In the 23 years since Hyundai first entered the U.S. market, the Korean automaker has come a long away. What began as a budget-oriented brand for those who couldn't afford the higher-priced products from Japan has evolved into a credible contender in virtually every segment that it competes. In the early days, the primary emphasis was on affordable motoring, sometimes at the expense of long-term durability. Today, it's a different story. From the Accent to the Genesis sedan, Hyundai still offers some of the most affordable products, but the decades-old connotations of "cheap" have been largely laid to rest.

With the introduction of the Tiburon, Hyundai finally dipped its toe into the sports-car segment, but as nice as it was, it simply didn't have the chops to play with the big boys of the performance set. Enter the Genesis Coupe. Hyundai's rear-wheel-drive two-door is the second salvo in the automaker's bid to flesh-out its premium Genesis sub-brand, while at the same time taking direct aim at a field of established competitors ranging from the Ford Mustang to the Infiniti G37. Does the Genesis have what it takes to play the game? We spent a week with a 3.8-liter Track model to find out.



Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

A minor controversy broke out a few weeks back when it became known that Rhys Millen's new Hyundai Genesis Coupe Formula Drift car debuted at the Long Beach season opener with Nissan power under the hood. Normally this wouldn't be much of an issue in drifting where almost anything goes mechanically. The problem here is that Millen's team is not independent and supported directly by Hyundai. As we learned, late approval of the drift program meant that Millen's crew simply didn't have the time to finish preparing a new engine from Hyundai.

Rhys dropped us a line yesterday evening to let us know that some of the parts he was waiting on for the Lambda V6 engine have arrived including a new clutch and flywheel. To start with, the engine is running with mostly stock internals and its original 3.8-liter displacement. Over the weekend, the team ran the engine on the dyno and squeezed out 480 hp at 4,500 rpm and 570 lb-ft of torque at 3,800 rpm. They achieved those numbers with just 9 psi of boost from the turbo. The engine is now in the car and Millen will be competing with Hyundai power at Round 2 of the formula D championship at Road Atlanta this weekend.



[Source: Rhys Millen]

When the Hyundai Genesis Coupe was announced, there was no doubt it would find favor with the aftermarket – particularly when equipped with the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four. With all the necessary exhaust hardware already in place, it was just a matter of (R&D) time before enterprising tuners began swapping turbos, figuring out engine management and hitting the dyno.

While 0-60 magazine has its own thing going on with the help of Design Craft, Beyond Redline is cooking up its own turbo kit that utilizes a V-Band adapter that allows different turbos to be fitted while retaining the stock manifold. The company currently has a prototype manufactured and claims that almost any Garrett turbo can fit (we're thinking a GT35R would do the turbo'd four nicely). After installing the adapter, fitting a GT30 turbo, 600cc injectors, tuning it with an AEM FIC and running 16 pounds of boost, they pulled off a 306 hp and 245 lb-ft run on a Dynojet, and later put out 344 hp to the rear wheels.

Since the kit is still in early development Beyond Redline hasn't announced availability or pricing for the complete package, but judging by their work so far, it's right around the corner. And for those who chose the 3.8-liter V6 Genesis Coupe, SeoulfulRacing (out of Korea) already has a supercharged, 430-hp version for sale across the Pacific and hopes to bring that kit to the States in the near future.

[Source: GenesisDriven, GenCoupe]

Ford's been building up to April 17, 2009 for several months now. In these dark days for the auto industry, there isn't a lot worth celebrating so it's understandable that the 45th anniversary of the introduction of the Mustang is drawing some attention. Over the past 45 years, numerous contenders have rolled up to the lights for a chance to try and snatch the crown from the original pony-car, but only the Mustang has remained standing throughout. The latest intender to the throne comes from Hyundai in the form of the Genesis Coupe. As with so many species in the animal kingdom, the battle for the alpha position is preceded by an elaborate dance. Check out the Genesis coupe's birthday tribute the current leader after the jump.

The Red Bull-sponsored Hyundai Genesis Coupe driven by Rhys Millen made its competitive debut at the Formula Drift event in Long Beach, CA this weekend. While Millen was knocked out in the first round, his car was still one of the hottest attractions at the event, garnering plenty of attention from race fans. Its turbocharged V6 made one of the best sounds on the track, and it's possibly one of the best looking cars on the circuit as well. This is just one of many venues where Rhys will be competing with the Genesis Coupe, along with the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, the Redline Time Attack series, and the rest of the Formula Drift calendar. We caught up with the Millen and the car in the pits to take a closer look and were sure to get plenty of photos both on and off track. Be sure to check out the high-res gallery below, and follow the jump to learn more about the RMR Hyundai Genesis Coupe.



Photos copyright ©2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc

The fourth Fast & Furious has shot out of the gates with a $72.5 million opening weekend payday. Movie-goers are checking out the new flick for the fast-paced action, the Vin Diesel and the cars, but one vehicle you won't see on the silver screen is the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. The all-new RWD Hyundai was originally slated to be featured in Fast & Furious 4, but for unknown official reasons, it was later pulled from the script.

Last minute changes happen all the time in Hollywood, but Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson thinks the competition may have helped keep the Genesis Coupe off the big screen, saying "another manufacturer blocked us." Johnson says the Genesis Coupe was even supposed to be included in the action-packed opening sequence.

The news didn't set well with the Korean automaker, considering Hyundai prepped a red 2.0T SE Genesis Coupe especially for the movie. Johnson didn't hypothesize which automaker may have done the blocking, and since several makes and models made the final roster of FNF4, your guess is as good as ours. With the amazing success F&F4 is experiencing, though, we're guessing we'll have another chance to see a Genesis Coupe in the fifth installment.




[Source: Inside Line]

The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is receiving more than its fair share of attention of late, and with good reason. It's a very compelling 2+2 sports coupe bargain with a $22,000 base price, and it's motivated by the rear wheels. The Genesis Coupe also wows with a stellar chassis and a choice of a 210-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder or naturally-aspirated 306-horsepowerV6. In other words, it's just begging for some tuner love.

We showed you our first drive impressions of the Genesis Coupe last week, and today we're ready to show you Hyundai's new pocket rocket in moving pictures. Follow the jump to watch our video review of the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Whether you love it or loathe it, it'll most certainly get your attention.



Hyundai Genesis First Drive

As we showed you earlier today, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe is proof that the South Koreans know how to have fun. In the hands of the right tuner, Hyundai's rear-wheel drive rocket can go from a good time to great reason to get out of bed in the morning.

The guys and gals over at 0-60 Magazine somehow managed to get their hands on a 2.0T Genesis Coupe before the rest of us, with the sole intention of turning an already capable track companion to a total driftmonger. Yes, driftmonger. Hit the jump to see a sneak peak of what 0-60 did with their pet project. You'll see a big ol' rear wing, some carbon fiber, and plenty of tire-shredding sideways antics. Looks like fun.

[Source: 0-60 Mag]

Full throttle down the back straight, the speedometer sweeps past 100 mph. The approaching turn is a 90-degree right, but it looks like we can still put more asphalt behind us before letting off the gas. At the last possible moment, we lift and then lean hard on the brakes. Deceleration forces us against the shoulder belt as the four contact patches ferociously search the line for traction. As the orange cones begin to fill our front windshield, it's obvious that we're carrying too much speed. A turn now and we'd spin.



Photos Copyright ©2008 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc.

Hyundai has set up a new YouTube channel where it's going to be posting videos featuring its cars. The first couple of clips come from the Genesis coupe press intro that just took place in Nevada. You can read Mike Harley's report on that later this week. In the meantime, check out drifting champion Rhys Millen explaining how drifting competitions are judged and what sort of changes his team had to make to Genesis to turn it into a drift car. Warning: if screeching tires, shredded rubber and lots of smoke make you squeamish, you might want to avoid this. Otherwise, enjoy Rhys Millen's Drifting 101 after the jump.



[Source: Hyundai]

Photos Copyright ©2009 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.