Autoblog

Even before the Hyundai Genesis coupe made its big reveal in New York, its aftermarket potential was apparent. While the 3.8-liter V6-equipped model will undoubtedly find an audience with the hairdresser set, the 223 hp, turbocharged 2.0-liter model – directly related to the inline four found in the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart and Evolution X – is where it's at. Hyundai realizes if it's to be taken seriously as a true performance player, the Genesis coupe has to be embraced by the aftermarket. So it invited 20 tuners to its North American headquarters in Fountain Valley, California to take a look under the hood.



[Source: Inside Line]

Click on the image above for our high-res Hyundai Genesis gallery

To lure buyers towards the all-new 2009 Hyundai Genesis luxury sedan, the Korean automaker is aggressively pricing lease programs. Traditional Hyundai customers choose to lease about 10-12 percent of the time. The Genesis, however, is aimed at a more upscale buyer -- a segment that tends to lease more often (according to Hyundai's estimates, 50 percent of the Genesis customers will lease the new sedan). To drive sales, the standard six-cylinder model, with a base price of about $33,000, will lease for $399/month (24-month lease with $2,199 due at signing). It's a deal that undercuts the Cadillac CTS by nearly $150/month, according to a retailer who sells both. With 80 percent of customers expected to choose the V6 model (we would too), the lease program is bold enough to drive traffic. In case you were wondering, the V8 model won't be in showrooms for another month, and by that time the lease program will have expired.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

Click above for hi-res gallery of the Hyundai Genesis

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. And be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res images below.

Chrysler's restructuring plan and new plan for product development named Project Genesis is facing some expected criticism from many dealers. However, others are praising the cost-cutting, model-trimming and dealer-consolidation program that's happening as a result. As Chrysler pressures its traditional dealer network to sell all three brands (Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge) under one roof – without any financial assistance to help those already struggling with slow sales – many dealers are having a difficult time with the expense of investing in larger facilities to meet the Project Genesis requirements.

According to Chrysler, a one-brand dealer won't be able to survive with its limited vehicle offerings after Chrysler trims down its model lines (expected to be complete by 2012). This is forcing dealers to add the other brands, or shut their doors as sales slowly dwindle. Conversely, the closure of some dealers is having a positive effect on others. With padlocks now on the front doors of their competition, the surviving dealers are experiencing significant growth in vehicles sales, parts and service.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Hyundai Genesis sedan.

Hyundai has finally announced pricing for its first attempt at a serious luxury sedan, and when sales begin later this June, buyers content with the 3.8-liter V6's 290 horses can get behind the wheel of the Genesis sedan for $33,000.

The entry-level Genesis 3.8 will come equipped with an Aisin six-speed automatic transmission and will include 17-inch alloys, fog lamps, dual-power heated side mirrors, heated leather seats, cruise control, a proximity sensor, a push-button start, dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming mirror with Homelink and a compass, along with front, side and side-curtain airbags.

The Hyundai Genesis 4.6, equipped with the 375 hp, 4.6-liter V8 and ZF six-speed automatic gearbox will be priced at $38,000 and equipped with 18-inch rollers, chrome exterior moldings, a leather wrapped dash, "ultra-premium" leather seats, a tilt and slide glass sunroof, power tilt and telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel with memory function, a 15-speaker Lexicon premium sound system, power rear sunshade, rain-sensing wipers, and all the other equipment found on the 3.8 version. Both prices include the $750 shipping charge.

Check out our First Drive of the Hyundai Genesis and read all the details in the press release after the jump.

Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan.

Autoblog recently spent time in Korea driving pre-production versions of the new Hyundai Genesis. This is the car that, according to Hyundai, will usher in a new era of luxury. Them's big words, and we only got a limited amount of time to figure out how true -- or not -- they were. But the main thing you need to know about the Genesis is this: unless they pull a bait and switch on the price range they mentioned, the car will be worth every penny Hyundai charges. Follow the jump to find out why.

Click above for more shots of the Genesis Coupe at the Busan Auto Show.

Two things revealed at this year's New York Auto Show had our salivary glands working overtime. The first was the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, which proved that at least one automaker (and now, two and possibly three) is getting hip to the idea that a rear-wheel-drive, two-door coupe with a turbocharged four-cylinder is needed in the marketplace. The second was over at the Kia booth, where Hyundai's sub-brand revealed its Koup concept, powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline direct-injected (GDI) four-cylinder. According to Kia, this new mill makes 290 hp and 289 lb.-ft. of torque and could power several different models in both automaker's lineups.

Fast-forward to yesterday when we received a couple of tips about a green Genesis Coupe shown at the Busan Auto Show in South Korea. The coupe supposedly shared display space with the same THETA turbocharged GDI 2.0-liter on a separate stand, causing some members of GenFans to assume that the 290 ps (285 hp) engine was fitted to the green coupe. However, the "380GT" badge on the back reveals that the coupe is actually powered by the run-of-the-mill 3.8-liter V6.

We called up Hyundai to ask about the engine and the Coupe on display. Their response: "We're not commenting on it at this time." While we understand that certain cards have to be kept close to one's chest, it would have been easier just to tell us that the coupe on display and the engine at its booth have nothing in common. Since they're remaining disconcertingly tight-lipped, can we assume that the turbocharged 2.0-liter GDI will find its way into the Genesis Coupe in the future? We hope so. And with Hyundai's recent announcement that direct-injected engines are going to find their way into several of its models, it adds that much more fuel to the fire.


[Sources: Hyundai, GenFans]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Hyundai Genesis Coupe.

On the eve of the official unveiling of the Genesis coupe, we were able to score a few details from company execs about the future of Hyundai's first foray into turbocharged, rear-wheel-drive goodness. While Hyundai will only be showing off two versions of the Genesis coupe in New York, more variants are planned for the future, including a targa model sporting a retractable glass roof (ala Porsche 911 Targa), a convertible, and, more compelling, a lightweight version only offered with the 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder.

Hyundai admits that only so much can be done to shed pounds from the coupe, which is already a rather portly beast to begin with, but by nixing some of the sound deadening material and possibly ditching the rear seats, Hyundai hopes that the sporting nature of the Genesis coupe will be fully realized. Naturally, this proposed lightweight model would have even more appeal to enthusiasts and could foretell a future motorsports campaign from an automaker that has thus far stayed off the performance junkie's radar.

We'll have a full report after Hyundai's press conference tomorrow, so check back in around 3:50 pm for the full scoop on the Genesis coupe.

Click above to view Hyundai's two Superbowl ads.

While we're hardly advertising analysts, of all the TV spots that we endured while watching the Superbowl, Hyundai's Genesis commercials seemed to be the most clear and cohesive (unlike some other automakers). Apparently, we weren't alone.

Nielsen's Online MegaPanel Survey crunched some of the data it captured from viewers during the game and found that Hyundai's spots were some of the best received. Overall, 43-percent of the people polled said that the ads improved their view of Hyundai's image, while 57-percent thought that the ads were informative – essentially telling them something new – and 45-percent thought the spots where "believable."

Hopefully some of that goodwill transfers over to dealerships when Hyundai launches the Genesis sedan later this year. It's certainly more of a game-changer than Audi's "old luxury" campaign and it may finally pull Hyundai's image out of the bargain-basement brand identity that it's so fervently trying to escape.

We've embedded Hyundai's Superbowl spots after the jump, along with their press release.

[Source: Hyundai]

Hyundai has quickly developed a full range of products in its US lineup, and quality scores from companies like JD Power show those vehicles now rank among the best in the industry. For all of Hyundai's progress the past few years, the South Korean automaker has taken its time getting navigation systems into its fleet of cars and trucks.

For '08, the Azera, Santa Fe, and Veracruz all get nav systems, the Genesis sedan receives a separate high-end interface, and the bread-and-butter 2009 Sonata will get the tech as well. The folks over at Kicking Tires proclaim the interface to be bright, clear, and easy to use. It's about time. With Hyundai raising the price of entry for the Sonata to match (or exceed) the competition, it's important that the midsize sedan has everything the competition offers. It's just a shame that it took until now for them to do it.

[Source: Kicking Tires]