According to John Krafick, Hyundai’s vice president of product development in America, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe will be available with turbo power when it debuts in the spring of 2009. The turbocharged engine will be the first offered by Hyundai in the U.S.
The turbo option will be available in the 4-cylinder engine that Hyundai is building with its joint venture between Mitsubishi and Chrysler. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe will also be available in a 3.8 liter V6 engine that is estimated to produce more than 300 horsepower. Estimated 0-60 time is said to be less than 6 seconds.
Krafcik said that the turbo option won’t be limited to the Genesis Coupe. “We like the idea of turbo, so we’ll do others,” Krafcik told Automotive News. “I think the timing is good because no one else has a four-cylinder, rear-drive platform with a turbocharger.”
Regarding hybrid and diesels Krafcik said Hyundai has no current plans to offer either. “We’ll get more horsepower and better gas mileage through smaller displacement and direction injection,” he said. “People talk about diesels all of the time, but it’s extremely expensive.”
Hyundai has said that Genesis Coupe and the next-generation Tiburon will be two different models.
“When it hits the market in early 2009, we aim to deliver a driving experience that challenges cars like Infiniti G37, at prices more like Mitsubishi Eclipse,” said Krafcik.
Hyundai Concept Genesis Coupe Gallery:
Automotive News
