Radical rethinking

For those of you who've realised that the post below didn't mean a single thing to you, I can only apologize. That was written at 2am in the morning with my head lolling from side to side because I was so sleepy, I was dozing sitting up. Hopefully it provides more answers than it does questions.

Anyway, it's back to the world of cars! I haven't been posting many car updates recently which has caused me concern too. Nevertheless, I shall put my best foot forward for an attempt now at a review.


Have a good long look at the car on the right. A very good long look. Spot anything? Or rather, spot anything missing? That's right, there's no badge. No matter how hard you rub your eyes in, there isn't a single badge on the front of this car. And if you think about it, it's not very strange.

The car that you see here is the new Hyundai Genesis, due to be launched at the Detroit Motor Show next week and see its inception into the US market some time shortly thereafter. I never thought I would say this about a Hyundai but I am going to anyway: it looks great. I mean, just look at it. The last time the Koreans attempted to design a luxury car they ended up with a blob called the Hyundai Sonata and that's being used as taxis in China. Talk about exclusivity.


At first glance it looks pretty much like a menage of a few major luxury brands' styling cues. The front fascia is very Lexus-esque, bonnet lines, wing mirrors and rear three-quarter view not unlike BMW's. Despite the subtle espionage going on here, I'd say the Genesis has a lot going for it. What's under the skin looks set to give some car manufacturers plenty of sleepless nights, courtesy of the Korean underdog (no pun intended. At all.). The base version gets a 3.3L V6 and the top-tier a 4.6L V8 pushing out a head-imploding 368bhp. A V8! From a Hyundai! Both engine choices drive the rear wheels through a six-speed ZF automatic and 60mph is destroyed in under 6 seconds. I say destroyed because anything that moves this quick this side of a BMW M-Sport saloon must surely be powered by lightning. The Koreans are on to something, surely.

We've no idea whether or not this car will reach Singapore. If it does, it'll be right in contention with its intended rivals - the Mercedes-Benz E-class, Audi's A8 and the granddad of sports saloons, the BMW 5-series, anything from a 525i and up. Surely this will be a small victory in Hyundai's quest for world domination for none of their current offerings even register on the Germans' radar. But looking at all the kit that's being offered with the Genesis, its engine and really quite handsome styling, I'd say that they better pull their socks up.

The Koreans are coming.

(All pictures courtesy of topgear.com)