Genesis Coupe: What's under the hood?

Hyundai has launched its Genesis Coupe in Korea this week, and for the first time, reveals the kind of performance we can expect from their sports car. There are two engine options. The first is Hyundai's Theta 2.0-liter turbo which produces 223 horsepower at 6000rpm and 299Nm of torque at 2000rpm. In this guise, the car can sprint to 100km/h in around 8.3 seconds.

If that sort of performance still leaves you feeling drowsy, there's always the second engine option: A 3.8 litre, DOHC V6 Lambda RS. It is capable of 310hp at 6300rpm, with a torque figure of 361Nm at 4700rpm. Hyundai's claimed 0 to 100km/h time for the Coupe with this engine is 6.3 seconds. Are you awake yet?

Strangely enough, for a car this exciting, Hyundai's target market is (choke!) "middle-aged men" who are looking for a 300hp coupe for the best price.

What kind of prices can hopeful buyers expect? In Korea, prices start at US $18,728 for the base version. The top end model 3.8 V6 model, with full options USD $27,382.

Our estimate is that the Genesis Coupe will be available in Asian markets by next year, following it's U.S. launch in the spring of 2009.

[IMG]http://www.oneshift.com/showroom/uploadimages/resized-20081016124558808.jpg[/IMG]

Credits: JRC