Pikes Peak, home of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. A contest of driver skill, manufacturer engineering, and raw power all mix into the pot as a car is sent hurtling up the mountain in a fight against a loose surface and the ever persistent pull of gravity. Thanks for bringing this to my attention, Tim.

In case you were wondering, this isn’t a specifically prepared car for the hill climb. In fact, it appears to be the car that Rhys Millen uses for drift competitions, powered by the turbocharged V6 powerplant.

[Source: AutoBlog, Live Sockets via Tim]

“This is the first time Millen is making the run in his new Hyundai Genesis Coupe, and he’s evidently driving the same car he has been using in Formula D drift events all year long – complete with the Hyundai V6 powerplant. In fact, the car was trucked to Colorado directly from last weekend’s drift event in Las Vegas.”

Not like last time – we thought it was a review, but it was actually a first drive, preview style. AutoBlog finally has their official review of the Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track up on their website. Lots of pictures and a great writeup, so take a look here! We’ve also mirrored all the pictures here, so click “Read more” to see them!

[Source: AutoBlog]

In the 23 years since Hyundai first entered the U.S. market, the Korean automaker has come a long away. What began as a budget-oriented brand for those who couldn’t afford the higher-priced products from Japan has evolved into a credible contender in virtually every segment that it competes. In the early days, the primary emphasis was on affordable motoring, sometimes at the expense of long-term durability. Today, it’s a different story. From the Accent to the Genesis sedan, Hyundai still offers some of the most affordable products, but the decades-old connotations of “cheap” have been largely laid to rest.

The internet is abuzz with information about the Genesis Coupe that Rhys Millen Racing is using – it’s a heavily modified Genesis Coupe powered by a turbocharged 4 liter Nissan motor, a combination that is sure to produce quite a show of power. Sources say that the Nissan powerplant was chosen because of it’s penchant for power on short notice, but RMR will be switching back to the Lambda V6 once they sort out how to coax the same tire smoking power out of it. Click here to see the details from Edmunds Inside Line, and here for the details from AutoBlog. Edmunds also issued a correction later about the engine here. Thanks for the tip Loren!

[Sources: Edmunds Inside Line, Edmunds Correction, AutoBlog]

It’s not like you think. It’s not busy. Or rushed. Or frantic. There’s no chopping at the wheel, no exaggerated stabs at the pedals. In fact, it’s just the opposite: small, highly calculated and immensely precise inputs direct theGenesis Coupe’s trajectory. Rapid but relaxed steering suggestions translate into dramatic changes in direction and speed. Subtle, deliberate prods at the throttle and shifter blur the scenery on one side, then the other. [Edmunds Inside Line]

It was well worth the wait – AutoBlog has finally posted their first drive of the Genesis Coupe up and what a review it is! Click here to see the review in full, where they discuss the 2.0T and the 3.8L V6 along with a vast amount of great pictures.

[Source: AutoBlog]

Full throttle down the back straight, the speedometer sweeps past 100 mph. The approaching turn is a 90-degree right, but it looks like we can still put more asphalt behind us before letting off the gas. At the last possible moment, we lift and then lean hard on the brakes. Deceleration forces us against the shoulder belt as the four contact patches ferociously search the line for traction. As the orange cones begin to fill our front windshield, it’s obvious that we’re carrying too much speed. A turn now and we’d spin.

AutoBlog has ripped a bunch of pictures off from GenMay and posted them on their website. Problem is, most of the pictures on GenMay were sourced from the GenCoupe forums or bkmania forums, and no proper credit was given. I get my images form bkmania and attempt to credit the correct person whenever possible – difficult for me because I can’ t read Korean. If anyone sees images on here that are theirs and would like me to credit them, let me know with the “Contact Us” link on the top right! Click here for the link to AutoBlog.

As Nissan cancels its Silvia replacement, and the Toyobaru saga stumbles along, Hyundai actually has a hot product on the pavement ready to scoop up import tuners jonesing for a rear-drive plaything. The Genesis Coupe is just arriving in U.S. dealerships, but in Korea, the car’s been on the streets a while already.

In this economy of tough times, its nice to see that at least a few automakers are working against the current and holding their own in this economic struggle. As the list shows, Hyundai, Kia, and Subaru are the only companies that are posting a strong gain this year, as compared to last year. Hyundai comes out 2.6% above, Kia at 4.6, and Subaru at an astounding 5.6% gain. Click here to see the article.

Looks like AutoBlog was able to get their hands on a Lime Rock Green Genesis Coupe before it officially went on sale, and if the short preview as anything telling, they love it! Click here for the jump.

While on the track at Willow Springs, we were able to unchain the frenetic little devil that the Genesis Coupe keeps leashed around town. The steering wheel is the perfect size and provides plenty of feedback. The exhaust note, less than inspiring when you’re nice to the car, finds its bellow when you stomp on the gas and let the revs climb. The brakes will keep up the good work for lap after lap after lap. The handling will even make a few other cars take note -– there’s no “in it’s price bracket” caveat here – and its rear-wheel-drive reflexes are nicely tuned. It is easy to get quick in the Genesis Coupe, and once there, it’s pretty easy to stay quick.

Seems like Hyundai is serious about the new Genesis Coupe – they’ve announced a new track ready model appropritately called the R-Spec. Suprisingly, it costs less!

Posted by AutoBlog here

While the car they brought to the show is basically a concept, the R-Spec package will be available through dealers and will give performance junkies more in some areas and less in others. The full list of equipment is in the press release after the jump, but the highlights are a 210-hp turbo’d inline-four that returns 30 mpg and a top speed of 137 mph. Available only with the six-speed manual, it comes with stability control, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, 19-inch wheels, Brembos, a Torsen limited-slip differential, a beefier suspension and summer-only Potenzas. To reduce cost and weight, the R-Spec doesn’t include Bluetooth, automatic headlights, cruise control, trip computer, chrome interior accents and steering wheel audio controls. Basically, the R-spec is packing all the heavy-hitting hardware from the Track model and ditches the frippery that drivers and customizers aren’t interested in.