I guess it's success will all come down to price point because the market for big V8 saloons (in Europe at least) is very badge-conscious and I don't think Hyundai can cut it with the big-boys quite yet

Not to be the antagonist to the naysayers....

I respectfully disagree.

This is exactly the formula Toyota used with Lexus (which we all laughed at back then). The similarities are there. Back in 1990 we were in recession with, then, a Lux Tax over $30k. The market was BEGGING for a product that could go toe-to-toe, or exceed, in build quality and luxury at the time but at a much lower price. It was an uphill battle for Toyota, which, they of course won. Today, we are on the brink of recession, currently stagflation, and the market is screaming for a product that again could go toe-to-toe, or exceed, in build quality and PERFORMANCE but at a much lower price. Japan Inc cannot compete because of dollar-yen and other econonic factors. Let's not even mention the Germans. Cars are rediculously expensive today. I just read that $32k is the AVERAGE sticker. I think if Hyundai is to become a true player, now is EXACTLY the time to play their hand.

The debut of a 380 hp RWD V8 Tiburon will be the second proudest day in future Korean history - second only to when Kim Jong Il takes three to the dome and indulges in along deserved dirt nap.

hmmm.... not to mention that Lexus styling was never a real attraction, while Hyundai has put real emphasis on it.

I think we all giggled when they brought out the XG350, yet it blew out their own sales forecasts. And don't forget the Amanti, bastard son of Korean War POW Buick.. it continues to sell.

How many cars will it compete against, really? 380 horse, V8 RWD with gobs of safety gear, no doubt an opulent interior, for maybe $15K less than the norm? Why shouldn't this work?

a long

Maybe Ford should put this engine in a Mustang...

Hyundai is the stealthy player climbing up the automaker top ten list..

With product like this coming to market.. look for them to be really putting the boots to honda / nissan in their bid to make it to #5 by 2010..

Toyota should be worried. Their bread and butter is under attack... perhaps they should focus less on making a better truck.. and more on making a better corolla..

And then, they'll do what Toyota did and put that V8 in a big pick-up. There's already a market for Hyundai in the South. I was amazed at the sheer number of Santa Fés I saw in Virginia in 2005.

If they make a coupe version with a V8 and also a RWD tiburon replacement with a turbo-4, they'll get a LOT of attention. Gearheads with and without fat wallets will take serious notice. Toyota was able to sell the Celica and the Supra and the LS400 in the early 90s. Hyundai is about to do the same thing imo. Hopefully their dealership experience is up to the task. That's one key difference that Toyota was able to handle by creating a whole new brand.

@geeteeoh: like I said, price point will be the make or break issue. And surely the point about Toyota's entry into the prestige market is that they created a new brand with completely separate marketing and dealers. This doesn't appear to by Hyundai's strategy

Once the Chinese cars arrive, the Koreans will no longer be the bottom feeders. Image will be enhanced through a combination of product improvements and where they will then sit in the food chain.

When I travel, I have to rent National. And you should see the fracas in the Emerald Isle when the courtesy bus pulls in the lot and there is a lone Sonata amdist a sea of G6s, Equinoxes and HHRs. It's every suit for himself at that point.

Hyundai's image is very possibly better right now than anyone in Detroit appreciates.

awesome car, too bad it has to look like the last gen Altima...

So why haven't there been tons of photos of the coupe lapping the 'ring with a Porsche and 350Z in tow like the GT-R? If they are serious about entering the sports market, they had better be paying attention to the details.

380 HP out of a 4.6L?!?! For a first generation Korean V8? I don't think so! Toyota can do that, but most of the Hyundai motors don't have very good specific power specs.

@fussychicken: Output's related to investment. If a sizable company wants to spend enough on engine materials and design to produce 380hp out of a 4.6L engine, it can certainly do so.

Putting the motor in a high-quality, superior car at a competitive price (and with good dealer support and acceptable fuel mileage) is another thing entirely.

As for track performance, we certainly don't see SC430s or other Lexii lapping the 'ring with any great frequency... Toyota doesn't care that much about 'race on Sunday, sell on Monday' and I don't think Hyundai does either.

@fussychicken: huh? Even the Elantra pulls 143 out of 2.0 liters.. better than Chevy's 2.2 @ 148, not as good as Honda with 138 out of 1.8, but right there in the pack.

The days of the Excel are long gone...

@fussychicken:

Wouldn't be the first time Hyundai's been optimistic about their power curves. They had to settle a class action suit in Quebec in December last year:

[www.trudeljohnston.com]

It almost seems to me that Hyundai is trying to pull the nameplate upmarket and slowly abandoning the low-low end of their full line? I gotta tell you, I worked for a Hyundai dealer in 1987 as a lot jockey, and, I wouldn't even consider the nameplate for, like, ever. Now, they got my attention. Big time.

@rognbrow: Even though my comment wasn't directed at you, I can see I totally dismissed your value comment. Sorry about that. That said, you got a point b/c being a full line in both product and price didn't work so well for VW. Then again, VW didn't price them like Hyundai will. Let's wait and see....

Come on guys, none of you saw it? The R&D director's name is "Hoon"!!! Of course they're going to produce a RWD uber-V8 powered track toy!

sheesh, can't believe I'm the only one who saw that...

;)

All I can say is Wow, if the production model looks like its concept counterpart and the price point is kosher I believe they will have a winner.

I can haz stickshift?

I'd be happy to see the Koreans getting a leg up on the competition by building interesting/enthusiast oriented cars.

It's extremely difficult to create a brand identity and compete in the civic/corolla/accord/camry world, where people who don't really car about cars just go back to what they had before as long as it treated them right.

Gearheads, OTOH, will jump ship to the newest tire-smoker if you can post the performance numbers.

@scardella:

As a Mustang fan said "I wish Ford had a mainstream 380 HP N/A 4.6L V-8." Back in 1993 the Camaro Z-28 had a 70hp advantage over the Mustang GT and that was a big deal, Ford don't tell me in 2009 the next Hyundai Tiburon is going to have 70hp on a Mustang GT.

Please.

Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, HyundaiHyundai apparently has a mole in its midst, and the insider has revealed that the "Tau" 4.6L V8 destined to power the all-new rear-wheel-drive Genesis luxury sedan will produce a stout 380 horsepower.

380hp 4.6 V8 is very believable. Remember Nissan and Toyota (Lexus) both have 300+ hp 3.5 V6s.

Hell in 1990 even GM had the LT5, a 375hp 5.7 V8 32-valve DOHC in the ZR1 Corvette. They even upped it to 405hp in 1993 with new cylinder heads.

I figure after 17 years even the Koreans could do the same thing with one less liter.

The LT5 set a huge number of world endurance records like 24 Hours Endurance @ 175.885 mph. Think your car could travel 175 mph for 24 hours straight?

If Hyundai's V8 is anything like the LT5 put me on the waiting list. GM was a fool for not keeping the LT5 going, took them 15 years to make another 400hp 5.7 Corvette.

"hyundai boss says genesis v8 to produce 380 horsepower"... for about a month before it falls apart.

I wouldn't trust hyundai to manufacture a lawnmower, let alone a v8.

Hmmm, was wondering what I photographed the other day.

Guess I know now.

Whoops, forgot the link.
[www.flickr.com]

Taken at the top of Mt Evans in Colorado. Out for a little high altitude test drive.