Hyundai G35 Genesis

My boss sent me some camera pics from the Cars and Coffee meet down in Irvine a couple weeks ago. I guess somebody from Hyundai rolled down the new Genesis coupe with the 4B11T engine in it. Ken called it a 7/8 scaled G35. I said just about the same thing in my November 07 post about the car when I first saw it at the LA Auto Show. In concept, the Genesis sounds good. HOWEVER, I hear the car will have a 3500 lb. curb weight so even though it is rear wheel drive and has a turbo engine in it, it is a far cry from what the car should be. The car should be a copy of the 1991 Nissan 180SX with a updated face lift. That’s what I told Toyota when they came and asked me what their next sports car should be like. It’s what I told Dave over at Mazda. It’s what I tell all the manufacturers: copy the S13 180/240SX with a turbo engine and call it a day. Anyhow, after a severe diet and a 200whp upgrade, the Hyundai Genesis just might be pretty interesting.

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Look at the car’s side profile and tell me that’s not a G35/37’s silhouette.

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You know Hyundai must own a couple of G35/G37 coupes and have them in their design studios. Dude, if you put an Infiniti badge on it I probably wouldn’t even take a second glance the first time I saw the car.

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The 4B11T is actually going to be the base engine with 212hp. Believe it or not, the higher trim version will have Hyundai’s V6. Yes, the rod shooter engine: I’m told that if you go a tick over 240whp a rod shoots out the side of the block. The V6 is probably fine if you left it stock, but I would be happy to have the 4B11T and the lower trim model. EDIT: I read somewhere that the higher trim car will have a V8.

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You can’t see much of the turbo here, but there looks to be plenty of room to fit a Garrett T04 and external wastegate there. Hopefully the transverse and longitudinal 4B11T’s will have the same engine mount bracket positioning so a future Cosworth 2.2L 4B11T will drop right in.

I don’t think it’s a bad thing that Hyundai was “influenced” by Nissan designers because the G35/G37 is a good looking car. I just wish Hyundai would have made it about 700lbs. lighter and a hair smaller in size. Anyhow, hopefully this car will bring turbo power to the masses in an affordable package. Like I said in my previous post: wait for a sale and it’ll be 0 down, 24 months no interest!

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