Hyundai and Kia Working on Strapping a Turbo To a V-6

When Hyundai and Kia strapped some boost to a 2.0-liter engine and bumped its output to over 270 horsepower, we took notice. Hyundai then released the all-new 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and we thought, “What’s going on here?” Now Hyundai and Kia are working on yet another turbocharged engine and it’s likely to turn heads and twist faces.

According to reports, at Hyundai-Kia’s International Powertrain Conference, the automakers confirmed that they are currently working on a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine. The likely recipient of this new boosted V-6 engine is the next-generation Genesis.

This engine is expected to feature direct fuel injection and at least 350 ponies. With the combination of a turbocharger, direct fuel injection, and other creative engineering, Hyundai-Kia expects this engine to get somewhere in the 33 mpg range. We’re not too sure which Genesis Hyundai is talking about, but we assume this would see use in the coupe model.

The existing Genesis 3.8 R-Spec uses a 3.8-liter V-6 that produces 348 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. With turbos being as effective as they are now, we would expect to see torque nearing 350 pound-feet at super-low rpm – maybe sub-2,000. That would make the Genesis quite the screamer. Given its existing 5.3-second sprint to 60 mph, we would anticipate that to drop near the 4.5-second range with the added horsepower and torque.

For now, this is all speculation and we don’t expect to see the next-gen Genesis Coupe until at least the 2016 model year, maybe even later. If Hyundai is planning on this engine going into the Genesis sedan, we could see it as early as 2014.

2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Dee Zee Edition

The Hyundai Santa Fe Sport Dee Zee Edition probably won’t get the same buzz as some of the other Hyundai models at the 2012 SEMA Auto Show, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t get some love from us.

Built in collaboration with truck accessory company Dee Zee, the Santa Fe Sport Dee Zee Edition is a prime example of what the new 2013 Santa Fe is capable of becoming with the right mix of custom upgrades.

For this model, Dee Zee wanted to prop the Hyundai SUV as a versatile vehicle that you can take just about anywhere outside of the water. Be it the off-road or the trails, the Santa Fe Sport Dee Zee Edition is primed and ready for action, thanks to the slew of customizations Dee Zee put into it.

A black powder-coated aluminum front bumper bar gives the Santa Fe Sport not just a more menacing stance, but also protection from outside hubris that might victimize a standard type. There are also black power-coated aluminum sidesteps for easier access to and from the interior.

A black roof rack is also prominently featured, which in this case proudly displays the equipment you can bring with you on your outdoor excisions, including a bike rack and a kayak rack.

"Mad Panda" 2013 Hyundai Genesis R-Spec

Of all the offerings Hyundai is bringing to the 2012 SEMA Auto Show, this Genesis Coupe R-Spec, called "Mad Panda," is arguably the strangest of them all.

Don’t get us wrong, it’s strange in a good way, because we find it difficult to actually mess up an awesome sports car like the Genesis Coupe R-Spec. What really gets us is that the name actually fits the look of the car; this Genesis Coupe R-Spec really does look like a mad panda.

To their credit, Hyundai went off the rail with the comprehensive enhancements on the exterior, interior, and performance departments so that’s always a huge plus in our eyes.

In the end, we’re not casting any aspersions here because there’s an endearing, albeit a little gimmicky, quality to the "Mad Panda." However, in the end, this is still a Hyundai Genesis R-Spec under all that garb, and that’s more than fine us.