2012 Hyundai Genesis / Genesis 5.0 R-Spec Official Photos and Info

Hyundai used the 2011 Chicago auto show to drop a thoroughly revised Genesis sedan, but has the car really been on the market long enough for a refresh? Well, maybe not—it first landed at dealerships in the summer of 2008—but in light of the powertrain upgrades and cosmetic tweaks for the 2012 Genesis, we’re sure nobody will complain about the early face lift.
5.0 Isn’t Just for Mustangs Anymore
A more powerful member of Hyundai’s Tau V-8 family had been a foregone conclusion for some time. Now it’s here, in the engine bay of the new Genesis 5.0 R-Spec. The R-Spec badge was introduced on harder-core, lighter-optioned Genesis coupes, but the Genesis sedan version is more about adding performance than stripping out luxuries. First, the engine.
Rather than replace the existing 4.6-liter V-8 with the new 5.0, Hyundai will keep both in the Genesis line, with the big-boy V-8 being an R-Spec exclusive. We obtained preliminary specs for the 5.0-liter on a trip to Korea last June, and now those specs have been confirmed. The engine will produce a meaty 429 hp at 6400 rpm and 376 lb-ft of torque at 5000 rpm. (To read more about how Hyundai cranked up the heat in its V-8, check out our rundown.) The power will be routed through Hyundai’s new, in-house-developed eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Genesis 5.0 R-Spec also gets what Hyundai is calling “more aggressive chassis tuning,” although, based on our experience with the overly flinty ride in our long-term Genesis 4.6 sedan, this initially strikes us as a little like Old Country Buffet promising to have more food in the future. Luckily, it sounds like firmer suspenders aren’t part of the menu—in fact, the lower models are receiving recalibrated suspensions to fix the ride problem. Instead, the Genesis 5.0 R-Spec promises to up the 4.6’s sportiness quotient by packing larger front and rear stabilizer bars and 13.6-inch front brake rotors, larger than those on any model last year. It also gets unique 19-inch wheels.
Finally, the exterior and interior are tweaked to complete the R-Spec transformation. The Genesis 5.0 R-Spec will be available only in Black Noir, Platinum Metallic, and Titanium Gray—paint-speak for black, light silver, and dark silver—and will feature dark chrome inserts in the headlight housings and R-Spec badging on the rear deck. All interiors will be black, and the steering wheel is fully wrapped in black leather, as opposed to the wood-and-leather tiller in the Genesis 4.6.
V-6 Gets Direct Injection, New Gearbox for All
Even with all this attention lavished upon the new 429-hp Genesis, Hyundai hasn’t forgotten about the rest of the range. To begin, both the 3.8-liter V-6 and 4.6-liter V-8 models receive the new eight-speed automatic as standard equipment for 2012, in place of their six-speed autoboxes.
Bigger news lies under the cars’ hoods. The popular 3.8-liter V-6 model gets a zinger of an upgrade with the addition of direct injection, which helps pump up power from last year’s respectable 290 hp to an impressive 333. Torque increases, too, from 264 lb-ft to 291. Hyundai expects the Genesis 3.8 to now score 29 mpg on the highway cycle when the EPA rates it, an improvement from the port-injected 3.8’s 27 mpg, although the company isn’t releasing any estimates about changes to the outgoing model’s 18-mpg city rating. Thanks to the eight-speed box, the 4.6-liter V-8’s highway fuel-economy figure adds 1 mpg, with the Genesis 4.6 now rated at 17/26.
As mentioned, Hyundai says it has tweaked the suspension damping with an eye toward improving the ride on both 3.8- and 4.6-liter models. As part of its suspension work, the V-6–powered Genesis gets a larger rear stabilizer bar to better mitigate body roll. Also, the 3.8 upgrades to the 13.0-inch front rotors of the 2011 4.6, while the 2012 4.6 adopts the same 13.6-inch front platters as the R-Spec.
Look, Ma, New Looks! And Features, Too
R-Spec badging should be enough to tip off passersby that that model is the latest Genesis, but just in case, all 2012 Genesis sedans have noticeably modified exteriors. The front fascia is now more aggressive, with a wide lower air intake, while the headlight assemblies have been overhauled for a fresh look and to add de rigueur LED accents and daytime running lights. The profile incorporates a new rocker-panel design akin to what you’d find on a tuner-shop shelf, as well as new 17-inch wheels on the V-6 model. In the back, the taillights are restyled and the exhaust tips extend through the rear bumper rather than from underneath it.
Inside, the non-R-Spec models offer new “woodgrain” colors, which we hope include one called “Resembles Real Wood.” The options sheet also will grow to include a new lane-departure warning system, power-folding mirrors, and heated rear seats. All thrilling stuff, huh? Hyundai probably thinks—and rightly so—that the 5.0-liter V-8, chassis updates, new transmission, and R-spec trim will be enough to generate excitement about this refresh. Hyundai tells us that the R-Spec should run between $45K and $50K—likely toward the high end of that spectrum—when it goes on sale late this spring or early this summer. No mention was made of pricing or on-sale dates for the other 2012 Genesis models, but we figure they'll hit around the same time wearing stickers similar to the $33,850 (3.8) and $43,850 (4.6) tags worn by the 2011 versions.
Everything sounds good, but what really interests us is how these Genesis sedans will perform once we have the chance to test them. At that point, we’ll know if this early overhaul was actually right on time. View Photo Gallery