When Hyundai first launched its Genesis Coupe, it showed the world that it could actually make a decent sports car. Was the Genesis Coupe the best car in the world? Of course not. In fact, it wasn’t even the best sports car in its price range. However, it did show promise for Hyundai, as it was the company’s first true sports car. Fast forward to today and Hyundai is so confident in its abilities to grow from the Genesis Coupe that it’s willing to take the BMW M4, the king of performance in its segment, head on.
Hyundai recently launched its N Division, an obvious take on BMW’s famous M Division, which will create sports tuned variants of its standard cars. The Korean brand will be coming out with a rear-wheel drive sports coupe, dubbed the G70, which will take on cars like the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro and, mainly, the BMW 4 Series. Hyundai’s N Division will make its own version of the G70 that will take on BMW’s M4.
The N-tuned G70 will likely use a tuned version of Hyundai’s current 3.3 liter twin-turbocharged V6, that currently develops 365 hp. No power specifications have been given, but it’s likely that Hyundai is shooting for somewhere around the M4’s 425 hp. This is likely possible, given 425 hp isn’t that difficult of a goal to reach with a twin-turbocharged V6, especially considering that Hyundai’s is slightly bigger than BMW’s. But creating instant torque with no turbo lag and the same silky-smoothness as BMW’s TwinPower I6 is going to be difficult and it’s doubtful that Hyundai can do so.
It’s a weird thought, Hyundai competing with a BMW M car. Hyundai was known for years as making such poor vehicles they were almost disposable. However, the South Korean company has been on the rise as of late, putting out luxurious sedans like the Genesis that actually compete with some German rivals for half of their price. So it’s entirely possible that Hyundai is able to put out a product that actually competes with the BMW M4. It likely won’t be as good as the M4, but given that this is the N Division’s first real attempt at a car like that, it doesn’t have to be.
If Hyundai can put out a product that’s even half as good as the M4 for less money, it will be a win for the company. It will show progress, that it’s getting close to putting out world class sports cars. It doesn’t have to beat BMW right off the bat, and it won’t, but if it can get close, the auto industry will be better for it. Competition breeds excellence, so the more good sports cars on the market, the better we are for it. Here’s to hoping that Hyundai can actually make a good sports car. But it still won’t beat the BMW M4.
[Source: Car and Driver]
