The RM460 is why we're in Sin City -- it's the embodiment of the originality and DIY-ethic of the aftermarket extravaganza in Vegas. Its Genesis sedan-sourced, 4.6-liter, Tau V8 occupies the spot normally reserved for a backseat in lesser Coupes, and is boosted via a handful of go-fast parts to produce an even 500 HP. The stock transmission was tossed in favor of a Mendeola five-speed sequential gearbox, KW coilovers were used in place of the stock dampers, and HRE 560 Series 20-inch wheels wrapped in Toyo T1R tires nicely frame the new StopTech braking system. Given Millen's reputation for performance we don't doubt this is one seriously fast vehicle.
It's also a looker. As a matter of fact, we're starting to think it might be in the hunt for best-looking car at the show. The body kit is tasteful and looks OEM. The gorgeous custom RM ONYX HD paint job by BASF is a perfect contrast to the carbon fiber used on the roof, air intake blades, diffuser and other trim. While the press release mentions the Ferrari 599XX as inspiration, we're seeing a bit more Nismo 370Z in the overall design. Not that there's anything wrong with that. The interior wasn't overlooked either, with new Sparco sports seats, alcantara and carbon fiber trim panels coddling passengers as they listen to the new Infinity sound system. We can't wait to see how it runs -- and we intend to find out. There's a more detailed rundown after the jump and a great gallery of pics below.
Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips/Weblogs, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE
RHYS MILLEN RACING CONVERTS GENESIS COUPE INTO PREMIER SPORTS CAR WITH MID-ENGINE V8 FOR SEMA
FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 22, 2009 – As the centerpiece of this year's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) fabricated a Genesis Coupe with the award-winning 4.6-liter Tau V8 powerplant to develop the RM460 Genesis Coupe. The mid-engine configuration and enhancements create a 500-horsepower street car worthy of taking on any track or road course. Millen was drawn to the design similarities between the Genesis Coupe and the new Ferrari 599XX, which influenced the vehicle's classic low profile and race-inspired look. This marks the second year of the partnership between RMR and Hyundai creating show-stopping Genesis Coupes with the ultimate in aftermarket appeal.
"We've enhanced the original performance features and created a rear hatch for complete engine access and viewing pleasure," said Rhys Millen, owner, Rhys Millen Racing. "The Genesis Coupe platform combined with the Tau V8 borrowed from Hyundai's upscale Genesis sedan have allowed us to build a true show-stopper for SEMA. Placing the Tau V8 in the middle of the Genesis Coupe's architecture will improve vehicle handling, acceleration and braking and enhance the already dynamic driving experience."
The Tau V8 engine replaces the original back seat and maintains most of its original architecture with upgrades to eight individual throttle bodies and a set of JE pistons that bumps the compression ratio to 11.0:1. An engine management system by AEM has been added to speak to the factory Engine Control Unit (ECU) while maintaining all factory dash and gauge cluster functions. A Mendeola five-speed sequential transmission has been mounted to the V8 and tuned for a maximum speed of 182 mph. Suspension will be maintained by the original MacPherson strut dual-link front suspension and a five-link rear suspension setup, and upgraded with a KW coilover component.
"The RMR RM460 Genesis Coupe perfectly showcases the rear-wheel drive platform of the vehicle as well as the performance capabilities of the powerful Tau V8 engine, available in the 2009 North American Car of the Year Genesis sedan," said Michael Deitz, manager, Product Planning, Hyundai Motor America. "Rhys Millen Racing has taken the best of both worlds – the Tau's flexibility and the Coupe's tuner-friendly driving architecture – to create a hybrid powerhouse for this year's show."
The RMR RM460 Genesis Coupe will showcase HRE 560 Series 20-inch wheels, Toyo T1R tires and an industry-leading high-performance braking system by StopTech. Modifications to the chassis have been made to better accommodate the engine, including an impressive custom rear glass hatch conversion allowing better access to the engine.
On the outside, the RMR RM460 Genesis Coupe will feature a RMR Signature Edition kit, a carbon fiber spoiler and custom carbon fiber rear hatch. Custom RM ONYX HD paint is provided by BASF. Inside the vehicle will have Sparco Chrono sports seats, Sparco Alcantara and carbon fiber interior panels, and Infinity Kappa Perfect Speakers and power amplifier.
RHYS MILLEN RACING
R. Millen Motor Sports Sales (RMR) was founded 15 years ago by Rhys Millen to fulfill a huge demand for quality aftermarket products created by the Millen Racing heritage. Similar to motor sport clothing merchandise to a race fan, RMR offers proven race products to street customers primarily based on its motor sports associations. Since its creation, RMR has built itself up become one of the industries most respected tuners for Toyota, Lexus and Mitsubishi. In addition to RMR's excellent relationship with auto manufacturers, the company has custom built many private vehicles for celebrities such as basketball star Dennis Rodman, actor Jason Priestley and rock star Alex Van Halen. RMR has also built cars and worked closely with the producers of the blockbuster hit franchise "The Fast and the Furious."
RMR currently offers more than 100 products that are designed and produced in its facility or private labeled exclusively for RMR. These parts are carefully designed to provide the customer with quick and easy installation instructions with the highest quality. In many cases, its parts have met or exceeded factory specifications allowing dealers to warranty their installation keeping the cars under the factory warranty.
HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 790 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by The Hyundai Advantage, America's Best Warranty. In addition, Hyundai Assurance is now offered on all new vehicles leased or purchased from a certified Hyundai dealer. The program is available to any consumer, regardless of age, health, employment record or financed amount of the vehicle. The program is complimentary for the first 12 months.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
DiRF 8:02PM (11/03/2009)
DAMN that looks good. Deleting the grille actually totally improves the front fascia's appearance.
Reply
jungdaniels 8:09PM (11/03/2009)
RHYS you are the man. looks sooo good
italy430 8:26PM (11/03/2009)
Really?! inspiration is a Ferrari 599XX... thats a disgrace to Ferrari. looking at the quality of fit and finish and presentation, there really isn't anything in that engine bay that says Ferrari... nothing! black steel bars?! how is that Ferrari? a bare engine that looks unfinished. and the little black vents right behind the front wheels, i could be wrong, but they look completely non-functional and only for looks, it screams ricer-boy.
if the inspiration was the 599XX, they did a horrible job. if it was just to take a genesis coupe and make it a mid-engined monster with an upgraded engine and brakes and all that, basically a new car with the amount of work done, then i think they did a great job. it just bugs me when newcomers throw out names of the big guys and say they were inspiration for what they built. it's all just for publicity and when ppl have to ask where the Ferrari inspiration is then it just becomes obvious it's all for "effect". i could build a kit car and say my inspiration was the Bugatti Veyron and i'm sure i'd get a newspaper to do a story on me just because i said that the inspiration was the Veyron. it's fake advertising and Rhys and Hyundai seem to be milking the Genesis Coupe for every last drop that they can.
wslcrew 8:53PM (11/03/2009)
@ italy430
DUDE! You are comparing a HYUNDAI built by some men in a tuner garage with a FERRARI 599XX!!! Why the hell are you so upset??
italy430 9:27PM (11/03/2009)
@wslcrew
DUDE!!! did you not read the article?! RHYS was saying that his HYUNDAI has been inspired by a FERRARI... a 599XX!! laughable line of the century!!
hyundai makes some pretty good cars and they're making significant gains on their Jap competitors. but please don't say that a tuned/modified hyundai is somehow related to, or "inspired" by, a Ferrari.... let alone the 599XX!! the real folks in the world that are actually PAYING for the cars, aka not the ppl who are the "certified internet car experts/autoblog commenters", would laugh if you said that that hyundai was inspired by a Ferrari 599XX.
italy430 9:34PM (11/03/2009)
at least autoblog can call their bluff on them saying it's inspired by the 599XX and see that it's more of a Nismo 370Z lol
nothing says italian... i definitely agree that it's Nismo if anything.
ryan 9:39PM (11/03/2009)
There are actually a lot of things exterior-wise that ape the 599x. Here is a list since you cant seem to figure it out:
wheels
spoiler
flat black roof
mirrors
exhaust
rear diffuser
hood
even the front fascia is close enough in shape to be called similar
As far as the interior goesthough, yeah, there really arent any mentionable similarites and I have no idea what the engine bay of the 599xx looks like but you're right, the engine bay of this "genesis" looks unfinished.
homunculus 9:39PM (11/03/2009)
hey italy430, you inspired me to call you a douchebag, how's that?
Rar 10:20PM (11/03/2009)
@italy430
"Really?! inspiration is a Ferrari 599XX... thats a disgrace to Ferrari."
-----------------
lol. avid ferrari fanboy.
i don't see any reason that "Inspired by Ferrari 599XX" word mean 'disgrace' to Ferrari.
Even Japanese made ferrari-like vehicle, Nissan GT-R, Lexus LFA. I don't see any reason that Hyundai can't follow that step.
And, you know? In the 1980s, Nissan copied Alfa Romeo. Their nissan VG engine was exactly carbon copy of Alfa Romeo's. their engine sounds are same. but, nissan is bigger company than ferrari/fiat in now.
italy430 10:22PM (11/03/2009)
@ ryan.... there is a difference between "inspired by" and a "rip-off".. this is a closer to a rip-off than anything.
btw open ur eyes a bit... most of those things you stated aren't true or they're a rip-off. that diffuser on the hyundai doesn't look ANYTHING like the one on the 599XX. the only thing similar about them is that they both have one! get real man!
2001 altima aka Jessica 10:25PM (11/03/2009)
haha Italy430...
wow chill dude... RM said that it inspired him not copied off of Ferrari. you think that people just pop up with ideas, we all get inspired by something or someone and Ferrari inspired RM to make the gc a 4.6L 500hp mid engine track monster. Have even seen the monster gc that RM drives.. im pretty sure that everything is on the car to make it go faster...and not for show...
Rar 10:31PM (11/03/2009)
@italy430
If Megan Fox said, "My cosmetic inspired by britney spears..."
Is it disgrace to britney spears.
Seriously, wake up, boy. Hyundai is not a cheesy 3rd world copy cat company.
Hyundai is world 4th largest auto makers, They are Asian Big3. (Toyota, Honda, Hyundai)
Hyundai said, "This hyundai car inspired by ferrari car"
this is "honor" to ferrari/fiat.
It is same as,
Michael Jackson said, "My song inspired by bettles".
Rar 10:36PM (11/03/2009)
And, This car is NOT made by Hyundai.
It is show car of RMR racing team, for show their car tuning ability.
italy430 10:38PM (11/03/2009)
@Rar.... actually I'm an avid BMW fan, i own and drive quite a few BMWs. i've also driven toyota, nissan, land rover, jaguar, mercedes, audi, maserati, ferrari, lamborghini, fiat, alfa romeo, gm, ford, lexus, mazda, dodge... i could go on for a long time there buddy. if anything i might be biased a bit towards a BMW, but there was no mention of a BMW in this article.
if you can't see how saying this car is "inspired by" a ferrari 599XX could be a "disgrace" to ferrari then im sorry to say, you got screwed in the brain department. to make it easier, put urself in the shoes of a ferrari chief or a ferrari customer.... would u want some young highschooler/college kid pulling up to you in your F430 and saying "hey buddy, my car was actually inspired by the 599XX!" and then burning rubber til he is gone?! really.. i could tune up a corolla, drop a sickly powerful engine in it and then go and beat F430s and lambos. should i say that it was inspired by a ferrari then?!
"even japanese..."..... what? like they're below the koreans or something?! anyways... yes there is the GT-R and LFA. were they built by tuners? no! those are ligit Nissan and Lexus cars. this is not a ligit Hyundai car. it's been heavily modified. if Hyundai came up with a supercar of their own, original design and didn't blatantly copy another manufacturer, AND it was actually both competitive and desirable/lust worthy, then i would give hyundai their due congrats. both the GT-R and LFA are competitive and desireable/lust worthy in their own regard, obviously not to the same person maybe because their prices are set in two completely different demographics. but yes, sadly, this isn't a hyundai supercar...... so im not sure what you were trying to get at with that comment.
nissan copied alfa? in the 80's? ya sorry, what would you like me to do?? are you saying that just because nissan copied alfa, hyundai is totally fine and copying ferrari? you are sadly mistaken. that argument would never hold up in any legitimate gathering.
Zip 10:45PM (11/03/2009)
@italy430
"hyundai is totally fine and copying ferrari? "
Idiot. This is not copying. inspired by.... is not copying. Your reading ability is poor.
nobody think this is copy.
and, this is RMR show car. not hyundai's own car.
italy430 10:50PM (11/03/2009)
If Megan Fox said, "My cosmetic inspired by britney spears..."
Is it disgrace to britney spears...... no it isn't, megan fox is good looking. if the hyundai was actually built well and had some italian design in it, then it wouldn't be a disgrace.
um mr know it all... hyundai is part of the asian 4.. you forgot nissan is in that group.
Hyundai said, "This hyundai car inspired by ferrari car"
this is "honor" to ferrari/fiat....... excuse my language but how the f*ck is that an honor to ferrari/fiat?! hahahah where did fiat come from now?! fiat owns ferrari but lets stay on topic here, fiat is NOT the same as ferrari.
It is same as,
Michael Jackson said, "My song inspired by bettles". Beetles would be the correct spelling. and this has no valid argument. please finish your thinking behind this statement....
Rar 10:50PM (11/03/2009)
@italy430
i finally came to realize that the your brain is wired completely different from that of a normal human being.
Nissan copied Alfa Rome's engine. It is rip off. violate intellectual property.
RMR racing team tuned Genesis Coupe as Mid engine ferrari car-like. RMR said, they inspired by ferrari.
Is it blatantly copy? really?
homunculus 10:51PM (11/03/2009)
this is too funny. what do you think 'inspired by' means italy430?
Rar 10:52PM (11/03/2009)
@italy430
i finally came to realize that the your brain is wired completely different from that of a normal human being.
Nissan copied alfa romeo's engine. It is rip-off. violate intellectual property.
RMR modified Genessis Coupe as ferrari-like car. It is not copy.And, it is a show car.
italy430 10:54PM (11/03/2009)
@Rar....
i never said it wasn't a rip off of nissan to copy alfa!!!! haha read my post.
i just don't have any knowledge of that incident so how can i comment on it?