Hyundai?s new beginning

In what may well be a world first, a Korean car company has unveiled an attractive, rear-wheel-drive sports coupe. Hyundai ripped the covers from its Concept Genesis Coupe at the Los Angeles Motor Show earlier this month and, like the name suggests, it's a new beginning for the company.

Looking a lot like the next Tiburon, the Genesis Coupe claims to be a two-plus-two coupe and the company is using phrases like 'high performance' and 'hard-core driving.' There's no doubting the intent of the styling.

The concept car is still in the evaluation stage before a production version going on sale in the U.S. in 2009. Hyundai says the aggressively styled Coupe signals the company's intention to appeal to 'hard-core driving enthusiasts,' with strong performance, rear-wheel-drive handling attributes and look-at-me stunning styling.

Measuring 4666mm in length, 2820mm in wheelbase, 1902mm wide and 1386mm tall, the Coupe is longer, wider and slightly taller than the current Tiburon, and it has a longer wheelbase.

And it's destined for a production line; hopefully with the styling and engine outputs intact and a chassis to match; with Hyundai suggesting it will be the most affordable performance car in the market.

Hyundai chief designer Joel Piaskowski says the most dynamic model yet from Hyundai was created as a pure performance car.

“We wanted a design that would capture the imagination of hard-core automotive enthusiasts,” he says. The concept sits on 20 inch wheels and gets a black carbon fibre bonnet, roof and spoilers. Hyundai expects the alloy 3.8-litre V6 powerplant, capable of 224kW of power, to deliver a sub-six-second zero to 100km/h time, although other engines also are under consideration.

Hyundai Australia spokesman Tiffany Junee says Hyundai's Australian arm is looking seriously at the Coupe.

What are your thoughts on the Hyundai Concept Genesis? Could this be a step forward for Hyundai in the sports car category?