The Hyundai Genesis sedan just received a facelift for 2012, which freshened up the model for the remainder of its cycle. Now, the Genesis Coupe is going under the knife, as these shots from our spy photographer show. Although many of the important changes are covered up, we get some idea of where the revisions will take place.
Audi-esque LED light pipes underline the headlights, similar to the ones seen on the 2012 Genesis sedan. The camo makes it hard to tell if the headlights themselves will feature the same shape, but if the Genesis sedan is any indication, you can expect most of the changes to occur inside the housings. The grille is almost completely obscured by camo, with what could be a chrome dummy grille in place to throw us off the scent. If that is the grille, then it’s substantially wider than the one found on the current model.
Moving back, we can see that the taillights sport the biggest visible changes of the rear end. Behind those lenses appear to be more LEDs, arranged in a different shape from the current model’s taillights. There appear to be no changes made to the exhaust tips or rear valance on this mule, but other minor differences could show up on the production version.
The turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 is expected to carry over, we’re hoping with the added fortification of direct-injection as in the Sonata. The 3.8-liter V-6 could be upgraded with direct-injection as it is on the new Genesis sedan, raising output from 306 hp to 333 hp. The new eight-speed automatic transmission in the Genesis sedan could also be offered for the coupe, while the six-speed manual will likely remain standard. The facelifted Genesis Coupe won’t arrive in the U.S. until the 2013 model year, but expect the model to be unveiled this coming auto show season, possibly at the Detroit show next January. Armed with these upgrades, the Genesis coupe could finally go from merely looking similar to the Infiniti G37 coupe, to competing with it head-to-head.
Thanks to: Motor Trend
