That Hyundai is bringing a souped-up Genesis coupe to the 2011 Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas is a no-brainer. It’s still not the V-8 beast that Hyundai enthusiasts have been clamoring for, but the performance mods are no less impressive.
This time around, the automaker started with a 3.8-liter, V-6-equipped coupe as a blank slate for a number of companies to lay their hands on including Hyundai America Technical Center Inc. (HATCI), Magnuson Products, Rhys Millen Racing, Harman International, and Torvec Inc. After more than two years of planning and wrenching, the end result was a 450-hp, supercharged beast dubbed the Genesis Hurricane.
HATCI worked with Magnuson for the supercharger, which provides 6 to 7 pounds of boost and up to 45 percent more power from the stock horsepower figure of 306. “One of the many exciting aspects of this project is that the Genesis Hurricane SC is not just another pretty face for the show circuit, but rather it is a hard working lab-rat that will push the bounds of this car and the whole vehicle segment,” said Terry Peddicord, director of sales at Magnuson Products.
More engine tweaks and a number of exterior look-fast bits were contributed by Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) and partners including an exhaust and air intake system, full body kit, 19-inch wheels, and LED headlights and taillights. Torvec Inc. provided an IsoTorque differential, which Hyundai says is good for a one-second improvement in the lap time around its proving grounds in California. Rounding off the mechanical bits are adjustable Bilstein monotube shocks, Brembo brakes, and a lightweight clutch assembly from SPEC.
Finally, flash and boom were added to the interior with blue-accented leather and suede seats and a premium audio system from Harman International. Hyundai says most of the parts used in the Hurricane Genesis will be displayed on the showroom floor for visitors to peruse. The Genesis Hurricane will also be sharing the stage with a reworked Hyundai Veloster, which will feature a number of mechanical and aesthetic bits to boost its wacky-meter to 11.
