Genesis V8 could get supercharger and direct-injection

Hyundai’s new Genesis flagship sedan was on display today at the Chicago Auto Show in full production trim for the first time. The car was previously shown at the Detroit show but it was presented with two different grilles, one with the regular Hyundai ‘H’ and the other with a set of four horizontal bars and a divider down the middle. After studying the reaction to both grilles, the decision was made to drop the traditional H logo and go with something new.

The Genesis is now ready for its U.S. sales launch, penciled in for summer, and will available with both V6 and V8 powerplants. Speaking with Automotive News, Hyundai product development boss John Krafcik said that only about 20% of Genesis sales will be the V8 model. The new 4.6L DOHC unit is Hyundai’s first V8 and was fully designed in-house by its own engineers.

The brand new engine doesn’t feature modern fuel-saving technologies like direct-injection and cylinder deactivation, but Krafcik said those features could be added, claiming engineers have left the door open for them. Krafcik also mentioned that a supercharger could be added to create a high-performance sports model, which could mean we’ll have a Hyundai V8 muscle car pushing more than 400hp.