’18 Genesis G80 Sport

With copper accents inside and out and a sport-tuned 3.3L turbo V-6 under the hood, Hyundai's premium Genesis brand makes the case that its G80 Sport is more than just another trim level (see related story: But it’s the G80 Sport’s singular powertrain, the 3.3L twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V-6, which makes this model unique. Shared with the flagship G90 sedan, the all-aluminum Lambda II engine produces 365 hp and 376 lb.-ft. (510 Nm) of torque.

Twin single-scroll turbos fed by an intercooler limit turbo lag and allow the engine to achieve maximum torque at just 1,300 rpm (using premium fuel), while an intermediate-position variable-valve-timing lock in the intake valves magnifies performance. The middle-position VVT lock is the world’s-first application on a V-6, Hyundai says.

Engine performance also benefits from lightweight, hollow sodium-filled exhaust valves that help dissipate heat, allowing for later spark timing resulting in improved power and reduced emissions.

Combined with an aggressively responsive, rev-matching, paddle-shifted 8-speed automatic transmission, the turbo V-6 pulls hard from launch and offers quick response across the power band. Our test cars, all equipped with H-TRAC all-wheel-drive readily shifted power to the rear wheels in spirited driving.

Hyundai says the AWD system, developed in partnership with Magna Powertrain, is designed with a 60/40 rear bias and can send up to 90% of available torque rearward. Overall, the system does a yeoman’s job eliminating the competing downsides of RWD poor-weather traction vs. compromised handling dynamics inherent in many AWD setups.

The G80 Sport’s Intelligent Drive Mode allows a choice of Eco, Normal, Sport or Snow settings, with each mode changing transmission shift mapping, throttle response, steering heft, stability control and suspension tuning.
In Sport mode, the vehicle handles sharp corners and uneven surfaces like a champ, while the strong-pulling V-6 and well-mannered stability controls and AWD encourage pushing ahead rather than clamping down on the brakes to bleed speed in tight turns.

At the same time, the G80 Sport provides a full suite of safety and driver-assistance equipment including automatic emergency braking, pedestrian, blindspot and rear cross-traffic detection, lane-keeping assistance, driver-attention alert and adaptive cruise control.

G80 Sport features responsive 3.3L turbo V-6.

Genesis officials say the standard 3.8L V-6 G80 will account for the lion’s share of the model’s sales, with the Sport good for up to 20% while the flagship 5.0L V-8 Ultimate’s cut will hover in the single digits.

Huge sales aren’t the objective for the newest luxury brand on the block – at least not in the early going, says Erwin Raphael, general manager-Genesis.

“We think the industry is changing and the ownership model is changing,” Raphael says. “We think being new and small gives us a competitive advantage.”

[email protected] @bobgritzinger

'18 Genesis G80 3.3T Sport AWD Specifications

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