KEY POINTS:
Hyundai is extending its aspirations towards luxury-car status with a slick new rear-drive sedan called the Genesis. It used the Mercedes E-class, BMW 5-series and Lexus GS as the engineering benchmarks for the Genesis. With rear-wheel drive (a first for Hyundai), it attains a near-ideal 53/47 weight distribution.
The Genesis will be built using bonding techniques designed to greatly increase body rigidity and overall quality. The company claims 12-14 per cent higher dynamic torsional rigidity than a BMW 5-series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class or Lexus LS.
The Genesis comes as a 3.3-litre V6 or a 3.8-litre V6. If production is expanded to serve countries which drive on the left, it is unlikely to be before next year.
