March, 2008 – Autoblog’s got the skinny on the Genesis Coupe, “Here it is, the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Coupe. We can hardly contain our enthusiasm over this car. On the one hand, Hyundai is offering enthusiasts the only rear-wheel-drive coupe on the market powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder (not all of us want our hair ruffled in RWD four-cylinder convertibles like the Mazda MX-5, GM’s Kappa convertibles and the Honda S2000). While on the other, it’s also debuting a RWD coupe powered by a 306-horsepower 3.8L V6 (310 hp when drinking premium) that should undercut all similarly powered competition by thousands of dollars. The Genesis Coupe is a win-win car no matter which engine you choose.”

That’s all well and good, but what about the go-fast parts?

“But you want numbers, so here we go. Order the Hyundai Genesis Coupe (available by Spring of 2009) with the four-cylinder and you’ll get an all-aluminum DOHC turbocharged 2.0L mill with continuously variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust producing 212 horsepower (223 on premium fuel!) and 217 pound-feet of torque. For comparison’s sake, that’s two more horsies than the 210-horsepower Ford Mustang V6, though the Mustang does produce a lot more torque at 240 pound-feet. Unfortunately, being down two cylinders doesn’t translate into a lower curb weight, as the 3,439-lb. Genesis Coupe is some 139 lbs. heavier than the ‘Stang.

And then there’s the V6 model. It’s Hyundai’s familiar all-aluminum DOHC 3.8L V6, also with variable valve timing though only on the intake side. In the Genesis Coupe, this engine produces the aforementioned 306 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque at 4,700 RPM. A Ford Mustang GT equipped with a 4.6L V8 produces 300 horsepower and 320 foot-pounds of torque. With the V6, the Genesis Coupe actually weighs a few pounds less than the Mustang GT (3,549 lbs. to 3,518), so performance should be comparable.”

From leftlanenews, “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.”

Sounds good, doesn’t it?