Hyundai Genesis Coupe Leaves Competitors at Melbourne Green with Envy

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – February 27, 2009: Hyundai Motor Company Australia displayed a production version of the left hand drive Genesis Coupe. The stunning sports car has just gone on sale in North America and along with its sister the Genesis sedan (North American Car of the Year), is tipped as the catalyst behind the brand's turning point in the U.S.

At Melbourne, the all aluminium 231 kW, DOHC 3.8-litre V6 Lambda RS is on display. Based on the highly successful Lambda V6 engine first introduced in 2004, the high performance RS edition (Racing Sport) offers a peak torque of 361 Nm @ 4,700rpm enabling the Genesis Coupe to catapult from zero to 100 km/h in just 6.3 seconds.

Hyundai is showcasing the company's design and engineering capabilities. Two signature design elements truly define the Genesis Coupe's highly distinctive look and escalate its dynamic appeal: the sculpted Z-line in the body sides and the unique daylight opening of the quarter glass. Other exterior design elements include the pronounced shoulders, short overhangs and long wheelbase. The aggressive, wedge-like silhouette, give it classic sports car proportions and the red Brembo brake callipers finish off the look.

On the inside, the interior offers the driver an aggressive and sophisticated design. The dual cylinder-type gauge cluster, floor-mounted accelerator pedal, proximity key and engine push-button start are among the innovative design touches. Convenient features include USB / iPodŽ connectivity, information display unit (for audio controls, digital clock, climate control, inside / outside temperature) and steering wheel-mounted remote controls for the audio system. An eight-speaker Infinity sound system is available.

A full bucket-type driver's seat provides excellent support at all critical points. For convenient entry and egress, the front seat backrests feature walk-in memory design so that the original position of the backrest is restored on entry or exit of the rear seat passengers. Rear seats can be made to quickly fold down with the folding lever in the cabin or the folding button in the boot.

With its 2820 mm wheelbase, Genesis Coupe's cabin provides excellent headroom, legroom and shoulder room.

The 55 / 45 front-rear weight distribution endows Genesis Coupe with near-ideal balance for exceptional handling and more refined steering characteristics.

A modified version of the Genesis Coupe has been developed by Hyundai Motors America in conjunction with Rhys Millen Racing. The car will race in a series of drifting challenges including the Formula Drift Championship, Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and the Redline Time Attack - Road Racing.

Hyundai is a major sponsor of Carlton F.C. and their captain Chris Judd along with Brendan Fevola and Mark Murphy pulled the cover off the Genesis Coupe at the Melbourne Motor Show.

"I personally drive a Hyundai i30 and seeing the next generation of Hyundai technology at the Motor Show is impressive," commented Chris Judd, Carlton F.C.'s captain. "The Genesis Coupe really demonstrates how leading edge Hyundai has become."

The rear-wheel-drive Genesis coupe displayed in Lime Green paintwork, takes its place alongside the new i30cw Wagon, all-new i20, and the i10 blue and i30 blue concept cars.

Technical specifications in detail:

Engine
The Lambda RS features all-aluminium construction and Dual CVVT (Continuously Variable Valve Timing) on both the intake and exhaust valves.

The exhaust manifold's length and cross section are optimised for reduced resistance which maximises high speed performance and yields a pleasingly sporty exhaust note.

A piston cooling jet was added under each cylinder to reduce thermal loading and prevent heat damage. A further boost in performance was attained by adopting more aggressive camshaft profiles on the Continuously Variable Valve Timing system which governs both the intake and exhaust valves.

Chassis and suspension
Genesis Coupe's chassis has been optimised for dynamic handling and accurate steering feeling. Dual MacPherson struts in the front improve manoeuvrability by reducing the offset between the wheel centre and the tie rods and increasing the caster angle. For competition applications an optional front tower strut bar is available for maximum body rigidity while cornering.

The rear rides on a five-link setup with reduced toe variation during acceleration, braking and cornering thus yielding precise manoeuvrability. The Limited Slip Differential features a torque sensor for improved ride and handling under any road conditions. The rear differential transfer case sits atop a three-point mounting system (including a hydraulic bush mounting) for reduced noise and vibration.

Mono tube-type shock absorbers have separate gas and oil chambers to enable stable damping force resulting in better ride and road holding performance.

Safety
The Genesis Coupe is fitted with ESP Stability Control incorporating Traction Control System (TCS), Anti-skid Brake System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), active head restraints for driver and front passenger, 6 airbags including dual front airbags, front side (thorax) airbags and curtain airbags and active headrests.

Brakes
The Genesis Coupe promises to stop just as fast as it goes. Premium high performance disc brakes from Brembo will be available as part of an optional track-use performance package. For the Genesis Coupe´s front 18 inch wheels, Brembo engineers developed 340mm x 28mm rotors and four-pot fixed callipers (42mm+42mm) while the rear setup features 330mm x 20mm rotors gripped by four-pot fixed callipers (32mm+28mm).

At the highest level of international motorsports, Brembo´s signature fixed monobloc brake callipers and oversized rotors are recognised as delivering the ultimate in braking performance. The Italian brake manufacturer is acknowledged as the world leader in high performance braking systems and is a supplier to the world's best-known formula 1 racing teams as well as Italian and German manufacturers of supercars and sports cars.