You ready for a V8-powered, RWD coupe from Hyundai?

[BrewSwillis]

You ready for a V8-powered, RWD coupe from Hyundai?

Posted Apr 30th 2007 3:56PM by John Neff

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Hyundai

While we were digitally thumbing through the latest virtual issue of Winding Road (subscribe here for free if you haven't already), we were struck by a particularly well done article on the forthcoming Genesis sedan from Hyundai. The WR folk dug deep and unearthed a lot of info about the sedan, and what its new BH platform means for the Korean automaker. For one, the BH platform will spawn four vehicles in total: the Gensis, a long-wheelbase Genesis Plus, a Genesis-esque Kia model, and (drum roll, please) a sporty rear-wheel-drive, V8-powered coupe that may look like the rendering above. Now, no one knows what this coupe will look like or even how far along in development it is, but kudos go to the WR-commissioned artist who created this image, because it looks great.

Assuming a heavy dose of parts sharing will go on between the BH platform mates, we should expect this RWD coupe to be offered with either a V6 or the new "Tau" V8 that will power the Genesis. The "Tau" is said to be capable of "well over" 300 horsepower and we already know the company's 3.8L V6 is a gem, so Hyundai's forthcoming coupe has plenty of powerplant potential. Reportedly, however, none of the BH cars will be offered with a true manual transmission. Instead, we should expect some sort of manually controlled automatics.

Considering that a Genesis equipped with a V6 is rumored to carry a price tag below $30,000, we're curious to know which other RWD coupes you think will be the biggest competition for this car. Would its combination of a low price tag and powerful engine make it attractive to the Mustang crowd, or is Hyundai staring down the grille of Infiniti's new G37? Time will tell, and we can't wait.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/04/30/you-rea...e-from-hyundai/

[Camino LS6]

If you must buy Asian...

[siegen]

The photo looks good.

[AxelTheRed]

Regardless of copying American style, its still a Hyundai.

[Paolino]

Here's the problem. It can look that good. It can be that powerful.

I doubt many will get past the crooked "H" when it comes time to dropping $30,000+ on a sportscar/sports luxury car.

[Intrepidation]

That thing looks awesome, if the final product looks like that then I may have to add that to my list of possible future cars.

Edited April 30, 2007 by Dodgefan

[PrimeGTP]

Behind the side mirrors, it's a G6 coupe.

[Northstar]

That doesn't look bad, but there's a lot of stuff I'd take over that for similar coin.

[enzl]

Here's the problem. It can look that good. It can be that powerful.

I doubt many will get past the crooked "H" when it comes time to dropping $30,000+ on a sportscar/sports luxury car.

On the heels of GM's supposed delay/pullback of the Zeta program, I'd say they've got a shot....remember, not too long ago "Made in Japan" implied cheap & crappy.

Kudos to Hyundai for having the balls to take a chance....

[Intrepidation]

Behind the side mirrors, it's a G6 coupe.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I actually like that, maybe becuse it does look like the G6.

[Intrepidation]

I wish the G6 looked like that...then maybe I'd want one....Nah this will be RWD...so I'd still want it more.

[Flybrian]

That wide-bottom grille looks like $h!.

[Dragon]

me rikey

[Z-06]

A combination of Audi for that horrible grid, Pontiac (GTO for the fact of 30,000 V-8 coupe and G-6 for its body), Honda for the Headlight looks.

[balthazar]

>>"remember, not too long ago "Made in Japan" implied cheap & crappy."<<

That was AT LEAST 25 years ago; for Hyundai (assuming you accept all the recent supposed quality allocades) it was more like 3 years ago.

Feel free to gamble your money, I've learned the hard way, otherwise.

[enzl]

>>"remember, not too long ago "Made in Japan" implied cheap & crappy."<<

That was AT LEAST 25 years ago; for Hyundai (assuming you accept all the recent supposed quality allocades) it was more like 3 years ago.

Feel free to gamble your money, I've learned the hard way, otherwise.

every journey starts with a first step.

What makes you think Korea won't surpass the Japanese, eventually?

[big blue]

Grille is vomit inducing. However the overall shape and headlights seem sharp. Do remember this is a possible rendering of what it MAY look like.

[Sixty8panther]

Cool.

I'll probably never buy one but if I have to stare at these things at

least it looks better than most Toyotas/Hondas & it is RWD. Maybe

if I see one in the want ad for $300 fifteen years from now I'll get

it for a winter beater so my 1961 Cadillac & 1959 Buick don;t see

the salt but I can still go drifting durring blizzards.

[Chris_Doane]

I doubt many will get past the crooked "H" when it comes time to dropping $30,000+ on a sportscar/sports luxury car.

The coupe they are talking about is the next gen Tiburon. It wouldn't start anywhere near 30k. The mention of 30k in that story is a reference to the production version of the Genesis.

Edited May 1, 2007 by Chris_Doane

[loki]

tib replacement?

or something above that?

[Chris_Doane]

tib replacement?

or something above that?

The coupe they are talking about is the next gen Tiburon. It wouldn't start anywhere near 30k. The mention of 30k in that story is a reference to the production version of the Genesis.

[91z4me]

Wow. Someone should make a similar body kit for the G6, that is nice!

[Cory Wolfe]

If it looks anything like that... I'll be impressed.

[ZL-1]

If Hyundai holds the price increase to a reasonable amount, why buy a G6 2-door?

[balthazar]

>>"every journey starts with a first step."<<

It's just a source of amazement to me: hyundai builds sh!t for 85% of it's short history here, posts a year or 2 of decent product and everyone rushes forward with pursed lips to accept the next hyundai like it's made of gold.

GM build excellent cars for 85% of it's history, runs thru a relatively short span of rough times, and people rush forward to redesign products that aren't even out yet. No credit for GM's recent big steps, but much love for a brand with one of the most abominable past records in the industry.

Edited May 1, 2007 by balthazar

[ocnblu]

That's a good looking rendering. What a mind-blowing concept... a pony car from Hyundai! I was there when the Excel burned oil and started rusting away within a year. They certainly have come a long way. They'll never match Ford or GM for experience in this class, but young people these days don't care about what's come before... which is sad.

[Chazman]

http://www.automochatter.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1007

Above is a computer rendering of what an '09/'10 RWD Tiburon might look like. Based on Hyundai's upcoming RWD BH platform - could include both V6 and V8, normally aspirated and blown engines.

We've seen this architecture under the Genesis concept, and talk is that a V8 version of that high content car, might be had for under $30K.

The BH architecture sounds about the same size as GM's Zeta and apparently Hyundai will offer a LWB version as well. The Genesis carries the same approximate dimensions as the G8, so it may follow that a shortened coupe version might be in the same size class as Camaro and Mustang.

A coupe version based on the Genesis's BH would give this Hyundai ponycar (Tiburon?) a more sophisticated chassis than Mustang or even Camaro.

The most sophisticated chassis in it's class, RWD, V8's, low cost. Let the games begin.....

[Camino LS6]

I have this vain hope to see Toyota crushed between the domestics and the Koreans.

Something like this helps keep that dream alive.

[Chazman]

I have this vain hope to see Toyota crushed between the domestics and the Koreans.

Something like this helps keep that dream alive.

Actually, I'm rooting for the Koreans just for that reason.

[Northstar]

I merged the two topics together as I saw no reason to have two topics on the same subject 8 topics apart in Asian Marques.

[Chazman]

I merged the two topics together as I saw no reason to have two topics on the same subject 8 topics apart in Asian Marques.

Makes sense to me...

[Chazman]

The coupe they are talking about is the next gen Tiburon. It wouldn't start anywhere near 30k. The mention of 30k in that story is a reference to the production version of the Genesis.

If Hyundai were to do a BH based Tiburon - what's your best pie in the sky guess on price?

[Sixty8panther]

I have this vain hope to see Toyota crushed between the domestics and the Koreans.

Something like this helps keep that dream alive.

YES! Agreed.

Balthazar's point is something that every Import Humper should read & re-read!!!

[sciguy_0504]

Behind the side mirrors, it's a G6 coupe.

That's what I first thought of.

I'll pass. Edit: It seems a lot of people will take my place in line.

The ripped-off Aston Martin grille, G6 side profile and greenhouse, Lancer-esque headlights all add up to one nasty car. The front and back, from what we see if it, don't even flow together, especially with those front wheel arches.

And if the Koreans crush Toyota & Co they'll be aiming right for GM & Co.

Edited May 4, 2007 by sciguy_0504

[Chris_Doane]

If Hyundai were to do a BH based Tiburon - what's your best pie in the sky guess on price?

Well, they have at least 3 cars planned for the BH platform that I know of. One being the Tiburon. So they have economies of scale working pretty well for them with the BH platform.

Current Tiburon MSRP's range from $16,695-22,095...I doubt they'd want to stray too far from that. I think a base MSRP between $17.5-$19.5k seems pretty reasonable. Who knows, they could even ditch the base 4 cylinder and give you a V6 for the entry model.

Here is a crazy thought. How about a V8 Tiburon that comes in at, or ever under, the Solstice GXP MSRP of $27,115?

Edited May 4, 2007 by Chris_Doane

[Chazman]

Here is a crazy thought. How about a V8 Tiburon that comes in at, or ever under, the Solstice GXP MSRP of $27,115?

Just wildly guessing....

But wouldn't be surprised if it were even less than that, even undercutting a base Mustang GT.

[enzl]

>>"every journey starts with a first step."<<

It's just a source of amazement to me: hyundai builds sh!t for 85% of it's short history here, posts a year or 2 of decent product and everyone rushes forward with pursed lips to accept the next hyundai like it's made of gold.

GM build excellent cars for 85% of it's history, runs thru a relatively short span of rough times, and people rush forward to redesign products that aren't even out yet. No credit for GM's recent big steps, but much love for a brand with one of the most abominable past records in the industry.

It's a source of amazement for me: A hard charging, focused company (that just happens not to be 'merican) is kicking ass and taking names internationally, growing from a marginal producer of other people's products to a multinational conglomerate in two decades, AND the ostriches don't believe they can take that next, logical step.

Read what the press said about Lexus and Infiniti before those brands were introduced. They're syaing similar things about Hyundai and its intentions today!

As far as GM's 'big steps'---they need to know that this threat is out there....you guys can't seem to wrap your minds around the idea that today's ambition is tomorrow's reality for the Koreans. Again, a failure to recognize and anticipate the competition has placed GM in the precarious position they're in today.

Oh, and just in case you think that I'm bashing GM without cause---they're currently handing out documents to dealers that breakdown the top 15 markets in the world, trying to indicate that GM is 'Still #1' overall, if you leave out the rest of the world! In a nutshell, that's the type of shortsighted, crappy, misleading spin that gets them believing their own BS. It also completely undermines their public stance that emerging markets are where growth is coming from! Many of these markets are conveniently absent from internal memoranda, yet are being used to trumpet GM's 'comeback' for the stock market and PR machine!

I have no love for Hyundai---and a great compassion & hope for GM, but if you're trying to hit a moving target, you must aim steps ahead---and they're barely keeping up with the competition, as a bloated product lineup and yesterday's thinking continually fights for limited resources.

You want to cheerlead, I want them to survive as a viable company. That's the essential difference. Tough love is harder, but more useful than being an enabler. GM should be treated like it has a problem, because, rest assured, it has some monumental ones.

[Chris_Doane]

Just wildly guessing....

But wouldn't be surprised if it were even less than that, even undercutting a base Mustang GT.

Agreed. My original post said:

Here is a crazy thought. How about a V8 Tiburon that comes in at, or ever under, the Solstice GXP MSRP of $27,115? What about $1-2k under?!

...but I'll play it on the safe side for now until we see how much the V8 motor adds to the Genesis MSRP.

[balthazar]

>>"Oh, and just in case you think that I'm bashing GM without cause---they're currently handing out documents to dealers that breakdown the top 15 markets in the world, trying to indicate that GM is 'Still #1' overall, if you leave out the rest of the world! In a nutshell, that's the type of shortsighted, crappy, misleading spin that gets them believing their own BS. "<<

Ohhhh, right; you mean the exact same "shortsighted, crappy, misleading spin" the media uses to proclaim toyota is the global production leader after a mere 3 months.

>>"A hard charging, focused company (that just happens not to be 'merican) is kicking ass and taking names internationally, growing from a marginal producer..."<<

How can you say they were ONLY "marginal" in the beginning??? That almost smacks of shortsighted, crappy, misleading spin, my friend. And as far as lexus & infiniti go- they had no abhorrant history before they were poured out of a beaker- the pre-intro speculation was just that.

Edited May 4, 2007 by balthazar

[97regalGS]

Here's the problem. It can look that good. It can be that powerful.

I doubt many will get past the crooked "H" when it comes time to dropping $30,000+ on a sportscar/sports luxury car.

keep an eye on the verazruz to see if they can get to that price point

azera success is questionable(without looking at numbers)

[97regalGS]

That wide-bottom grille looks like &#036;h&#33;.

in your entire life, have you ever said anything remotely postive about hyundai? what happen, you learn to drive on a Pony?

[97regalGS]

I have this vain hope to see Toyota crushed between the domestics and the Koreans.

Something like this helps keep that dream alive.

sadly it looks more like the other way round, where the domestics are getting squeezed by Japan and Korea.

[Intrepidation]

I respect Hyundai for having the guts to make a RWD performance coupe. And like I said, the rendering looks sexy.

Edited May 4, 2007 by Dodgefan

[Drew Dowdell]

I wonder if it will have a B pillar....

[enzl]

>>"Oh, and just in case you think that I'm bashing GM without cause---they're currently handing out documents to dealers that breakdown the top 15 markets in the world, trying to indicate that GM is 'Still #1' overall, if you leave out the rest of the world! In a nutshell, that's the type of shortsighted, crappy, misleading spin that gets them believing their own BS. "<<

Ohhhh, right; you mean the exact same "shortsighted, crappy, misleading spin" the media uses to proclaim toyota is the global production leader after a mere 3 months.

>>"A hard charging, focused company (that just happens not to be 'merican) is kicking ass and taking names internationally, growing from a marginal producer..."<<

How can you say they were ONLY "marginal" in the beginning??? That almost smacks of shortsighted, crappy, misleading spin, my friend. And as far as lexus & infiniti go- they had no abhorrant history before they were poured out of a beaker- the pre-intro speculation was just that.

1. GM is circulating a falselt misleading memo, I saw it yesterday morning! The world press is accurately reporting huge, historic news.

2. Hyundai began by producing Mitsu castoffs.

3. Lexus/Infiniti ideas were both scoffed at by all leading co.s' as terrible ideas before intro. Obviously, these doubters were wrong. Analogy missed: reaction to Hyundai's vision is similar, at least as far as I can tell from your opinions on the topic!

[Chazman]

I wonder if it will have a B pillar....

I'd imagine it will.

The HCD8 concept did: http://www.automochatter.com/forum/showpos...amp;postcount=8

[LosAngeles]

me rikey

There are L-sounds in Korean, you know.

As far as the car: All we have right now in the affordable FR sports/GT segment Mustang, Z, and RX-8. Camaro and Challenger aren't here yet, and there's no Supra, or anything from Honda or Mitzi. Why not?

And unless they're going absolutely premium, I'd like to see the Chrysler-Mitsubishi-Hyundai engine under the hood as a base.

[Intrepidation]

There are L-sounds in Korean, you know.

As far as the car: All we have right now in the affordable FR sports/GT segment Mustang, Z, and RX-8. Camaro and Challenger aren't here yet, and there's no Supra, or anything from Honda or Mitzi. Why not?

And unless they're going absolutely premium, I'd like to see the Chrysler-Mitsubishi-Hyundai engine under the hood as a base.

If it's going to have a V8 it's not going to have a 4-banger. Base would be a V6.

[LosAngeles]

If it's going to have a V8 it's not going to have a 4-banger. Base would be a V6.

That's not a written in stone requirement (see Fox Mustang)