Hyundai has just launched its second-generation Genesis sedan, and the vehicle continues to offer a well-built cabin, loads of technology and the option of a V-8. The good news is that Hyundai will use the platform of its new Genesis sedan as the basis for a new Genesis Coupe, but this time around the Genesis Coupe will be positioned closer to its upmarket sedan counterpart rather than the affordable sporty two-door positioning the current model enjoys.

The transition will start as early as the 2015 model year, with a Hyundai exec saying that the current Genesis Coupe will soon drop its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine to “reposition Genesis Coupe with its more premium performance buyer.”

And when the second-generation Genesis Coupe arrives, likely sometime in late 2016, as a 2017 model, Go Auto is reporting the car will be bigger, making it a proper four-seater, and that it will offer a V-8 option for the first time. An insider told the Australian publication that premium shoppers in North America see the current model as two small to compete with luxury coupes coming out of Germany.

The V-8 destined for the 2017 Genesis Coupe will almost certainly be the 5.0-liter V-8 fitted to the Genesis sedan. The engine is currently rated at 420 horsepower, though we could see power lifted for the Genesis Coupe. The standard engine should be Hyundai’s 3.8-liter V-6, which is currently rated at 311 horsepower. Drive will go to the rear wheels, though it’s likely Hyundai’s new HTRAC all-wheel-drive system will be available as an option.  

As for styling, the Korean automaker’s HND-9 concept from 2013 likely provides some clues.

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