Hyundai’s well-received first attempt in the rear-wheel drive sports car segment, the Genesis Coupe, is up for a mid-life nip and tuck, which will be more than skin deep.
Our spies nabbed a camouflaged prototype of the 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe testing in and around the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany. The first thing that caught our attention on the outside is the boot lid but we’re not certain if Hyundai has redesigned the rear end or is simply trying out a new spoiler.
A closer inspection of the photographs reveals that the facelift model will get redesigned LED tail lamps at the back, while changes on the profile are limited to the chrome trimmed door handles and the exterior mirrors that incorporate the turning signals.
Up front, the refreshed Genesis Coupe appears to gain redesigned headlamps and a new and larger upper grille with a center chrome strip. It’s hard to say from these pictures, but the front bumper may also have been restyled.
Moving to the unseen mechanical updates, it is believed that Hyundai will replace the current model’s 3.8-liter V6 unit that produces 306HP at 6,300 rpm and 266 lb-ft at 4,700 rpm, with the same 3.8-liter V6 engine featuring direct injection (GDI) technology and several other upgrades that the company introduced on the 2012 Genesis sedan.
The revised 3.8-liter V6 lump produces 333 horsepower and a peak torque of 291 lb.-ft, giving Hyundai a power advantage over the rivaling Ford Mustang V6 (305HP) and Chevrolet Camaro V6 (323HP).
And while the six-speed manual gearbox will continue to be offered, Hyundai will most likely replace the current six-speed automatic transmission with the newer 8-speed auto box, which is also available on the refreshed Genesis sedan.
As for the four-cylinder model, there have been some rumors about Hyundai replacing the 210HP 2.0-liter force-fed engine with the Sonata’s more potent 274HP 2.0-liter turbocharged four, but this has not been confirmed.
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