My Genesis Turned One Yesterday

"Tim (Fractal Footwork)" (fractalfootwork) 07/21/2015 at 09:30 • Filed to: Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Hyundai, Genesis, Genesis Coupe, R-Spec, Hyundai Genesis Coupe R-Spec, Happy Birthday

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Rather, it’s !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! since I drove it off the lot.

After living with it for a year, it’s becoming difficult to window shop on cars.com or ebay as most cars either have horsepower that I see becoming excessive (Still struggling to find out where this ridiculous opinion of mine came from) or the price just seems completely outrageous given the Genesis’ mighty handling characteristics and the beast of a NA engine under the hood.

Let’s take two examples I’m keen on (I have not driven and cannot yet afford these): Cayman S/GTS, Corvette Stingray. Both have interiors that are a step up, but then I see a reach for price justification.

The Stingray seems like the next logical step for me later in life, but then I am not sure more power is really worth it if I can’t really use it on the road.

The torque is completely useable in the Genesis in every situation I find myself. Comparing it to what !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , if I may, “[the acceleration] isn’t exactly thump-in-the-back fast, but its fast enough, and the chassis is arguably where the magic happens;” this is exactly how I feel about Hyundai’s Genesis.

The 3.8 liter V6 power unit is tremendous, perhaps the best NA V6 felt at the wheels. The engine revs like a Muscle car, but all the chassis wants to do is take a mountain pass. Sure, the gearbox isn’t great, but that’s really only from 1st to 2nd at low speeds, not when this car comes alive.

I love the new Cayman, but a power decrease seems wrong. Perhaps the chassis is better in the Porsche, but is the electrically-assisted power steering?

I have !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , growing to know how to make it step out and knowing how to bring it back. I know where the limit of grip is through hydraulically-assisted steering telling me the tires are pushing.

And maybe it’s all a romanticization of a first love.

The struggle I’m now encountering is: do I keep modding and improving the Genesis, or save that money for a newer car as this one will eventually grow old (30,000 miles already gone in my first year).

I have already gotten new wheels (TSW Nurburgrings), Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , K&N air filter, Pedals, and badges. I am contemplating a new exhaust (perhaps when the powertrain warranty runs out at 100k) and a carbon hood.

Anyways, I really love my car; it’s changed my automotive aspirations. Never thought I’d hit gold on my first car. Happy belated Birthday.

Thanks for being the type of car that makes me recycle my rears at a rate 2-3 times faster than my fronts...

Rainbow > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 07/21/2015 at 09:32

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McLaren headlights.

Nibby > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 07/21/2015 at 09:37

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Congrats! I’ve had mine for over 22 years.

EL_ULY > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 07/21/2015 at 10:53

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me gusta!

qbeezy > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 07/21/2015 at 11:06

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Grey is definitely the best color.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 07/21/2015 at 12:36

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If you think that the Genesis Coupe’s chassis is where the magic happens... the Porsche will likely teach you a new definition of magic.

Not that the Genesis is bad, I have heard it is pretty good.

But the Cayman S/GTS is only 10-20 horsepower down, but the cayman weighs 2965lbs, where the Genesis Coupe V6 weighs 3386lbs. 421 lbs is noticeable in power-to-weight ratio.

But the real magic is that the center of gravity is lower, the center of mass is aft, and the polar moment of inertia is centralized, due to the mid-engined, low-slung, flat-6, compared to the front-mounted taller V6. An H6 is an inherently smoother design, as well.

I am sure the Corvette has plenty of performance, handling, and power, too, but there isn’t really a substitute for mid-engined handling.

As for the Genesis, I really want to like it... but still have a hard time clearing it’s hurdles... and most of that is aesthetic. The quarter window sill line, and the corporate gaping maw front end and fake hood scoops are hurting it.

I want to like the fact that it is a couple hundred pounds lighter than the 2015 Mustang, and that it is a good atmospheric V6 + manual gearbox RWD car, where the 2015 Mustang has relegated the V6 model to simply being basic. Performance options only come in to play on the laggy turbocharged EcoBoost and the great, but expensive V8 GT models now.

But the Mustang is a looker, and pretty much all but guaranteed to have more of an aftermarket than Genesis.

If Hyundai gave GenCoupe some aesthetic attention. and cleaned up it’s look, and refined some of the rough edges for the next generation car, it may be a good consideration... but I am not sure they are going to do the same thing with the next-generation GenCoupe... it may start chasing after Infiniti Q60-whatever, and Lexus RC coupe, Merc C-class, and BMW 4-series or something... and join it’s sedan sibling at a higher, more luxury-oriented price point.

The Genesis Sedan got worse looking in it’s second generation, not better.

The Hyundai Veloster has an interesting concept, but instead of leveraging that asymmetrical side-door configuration like the Pininfarina Cambiano concept, it became one of the ugliest cars on the market, perhaps tied for worst with Nissan’s Juke.

Kia’s GT4 Stinger concept was gorgeous, but evidently that, and the Nissan IDX coupe concept, are stillborn, and not coming out... since Toyota and Subaru botched their coupe, and it isn’t sustaining sales after the early adopters all got theirs, because it doesn’t have a block-buster claim to fame. GenCoupe doesn’t quite reach that level, either.

Coupes can’t survive excuses needing to be made about them. They have to either be their absolute best, and be extremely compelling, or people default back to more practical and pragmatic cars.

I live in the snow belt... and that helps keep me from truly being enthused about a RWD sport coupe, for winter driving... yet nobody seems to want to build any AWD mainstream sport coupe, let alone a great one that could win out over Mustang and BRZ/FRS with superior winter traction capabilities, as well as just having superior mechanical grip all the time.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 07/21/2015 at 13:00

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Genesis Coupe does have some potential. If I had one, I would definitely be wanting to get an M&S Carart rear bumper for it. The bigger black diffuser section reduces the visual mass of the rear bumper somewhat. The Cuper Styling front bumper does help a bit, but still doesn’t quite look 1000% great to me. The Tomato A&P rear spoiler does look pretty good, too.

Still, all expensive materials and finishing touches aside... I wish the lines could be cohesive, and flowing. (and if it could only have a lift back hatch, instead of a dinky trunk lid...)

I know Genesis Coupe is never going to be a Bentley... but aside from the materials and the finishing differences, flowing lines stamped into steel are just lines stamped into steel.