July 3, 2009 In the beginning, there was Hyundai, and it was without form, and darkness was upon the face of the brand.
룊귕궸갂Hyundai궇귟궖갂궩귢궼`궶궥궞궴궶궘갂댠댢궕궩궻긳깋깛긤귩븹궯궲궋궫갃
And it"s still pretty dark. 궩궢궲갂궩궻댢궼뜞귖궯궲궔궶귟댠궋갋갋갋 Yes, we"re all very impressed with Hyundai"s robust sales numbers, the company"s monster 10-year warranty and the new Hyundai Genesis sedan, which was voted 2009 North American Car of the Year by a group of powerful and influential automotive journalists who were found sleeping under a bridge. 둴궔궸갂Hyundai궻댰딠맰귪궶붛봽묇릶귘갂떶궖궻10봏뺎뤪궸궼둊갂떶뭂궢궲궋귡궢갂Hyundai Genesis sedan궼갂떗쀍궳뎓떯쀍궇귟궶궕귞갂떞궻돷궳뼭궯궲궋귡궴궞귣귩덙궯뮗귟뢯궠귢궲궖궫덇똒궻렔벍롎]_됄궫궭궸귝궯궲2009봏NACOTY궸멗궽귢귖궢궫갃
But what does the brand mean? If anything, the cursive H stands only for a kind of predatory cheapness that undercuts Honda/Acura and Toyota/Lexus. As cars like the Azera and Sonata demonstrate, in a coldly calculated dollar-for-value comparison, you just can"t beat a Hyundai. 궢궔궢갂궩궻긳깋깛긤궻렳뫴궼궵궎궬귣궎갎귖궢뙻궎궶귞궽갂궩궻뷢딯뫬궳`궔귢궫H궼갂Honda/Acura귘Toyota/Lexus귩댝돽궸봽귡갂궇귡롰궻긬긏귟궻댝궯귎궠귩댰뼞궥귡궬궚궬갃Azera귘Sonata궻귝궎궶긏깑}궕뿧뤪궥귡귝궎궸갂쀢밢궸똶럁궠귢궫돽둰궴돽뭠궻붶둹궳궋궯궫귞갂묿궢귖Hyundai궸궼밎귦궶궋갃
So what. No one ever wrote a misty-eyed heavy metal ballad to the glory of the bargain equation. No one ever serenaded with a mariachi band beneath the window of extended warranties. Hyundai is a brand utterly devoid of romance, poetry or inspiration. The very word affects me like a jeroboam of ether. 궬궔귞돺궬궴뙻궎궻궬갃궞귢귏궳묿덇릐궴궢궲갂댝봽귟궻뺴믴렜궻뎗뚹궸궰궋궲뢾귪궬벘궳귖궯궲긶긮긽^궻긫깋[긤귩뺲궛궫궞궴궼궶궋궢갂묿덇릐궴궢궲뮮딖듩뺎뤪궻몝궻돷갂}깏귺긞`궻긜깒긥[긢귩뎂궯궫궞궴궼궶궋갃Hyundai궼갂뒶星궶귏궳궸갂깓}깛긚귘럪륃갂귽깛긚긯깒[긘깈깛귩뙁궋궫긳깋깛긤궶궻궬갃뻦궕릪궋궢귢귡궻궼귏궠궢궘궩궎궋궯궫뙻뾲궶궻궸갃
That"s why, above and beyond the particulars of cornering grip and acceleration, the new Hyundai Genesis coupe is a good idea. This company can spread all the high-tech marmalade it likes over its cars, but until it starts fashioning an emotional back story, a cool image, a creation myth of its own, the brand will never embody anything more than likable appliances. 궬궔귞궞궩갂긓[긥깏깛긐궻긐깏긞긵귘귺긏긜깒[긘깈깛궕궵궎궢궫궞궎궢궫궴궋궎럷빣궼궠궲궓궖갂륷^Hyundai Genesis coupe궕갂Hyudai궸궴궯궲긐긞긤귺귽긢귻귺궬궴럙궑귡궻궬갃Hyundai궼갂긏깑}궸긪귽긡긏궻}[}깒[긤귩밾귟궰궚귡궞궴궼궳궖궲귖갂긄긾[긘깈긥깑궶봶똧귘갂긏[깑궶귽긽[긙갂긳깋깛긤_쁞궻몁뢯궴궋궯궫궞궴궸롦귟멺귏궶궚귢궽갂뭁궸궶귪궴궶궘뛆귏궢궋@둆궬궴럙귦궧귡댥뤵궻궞궴궼뙂궢궲렳뙸궳궖궶궋궬귣궎갃
The formula for generating passion in a car brand is eternally performance, and preferably motor sports -- big, smoky, loud and stupid motor sports. Enter famed performance driver Rhys Millen, who will race a Genesis Coupe this year in various "drifting" competitions. 긏깑}궻긳깋깛긤궸륃봎귩뭾궗뜛귔돞벞궼갂뎘돀궸빾귦귡궞궴궶궘갂귏궦긬긲긅[}깛긚궳궇귟갂궳궖귡궞궴궶귞궽긾[^[긚|[긟|묈|궔귟궳갂긚긾[긌[궳뙑궢궘궲뗱궔궢궋긾[^[긚|[긟궸롦귟멺귔궞궴궕]귏궢궋갃Rhys Millen궻귝궎궶뾎뼹궶긤깋귽긫[귩갂Genesis Coupe궸뤸궧궲궞궻덇봏갂궇귞귚귡긤깏긲긣묈됵궸뢯뤾궠궧귡궻궬갃
Drifting is kind of like figure skating with cars, with the drivers pitching the cars sideways and spinning the tires so that they slide around the course trailing clouds of choking tire smoke (much to the dismay of local birds). 긤깏긲긣궼긏깑}궻긲귻긎깄귺긚긑[긣귒궫궋궶귖궻궳궇귟갂긤깋귽긫[궼긏깑}귩돘뒍귟궠궧^귽깂귩긚긯깛궠궧궶궕귞긓[긚귩뢂됷궢궲궋궘|^귽깂긚긾[긏귩뵯맯궠궧궶궕귞갃걁궩귢궕뽰뮰귩떶궔궧궫귟궥귡걂
As a thinking man"s sport, drifting has an I.Q. of about 40; but it does handily illustrate the salient feature of the Genesis coupe: its rear-wheel drive, which is something of a rarity in this price category. The Genesis coupe finds itself in the rowdy, budget-minded ranks of the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, Nissan 370Z and Dodge Challenger. 릐쀞궻긚|[긟궴궢궲궼갂긤깏긲긣궼IQ괪괥궙귞궋궻뭢\몜뱰궬궚귢궵갂궩귢궼Genesis coupe궻벫뮙귩[밒궸\궢궲궋귡갌뚣쀖긤깋귽긳|궞궻돽둰긇긡긕깏[궳궼궋궘귆귪딍룺맜궕궇귡벫뮙궬갃Genesis coupe궼갂뛯갲궢궋믟\럁깋깛긏궻긏깑}궫궭갂Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, Nissan 370Z귘Dodge Challenger궻뭸듩궸궶귡궬귣궎갃
It remains to be seen how the young males/early hominids in the drifting demographic will respond to the Genesis coupe, but the car certainly has some asphalt chops. 롟궋뭞궵귖^긤깏긲긣릐뚿궻룊딖릐쀞궕갂Genesis coupe궸궵귢궘귞궋뵿돒궥귡궔궵궎궔궼귏궬빁궔귞궶궋궚귢궵갂궫궢궔궸궞궻긏깑}궼귺긚긲@깑긣귩@궖뒆귡궬궚궻귖궻궼렃궯궲궋귡갃
The car comes with four trim levels (base, Premium, Grand Touring and Track) and two engine options: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (210 hp) and a highly evolved 3.8-liter V-6 putting out a sweet 306 hp. Genesis coupe궼괪롰궻긐깒[긤궳붛봽궠귢귡걁base, Premium, Grand Touring, Track걂@긄깛긙깛궼괧롰쀞갌2.0L4딠뱵^[{걁210굠굪걂궓귝귂 306hp귩@궖뢯궥뛼뢯쀍3.8L V6 긄깛긙깛갃
Transmission options include a five-speed automatic and six-speed manual for the four-cylinder and a six-speed automatic with the six-cylinder car. 긣깋깛긚~긞긘깈깛궼갂4딠뱵긄깛긙깛{5뫊AT 귏궫궼 {6뫊MT@귖궢궘궼 V6긄깛긙깛 + 6뫊AT
Our test car was a 3.8-liter Track package car, as red as a baboon"s butt, impressively equipped with 19-inch performance wheels and tires, monobloc Brembo brakes, cinched-down sport suspension, trunk spoiler and a limited-slip differential. For a car costing $30,250, that"s a lot of kit. 됦갲궻럫뤸롎궼갂3.8L Track긬긞긑[긙궳궇귟갂긭긭궻륦궻귝궎궶먗륡갂19귽깛`궻뛼맜\^귽깂귩뿗궋궲갂긾긩긳깓긞긏Brembo긳깒[긌갂Cinched-down 긚|[긟긖긚긻깛긘깈깛갂긣깋깛긏긚|귽깋[궴limited-slip differential귩몧뷈갃궞귢궳돽둰 $30,250 갂궶귪궴귖맰귟궬궘궠귪궻몧뷈궬갃
I know where the cost-savings came from: the interior, which is rendered in varying textures of "ick" and "oh-my-God," a smorgasbord of paint-coated plastic and injection-molded tackiness that represents a huge backward step for the usually tactilely obsessed Hyundai. 궵궞궳긓긚긣귩긑`궯궫궔궼빁궔궯궲귡갌볙몧갃걏닽롳뼞걐궴걏Oh-my-God걐궴궻륞귟맟궥렲뒾갂밾몧긵깋긚`긞긏궴댝궯귎궋맟^롽럦궻궟궫뜫궨궼갂궋궰귖궶귞렲뒾궸됡븇궸궞궬귦궯궲궋귡Hyundai궸궢궲귒귢궽갂묈궖궶뫿뺖궬궴뙻궑귡갃
This is the placeholder interior, right? Guys? The other letdown is that the top-o"-line car isn"t available with navigation. On the positive side, this is a big car, with large, comfortable seats, excellent outward visibility and reasonably usable rear seats that fold down to create an enormous cargo hold. If usability ranks high with you, the Genesis coupe will easily outpoint the Camaro and 370Z in your cross shopping. 궞귢궼럃믦밒궶볙몧궬귝궺갎댾궎갎궩궻뫜궻럄봑궶_궼갂띍뤵땳긐깒[긤궳귖긥긮궕먠믦궠귢궲궋궶궋궞궴궬갃쀇궋_귩땽궛귢궽갂궞귢궼묈궖궶긏깑}궳궇귟갂묈궖궘궲됻밙궶긘[긣갂뾆귢궫럨둉궴갂먟귟궫궫귕궽땺묈궶긇[긕긚긻[긚귩띿귟궬궥뜃뿚밒궳럊궑귡뚣븫띆먊귩렃궯궲궋귡궞궴갃귖궢궇궶궫궕갂렳럊뾭맜귩뛼궘]돽궥귡궶귞궽갂Genesis coupe궼갂Camaro귘370Z궴붶귊귢궽궼귡궔궸뛼벦_궬갃
Push the start button and you"ll hear -- well, a distinctly flatulent engine note, the sound of a zillion Asian import V-6s distilled into a liquor of lameness. But listen closer and you can hear the distant notes of menace. Squeeze the throttle and the V-6 wakes up with a nice, hardened anger. That"s a pleasant surprise. 긚^[긣{^깛귩돓궧궽갂빓궞궑귡궬귣궎|궼궯궖귟궴묈궛궠궶긄깛긙깛돶갂돪뮎궴궋궎귺긙귺뾃볺궻V6긄깛긙깛궕븉딇뾭궸깏긌깄[깑귩륐몾궥귡돶궕갃궢궔궢귝귟뭾댰[궘뮢궋궫궶귞궽갂궩궞궸뢂댪귩떧궔궥돶귩빓빁궚귡궞궴궕궳궖귡궬귣궎갃긚깓긞긣깑귩둎궚귢궽갂V6궼멹맧귞궢궋뛡렲궻{귟귩뵼궯궫뿧궭뤵궕귟귩귒궧귡갃궞귢궼딆궽궢궋떶궖궬갃
Out on the road, the car"s ride feels a bit trembly and over-stirred -- that"s the Track package suspension for you -- but it"s certainly comfortable to drive. And it"s got a big, whopping kick to it. Romp the throttle and the engine valves align just so, as does the variable-geometry intake, and suddenly all 266 pound-feet come online. 쁇뤵궸뢯귢궽갂뤸귟륲뭤궼귘귘뾥귢귡궢긆[긫[긚긡귺딠뼞궬|궞귢궕Track긬긞긑[긙긖긚긻깛긘깈깛|궢궔궢궩귢궼둴궔궸됻밙궶^]뒾둶궳궇귡갃궩궢궲묈궖궶긌긞긏깒긚|깛긚귖뙎궺뷈궑궲궋귡갃긚깓긞긣깑귩뱿귒뜛귕궽갂긄깛긙깛긫깑긳궼궩궻귝궎궸맢쀱궢갂됀빾귽깛긡[긏귖궩귢궸]궎갂궩궢궲벺@궴궢궲266굪굞궕뵯맯궥귡궻궬갃
Zero to 60 mph is about 6 seconds, which is not blindingly fast in this segment, but respectable. The coupe feels ornery and aggressive and impatient when its humming along in the revs. That"s good. 0 |60 mph궼뽵6뷳갂궞궻긜긐긽깛긣궳궼롦귟뿧궲궲뫊궋귦궚궳궼궶궋궕갂귏궦귏궦궻뭠궬갃궞궻coupe궼갂됷]궸]궯궲긳깛긳깛됷궢궲궋귡궴궖갂떗륃궳먑뗂밒궳뭒딠궶뾩럔귩뙥궧귡갃궞귢궼궋궋갃
Steering feel is good and response to inputs quite precise; however, even the Track package car has a bit more body roll in a corner than I might have expected. On the summer tires the coupe has loads of lateral grip and excellent overall balance, yielding only to nose-plowing understeer right at the end of the tether. The Brembo brakes are tremendous. 긚긡귺깏깛긐긲귻[깑궼쀇궘갂볺쀍궸뫮궢궲뗂귕궲맫둴궸뵿돒궥귡갃궢궔궢Track긬긞긑[긙궳궠궑갂긓[긥[궳궼뻦궕\딖궢궲궋궫댥뤵궻{긢귻[깓[깑궕궇귡갃긖}[^귽깂궳궼뫀뽋귉궻긐깏긞긵궕궢궯궔귟궢궲궓귟갂긣[^깑긫깋깛긚궼뢋덊갂뙽둉귏궳뛘귕궫궴궖궸귝궎귘궘귺깛_[긚긡귺궳@뽋귩랢귡궙귞궋궬갃Brembo긳깒[긌궼멹맧귞궢궋갃
As for its looks, well, it"s a bit of a Halloween fright. With the headlights pulled back weirdly over the fenders and the grille aperture pulled at the corners like a mouth that can"t close, the Genesis coupe appears to have suffered the world"s worst face-lift. Meanwhile, there are these strange diagonal force lines across the fuselage, as well as the oddly contoured rear glass. This car has obviously passed through the entrails of corporate group think a few times and it shows every sign of being fussed over. 둖뙥궸궰궋궲궼갂궞귢궼궶귪궬궔긪깓긂귻깛궻궓돸궚귒궫궋궬갃긶긞긤깋귽긣궼댶뾩궶궘귞궋긲긃깛_[뤵궸덙궖륧궽궠귢궲귡궢갂뿼긓[긥[궸덙궯뮗귞귢궫긐깏깑궼빧궣귞귢궶궋뚿귒궫궋궬갃Genesis coupe궼띍믟띍닽궻긲긃귽긚깏긲긣궳뗪궢귪궳궋귡귝궎궸뙥궑귡갃덇뺴궳갂딉뼪궶롈귕궻쀍멄궕롎뫬귩돘먛궯궲귡궢갂깏귺긊깋긚궼딉뼪궶쀖둺궬갃궞궻긏깑}궼뼻귞궔궸Hyundai됵롊볙븫궻긐깑[긵륱뜽귩돺뱗궔믅됡궢궲궋귡궼궦궬궕갂궩궻궫귂궸빐땴궢궫뜭먘궕벶귒롦귢귡갃
Of course, styling is a matter of taste. If you have any, you won"t care for this. 귖궭귣귪갂긚^귽깏깛긐궼롳뼞궻뽦묋궬갃귖궢궇궶궫궕딠궸볺궯궲귡궶귞갂딠궸궥귡궞궴궳궼궶궋갃
Is it a match for my favorite car in this segment, the Ford Mustang GT? Oh no. No, no, no. Heavens no. But the Genesis coupe is low-slung, fast, a bit cantankerous and a wee bit racy, and so it"s exactly the car Hyundai needs. Let there be light.
Genesis coupe궕갂궞궻긜긐긽깛긣궻뻦궻궓딠궸볺귟갂Ford Mustang GT궸뷖밎궥귡궔궯궲갎@NO갂no, no, 뭚궣궲NO갃궢궔궢궞궻긏깑}궼갂깓[긚깋깛긐궳갂뫊궘궲갂룺궢궿궺궘귢롌궳갂긯깏깏궴궢궫궴궞귣궕궇궯궲갂궰귏귟궼Hyundai궕귏궠궸뷠뾴궴궢궲궋귡귖궻궬갃@@뚹귝갂궇귢갃
Dan Neil is a Los Angeles Times Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist who writes the weekly column, Rumble Seat. LA^귽긚궻렔벍롎]뢙뒮긓깋 "Rumble Seat"귩뭆뱰@긯깄[깏긞긟@뤮롷뤮 걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭걭 묈먥^궳궥궺갃궠궥궕갂DAN NEIL럞갂_귕귡귊궖궼궖궭귪궴_귕귏궥갃 럡렔릆갂Hyundai/KIA궳궼갂댥멟궔귞갂궞궻Genesis coupe궬궚궼갂뽋뵏궋긏깑}궬궴궸귞귪궳귏궥갃돺궴뙻궯궲귖댝돽궶FR궯궲갂볷{궣귗먥뽅딅쐺롰궳궥궔귞갃 렳븿궻볙몧궼댝궯귎궋궻궔궶궇갎롃^궳뙥귡뙽귟궼갂궋궰귖뤵렲궩궎궸롃궯궲귡귪궬궚귢궵갃