Hyundai going big with their new 3.3L 365-hp, twin-turbo V6 powerplant

Specs of Hyundai’s new monster powerplant have leaked onto the Internet and we like it. A lot. The new 365-hp 3.3L, twin-turbo V6 is expected to power the upcoming next-gen Genesis Coupe, expected to be based on the HND-9 Concept pictured above. Chances are, like previous years, the same motor will probably be offered on the sedan as well. When the Genesis coupe first launched in 2009, buyers had the option of ticking either the four-cylinder 2.0L turbo or the 3.8L naturally aspirated V6 box. The less-expensive 2.0T models proved to be popular in the aftermarket tuner crowd due to the relative ease of hopping up a factory turbocharged vehicle. Prices of both the 2.0L and the 3.8L easily climbed into the 40K range with options.

For the 2015 model year, Hyundai axed the option of the 260-hp 2.0L and buyers had to make do with the 344-hp/292 lb-ft V6. The Korean Car Blog reports the new 3.3L V6 GDi engine with Intermediate CVVT (continuous variable valve timing), pumps out a healthy 365 hp and 379 lb-ft. Power is made via the use of two tiny, pint-sized twin turbos, combining the cool factor of the old 2.0T four-cylinder models and the grunt of the V6. Looking at the photos on the Korean Car Blog, the turbos are indeed tiny. Aftermarket tuners will undoubtedly be swapping the units out for larger units, sacrificing a little response time and economy for a big push in mid-range and top-end power.

Blood Type Racing (BTR), arguably the largest and most respected Genesis tuning company out there, displayed a dyno chart at the Chicago Auto Show, showing a pretty monster torque curve. The dyno graph shows that power will come on strong and hard right from the get-go with peak torque of at least 379 lb-ft coming into play at a ridiculous 1,500 rpm. We have the tiny turbos to thank for this. While the torque comes on strong and early, the torque party stops prematurely at 4,500 rpm while horsepower continues to climb. Larger turbos would change the graph significantly and low-end power “feel” would suffer.

Photo Courtesy of Korean Car Blog

The Genesis Coupe was Hyundai’s first foray into the sports car world. Reviews were mixed and sales weren’t exactly stellar on either model. Many potential buyers were skeptical of the car. Quality control was a large issue. A sloppy transmission, a very weak and vague-feeling clutch, a heavy curb weight, creaky interiors and a steep price point were all common complaints from buyers (myself included).

It just wasn’t cheap enough for many sports car buyers to opt for the Hyundai over a similarly specified 3 Series BMW, Toyobaru FR-S/BRZ, or even a WRX.

Like any good car manufacturer, Hyundai continues to get better with every new generation. They’ve come a very long way since the 1980s. The Genesis Coupe had the right formula – an affordable smallish RWD sports car with a good warranty. Like many first-gen cars, there were bugs and issues. Judging by the improvements made to the transmission for the 2015MY cars, the specs for the new GDi V6, the lines of the HND-9 Concept, it certainly looks like Hyundai is on the right track to putting a bona fide affordable sports car onto the market.

Here’s hoping for a factory equipped V8 Genesis Coupe with a manual transmission for 2017!