2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

It's What's Inside That Counts Long before we saw the Hyundai Genesis Coupe in the flesh, word of the vehicle's arrival flittered around the web with tantalizing persistence. Few rumors manage to get the enthusiast world licking its chops quite as well as one with a potent V6 in the nose of a rear-wheel-drive two-door. Editors began salivating at the thought of a performance coupe renaissance, complete with all of the associated front-page comparos, while forums lit up with threads detailing hypothetical grudge matches between the would-be Korean prize fighter and hardware from the Nissan 370Z to the then-upcoming Chevrolet Camaro V6. Hyundai had clearly rustled up some snakes. Then the Genesis Coupe debuted, and while ingredients like available Brembo brakes and a limited-slip rear differential pointed to the possibility of a genuine contender, it's fair to say the coupe never really became a top-flight prospect for many enthusiasts. A vague gearbox and similarly detached brakes sapped precision from the platform, consigning it to a mid-pack finish in our three-way Battle of the Sixes comparison test back in 2010. None of this is news to Hyundai. The company began planning ways to sharpen its first genuine sports car nearly as soon as the vehicle debuted at the 2008 New York Auto Show. For 2013, the two-door receives a dose of the automaker's patented love-it-or-hate-it styling as well as a host of mechanical improvements tucked behind the polarizing aesthetics. Are the changes enough to give the 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe the fangs it needs to thrive in the cutthroat performance coupe world? It's difficult to miss the changes to the nose of the Genesis Coupe. Designers slathered elements of the familial Fluidic Design language all over the front valance, complete with a hexagonal grille, aggressive HID headlamps with available LED daytime running lights, new fog lights and even a new hood with faux air inlets. The new face has more than a passing resemblance to the gaping maw found on the Veloster. While the Genesis Coupe's profile has remained unchanged, new 18- and 19-inch wheel designs are now available. Likewise, the aft of the Coupe will be plenty familiar to the model's fans, though brilliant new LED taillamp displays help give the model a significantly more upscale look. We know the styling isn't going to garner many wolf whistles in traffic, but from where we sit, this design is a much-needed departure from the somewhat generic lines of the first-generation model. There will be no forgetting the face of the 2013 Genesis Coupe, and the striking face draws eyes with a quickness. Hyundai has also given the Genesis Coupe's interior a much-needed update as well. The dash is now decorated with a simulated stitched-seam cover up top, and an all-new center stack helps move the coupe out of 1999 and into the present. Controls are still easy to find and manipulate, but designers have thrown in a welcome sporty touch with the addition of three analog gauges. The dials convey a …
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