Hyundai Shows Off 460 HP Prototype Supercharged Tau V8

The Chicago Auto Show featured the Hyundai Genesis Coupe pricing and the debut of the Hyundai Genesis Coupe R-Spec, but it's this 480 HP prototype supercharged Tau V8 that has our gears turning.

The 4.6 liter Tau V8 offered in the Hyundai Genesis Sedan normally cranks out 380 HP, but this prototype engine gets a screw-type supercharger with a novel clutched pulley, a water-to-air intercooler, and cylinder deactivation. This results in 460 HP and 435 lb-ft of torque while returning 8% better fuel economy.

The flow path is rather unique as well, with the supercharger intake at the rear, charged air going down into the intercooler and then back up into a split plenum which feeds the throttle at the rear of the engine. There aren't any formal plans to introduce this engine to any product at the moment, but it exists, which means there's a gleam in someone's eye. Perhaps sooner or later we'll get to run the Hyundai Genesis R-Spec Sedan versus the Chrysler 300C SRT8.

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