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 Kia Rio Aquaman Edition 5-Door

It’s not exactly the Justice League swooping down to the 2012 SEMA Auto Show to save us from tyrannical custom vehicles, but these DC superhero-inspired Kia models are pretty cool in their own right.

As a joint collaboration between Kia, DC Entertainment, and West Coast Customs, the Kia Rio 5-Door was one of the models treated to a superhero make-over to promote DC’s "We Can Be Heroes" campaign. To no one’s surprise, the eco-friendly Rio became the ultimate alter-ego of DC’s resident environment guardian, Aquaman.

The Aquaman-inspired Rio 5-door received the hero’s famous gold, green, and orange exterior colors to go with a body kit that incredibly includes custom-fabricated fins. Body lighting across the exterior are also part of the program, as are Oracle LED wheel rings and a new set of 20" color-matched Asanti wheels wrapped in Continental tires.

Inside, the Aquaman theme continues with the reupholstered seats dressed in green leather with yellow and gold accents. Green suede was also used on the headliner while the back seats bear Aquaman’s logo stitched into it. Open up the trunk of the Rio and watch as it pops up like an underwater treasure chest where you’ll find Aquaman comic-book art with a polycast cutout and surrounded with Oracle LED lighting. Last, but certainly not least, a pair of 7" Rosen Entertainment monitors have also been installed, as well as a 12" subwoofer with two coaxial component speakers and amps.