The letters and numbers on a car's trunk usually are its calling card, a shorthand mission statement.

As writers, we'd suggest an edit on the 2018 Genesis G80 Sport decklid.

Sport is a silly name here, and not because alphanumerics are arbitrary and terrible. This vehicle isn't sporty. It is quick and stylish, and it's comfortable in the kind of country-munching way that the best grand tourers are.

So it's settled. Genesis should have called its latest sedan the G80 GT.

Twin-turbo drive

As with all good GTs, a fine powertrain motivates the G80 Sport. Genesis engineers borrowed the 3.3-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 from the G90 and hooked it up to a new 8-speed automatic.

Still packing 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque, the twin-turbocharged engine is up 54 hp and 83 lb-ft on the base G80's 3.8-liter V-6, although the Sport suffers a 185-pound penalty compared to the base model. The V-6 is less successful against the range-topping V-8. While negligibly heavier than the G80 Sport, the 8-cylinder model has 420 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque.

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

The twin-turbo's trump card is the way its power arrives, not the overall amount. The V-6's peak torque is available from 1,300 rpm to 4,500 rpm, while the standard V-6 and 5.0-liter V-8 need to wind up to 5,000 rpm just to reach their peak twist.

The twin-turbo Genesis repeatedly impresses with its get-up-and-go. It leaps from a standstill and overtakes with plenty of high-end gusto, even on straight two-lanes. It's delightfully progressive and easy to manage its sharp throttle response in Sport mode. With so little turbo lag, the twin blowers hide in the background.

The new 8-speed automatic shifts up and down quickly in manual mode. The paddle shift controls don't feel as substantial as they should, and Genesis should carve in a dedicated Manual gate for the electronically controlled shifter. Without inputs, the computer just takes over, even in Sport mode.

The powertrain stamps Sport on the G80 but doesn't call itself out. Noise is damped too well. The 3.3-liter V-6 could be throatier, louder, and generally more imposing. Boost the exhaust volume, we say, and the G80 Sport will sound much more involved than it does now.

Like the standard G80, the Sport features five-link, fully independent suspension at all four corners, although an exclusive continuous damper control system allows more flexibility from the dampers. Not that it matters, because this suspension simply isn't tuned to meet the Sport expectation.

Softly sprung, the G80 Sport lacks the pinned-down handling character of a more traditional German performance sedan. While not as floaty as the overplush G90, the G80 Sport has trouble on undulating roads, where the soft springs run up against overly firm dampers—the result is a body that's constantly pitching up and down.

The bigger issue, one I can't really figure out, is the laggy handling character of the rear-drive G80 Sport I tested. It lacks steering feel, a common issue across the Genesis range, so it's already hard to predict what the front tires are doing. Turn in, and half a second later, the rear suspension responds suddenly. The odd sensation is like driving a car with a quad-exhaust-tipped pendulum attached to the back. Pair that with a tendency to rotate a little too quickly and tires that struggle with the V-6's low-end power, and it's difficult to predict just how a rear-drive G80 Sport will behave in a corner.

The all-wheel-drive model I drove later in the day behaved much more predictably. It leans into corners easily and progressively. It feels big for tight lanes on winding roads, but handles predictably and with a lot more confidence. Pair that with a cushy ride, and all-wheel drive feels like the way to go.

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

Part of the Sport's mile-quaffing ability comes from its cabin. The "sport" seats are about as sporty as the suspension, but they're twice as comfortable. The broad and supremely relaxing chairs get soft leather upholstery that you can just sink into. There isn't a huge amount of support, but then the suspension won't let the G80 Sport go around a bend fast enough for that to matter.

The rest of the cabin is broadly good. There's a lot of leather, all of it stitched with copper threads. The real carbon fiber trim on the dash is a sign of how seriously Genesis is taking this car.

Much of the switchgear, especially the infotainment controls, feels too cheap for this price point. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi have elevated the game here, and while Genesis is on par in other areas, the quality of the G80 Sport's switches and buttons doesn't stack up. And it bears repeating that a BMW 5-Series or Mercedes E-Class offers more legroom for backseat passengers.

Ultimately, the Sport's exterior should play an even bigger role than the attractive cabin in drawing in customers. The macho bits on the G80 Sport look good.

While the fascia is a little much, most of the smaller details are lovely. The 19-inch wheels, quad exhausts, and smoked taillights are obvious improvements at first glance, but it's the little bits of copper that really spice the visual up. Copper accents for the headlight projectors, the inset section of the grille surround, and wheel center caps give the G80 Sport a sense of style that's unlike anything else on the road.

Genesis wisely based the G80 Sport on the Ultimate Package-equipped version of the base G80. That means a lot of standard equipment and exactly zero options—standard features on the Sport include a 9.2-inch infotainment system, LED headlights, heaps of leather upholstery, a multi-view camera, a lovely 17-speaker Lexicon stereo, adjustable side bolsters and a leg extension on the driver's seat, and virtually every safety system on the market today.

The rear-drive models start at $56,225 (including a mandatory $975 destination charge), or $4,900 more than the 3.8-liter, V-6-powered G80 with the Ultimate Package. As with that car, all-wheel drive is a $2,500 option.

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

2018 Genesis G80 Sport

That is a good price. The G80 Sport undercuts every potential competitor, from the casually fast to dynamically stunning. The nearest hardcore German, the Audi S6, starts at $71,850.

Even among the more relaxed group of competitors—the Cadillac CTS VSport and Lincoln Continental Reserve—the G80 Sport is a bargain, undercutting the rear-drive-only Cadillac by over $5,400 and the 400-hp, hot-rod Lincoln by a hair over $4,000.

The G80 Sport carries on with the Genesis brand's successful formula, blending an impressive equipment roster with an affordable price and relaxed driving dynamics. But that final point is difficult to ignore in the world of performance luxury sedans.

The G80 Sport isn't as powerful as its closest competitors and it leans far too heavily towards comfortable touring than Germany's capable mainstream—i.e. not a full-tilt M, AMG, or RS model—sedans.

As a more affordable means of conquering gently winding roads and wide-open freeways with just enough speed to have fun, Genesis' newest offering is difficult to ignore.