According to Hyundai America CEO John Krafcik, 2011 marked the highest calendar-year sales ever for the Genesis coupe. The self-confessed factoid freak calmly references this fact from the passenger seat of a 2013 Genesis coupe as we skim across the Nevada Desert floor at speeds well over the century mark. Krafcik is busy peppering me with questions about the car—and other cars, and Apple, Sony, BlackBerry, and the current state of EPA regulations, among other topical concerns—and snapping photos when we roll over a cattle grate without drama; doing so in the pre-refresh Genesis coupe would have sent reverberations throughout the entire car. He smiles approvingly, then returns his attention to his BlackBerry and begins hammering out another series of messages. Note to Genesis coupe suspension engineers: Now may be the time to ask for a raise.

We gave you a look at the Genesis’s revised fascia when it debuted at the Detroit show back in January, and we can now confirm our suspicion that the hood is an entirely new stamping, a costly proposition for a simple midlife revamp. Paintwork on the dozen or so examples we examined was flawless, and the Genesis looks light-years better—and bigger—in the flesh than in photographs. But the real news is the pair of significantly reworked engines residing under that fresh hood.

Drivetrain à la Carte

The all-aluminum 2.0-liter four-cylinder now utilizes a twin-scroll turbocharger and a 53-percent-larger intercooler to produce a formidable 274 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, up 64 hp and 52 lb-ft over the outgoing engine. Aided by the new twin-scroll turbo and dual continuously variable valve timing, maximum torque arrives at 2000 rpm, and the car pulls hard out of corners with minimal turbo lag. Engine NVH levels are improved from before. Hyundai engineers point to a new stainless-steel integrated exhaust manifold and the integrated turbo housing that weighs less and dissipates heat more efficiently while also improving efficiency and emissions. The waste gate is now electronically controlled for more accurate boost modulation and improved mid- and high-load fuel efficiency. Under hard throttle, the exhaust emits a mild midrange honk that climbs in pitch with acceleration. Outside of the car the tone is even more raucous, and should be music to the ears of any remaining members of the Fast and Furious club.

If the 2.0T is the feisty extrovert, then the direct-injected V-6 is the strong, silent type. With 348 hp on tap, the V-6 Genesis edges out a couple of class-above coupes, the 330-horse Infiniti G37 and the 300-hp BMW 335i. Its 295 lb-ft of torque tops the G37’s 270 and gives up a scant 5 lb-ft to the 335i. More direct competition comes via the Nissan 370Z and the Ford Mustang, two rear-drive stalwarts in the same general price range. The former offers 332 hp as standard or 350 in NISMO trim, while the latter serves up 43 fewer horsepower than the Genesis V-6 but also offers 412 hp from its 5.0-liter V-8.

At idle, the Genesis’s V-6 remains smooth and steady, and revs climb willingly with a blip of the throttle. Although its peak torque doesn’t arrive until 5300 rpm, the engine is strong from 2000 rpm in almost any gear. On the highway, 2000 rpm in sixth gear motivates the Genesis along at a dash-indicated 70 mph. Floor it, and the comparatively mature exhaust note improves as engine speed climbs. Krafcik commented that getting a sweet sound under acceleration was easy, though; finding an acceptable tone at idle proved to be the hard part, the process apparently complicated by the engine’s direct injection. Note that the V-6 does employ an intake sound-induction tube to route some “car noise” into the otherwise serene cabin.

Top speed is limited to 146 mph for the 2.0T and 149 for the 3.8. Knock sensors are employed to allow both engines to run on regular unleaded fuel—albeit with a small power deficit—when drivers don’t feel like paying the premium for premium. Hyundai claims the mileage figures are the same with either fuel.

Transmission availability isn’t as simple as just choosing a trim and then opting for a manual or automatic. Both the 2.0T and 3.8 Genesis R-Spec models come only with the six-speed manual; the 3.8 Grand Touring and 2.0T Premium are available with only the newly available eight-speed automatic; and the base 2.0T and the 3.8 Track models can be equipped with either transmission. The eight-speed automatic (gears seven and eight are overdrives) is the first octo-cog in the class. R-Spec and Track models have an available Torsen limited-slip differential.

Much Has Been Said About Hyundai Manual Shifters, Some of it Less Than Glowing

In the eight-speed’s full auto mode, the shifts click off inconspicuously at light throttle; employ the accelerator with a little more enthusiasm and gear changes become more obvious. A manual mode allows drivers to shift gears according to their own agenda via steering-wheel-mounted paddles. Although Hyundai claims the shift schedule has been tweaked, the manual mode’s shifts were delayed and left us feeling uninspired. It’s an unquestionably competent transmission, but it lacks the soul and last bit of refinement that might encourage you to tip the shift lever to the left and click off shifts.

Much has been said about Hyundai manual shifters over the years, some of it less than glowing. To address that, Hyundai has effected a host of alterations intended to reduce shift shock and enhance overall feel, including reducing shift and clutch effort, dialing in more progressive clutch-pedal take-up, and switching to a “bolt”-type driveshaft connection from a “stem”-type. While the shifter is much better, it still lacks the intuitive nature, snick-snick action, and fluidness that transforms the act of physically shifting into something that stems directly from one's central nervous system. That said, the Genesis is a better car with the manual transmission, regardless of engine choice. At least a few buyers agree, as Krafcik says 25 to 30 percent of Genesis models are sold with sticks.

The springs, dampers, and bushings all have been recalibrated for better road feel, control, and comfort with less body roll. A strut-type suspension soaks up irregularities and keeps the tires planted up front; a multilink setup handles the chores out back. On the buttery-smooth roads of southern Nevada, the suspension overhaul would seem to be an unqualified success, even riding on 40-series rubber and 19-inch wheels; we'll have to wait until we drive one in the Rust Belt to see how it handles pothole-pocked roadways.

The hydraulic, engine-speed-sensitive steering has a 13.8:1 ratio, seven percent quicker than the outgoing model’s. Turn-in is progressive and predictable, and its accuracy allows for confident placement in the corners and precise control in traffic. On the highway it feels tight, but not irritatingly so; subtle steering corrections do not result in over-reactive directional changes.

Department of the Interior

Faux stitching runs across the updated low-sheen, soft-touch dashpad, and a center-stack gauge cluster displays instantaneous mpg, oil temperature, and available torque (3.8 models) or boost pressure (2.0T models). Sport front seats now come standard on all Genesis coupes. Running the driver’s seat through the full gamut of positions reveals plenty of leg, hip, and shoulder room, but people much more than six-foot-three are going to become intimately acquainted with the headliner. Your six-foot-one author wearing a standard helmet was forced to adopt a severely uncomfortable slouched track-driving posture during a lapping session; it made it nearly impossible to post a reasonable lap time, but also provided for several days of lower back pain.

Bluetooth comes standard on all Genesis coupes, and Hyundai’s Blue Link telematics system is available on 3.8 Grand Touring/Track and 2.0T Premium trim levels. Spring for the navigation system with a seven-inch touch screen and you'll get the 360-watt Infinity sound system along with satellite radio and traffic. (Aside: We’re happy to see that the navinfotainment system in the Genesis coupe remains fully functional while underway: During a temporary detour, Krafcik conspicuously leaned forward and began typing a new destination into the system while we rolled: "Notice the nav works while we’re moving," he said, adding, "I just thought the fact you had to be stopped to use it was nonsense.”)

With a base-price spread of $10,000 from the 2.0T six-speed manual ($25,125) to the 3.8 Track eight-speed automatic ($35,125) the Genesis coupe is poised to do showroom battle with everything from the Scion FR-S to the Infiniti G37S, the latter a car Hyundai is quick to point out costs almost $11,000 more than a similarly equipped Genesis coupe 3.8 Track while offering 18 fewer ponies. The stiffest competition, however, perhaps comes from the excellent 2012 Ford Mustang, which costs just over $23K with its 305-horse V-6 and $30,505 with its 412-horse V-8. (The 2013 Mustang GT will have a few more hp, too.) The Hyundai’s value proposition is strengthened by the automaker’s 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Even after a few years on the market, the question still remains: Can Hyundai convince large numbers of traditional rear-drive-coupe buyers to abandon the equity of decades-old nameplates like Mustang and Z for a brash Korean upstart? That the 2013 Genesis coupe offers more power and is undeniably improved will certainly help, but the car is going to need several more record sales years and perhaps another generation of refinement to catch the pony at the front of the pack.

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