The information on the 3.3L engine, dug up by the eagle-eyed gang at The Truth About Cars on the EPA's fuel economy database website, indicated that the same 249hp V6 equipped in the new 2009 Sonata might be the base engine for the brand new Genesis sedan. Speaking with MotorAuthority, Hyundai Motor America product public relations manager Jim Trainor said the 3.3L engine would not be offered in the U.S. version of its new flagship.
Trainor did say that the engine had been considered early in the development process, but had been dropped because it was underpowered for the market position Hyundai wanted to take with the Genesis sedan and wouldn't meet American tastes. The added complexity of a third engine for the line-up also couldn't be justified. He did indicate that the company may be considering bringing the 3.3L V6 into the line-up later on as a value offering, but the debut of the car will be made with just two engines.
Those two engines will be the 290hp 3.8L V6 and the 375hp 4.6L Tau V8. Trainor was enthusiastic about the Tau V8 engine's power per liter of displacement, fuel economy and driving characteristics. It will certainly be strong competition for the likes of Infiniti's G37 Sedan, which hangs behind the most powerful Genesis by 45hp. The added low-end torque of the V8 engine may make the difference even more noticeable in daily driving, although Nissan's VQ-series of engines is known for its V8-like behavior at low rpms.
How it shakes out in relation to its competition will likely make or break both the Genesis sedan and Hyundai's push at a luxury brand, though, so the decision to keep the 3.3L engine out of the car's engine line-up may continue for some time.
Reader Comments
Fri Jun 6 2008 7:14 PM
chris says
well... at least theyre trying to make it some what prestigeous
Fri Jun 6 2008 7:51 PM
mark says
Look great to me Hyundai hating chris
Leave a Comment
Login or register to leave comments.
Please keep your comments on topic. Your involvement is governed by our Privacy Policy and Terms.