Hyundai's BMW 3 Series rival progresses | CarAdvice

Car Advice
  • Home
  • »  Hyundai’s BMW 3 Series rival progresses

Hyundai’s BMW 3 Series rival progresses

By David Zalstein |
FIND DEALS

Korean brand Hyundai is continuing its development of a new rear-wheel drive sports sedan intended to rival the BMW 3 Series from 2015.

A source has revealed to US industry journal Automotive News that while the car is still a few years away, the 3 Series-sized Hyundai “RK” is to use the rear-wheel drive Hyundai Genesis platform as a base.

Hyundai Genesis Coupe

The medium-sized Hyundai sports sedan has been talked about since the Hyundai Blue2 Concept broke cover at the 2011 Seoul motor show.

The new sedan would join Hyundai’s US line-up that includes the Genesis Coupe and sedan (pictured below) – the next iteration of which is due in the US over the next few years – and larger rear-wheel drive Equus sedan – likely updated in 2014.

Hyundai Genesis Sedan

The Hyundai Genesis coupe is powered by 204kW turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder and a 260kW 3.8-litre V6, while the sedan receives 248kW version of the 3.8-litre V6, a 287kW 4.6-litre V8 and 320kW 5.0-litre V8.

Hyundai Australia does not currently offer any rear-wheel drive passenger cars, although that is set to change in the not-too-distant future with the introduction of the next-generation Genesis Coupe, which has been locked in for our market.


 

  • gt86.com.au

    This will trump the 3 series. Pummel Pummel.

    • JJ

      lol… Their first foray into this type of market and they will trump a BMW? A German engineered car with decades of history and excellence?

      I’m all for Hyundai, but are you serious or just mentally retarded?

      • Jacob

        Hyundai have had a German designer for years now. 

        He gave birth to the i30 in 2007. 

        • Huwtm

          Sorry Jacob, that’s Kia that has that NOT Hyundai

    • bd

      Not sure if serious.

      Will not pummel the 3 Series, but likely will put a hurt on Lexus IS and Infiniti G sales as the Genesis sedan has done to the GS and M.

      • Sturmgewehr

        probably will in sales because it will be marketed as an M3 competitor (which it will match in luxury and performance no doubt) at a fraction of the cost. and hyundais of late have become quite decent looking cars

  • bruster

    its great to aim high, but if their latest experiment with the i40 is anything to go by i dont think they will succeed. BMW not only offer driving experience but also offer  resale value, desirability, and badge snobery. The only think Hyundai may be able to offfer here is driving experience to match but still some way to go according to some motoring experts.

    they would be better off having the equus competing with ford and holden and genesis coupe competing with Nissan Z. BMW.. still a couple decades to go.

  • K20A

    This is a car I have been waiting for for years.

    A rear wheel drive, compact NON-executive sedan. This has never been available before without going for a luxury / prestige brand.

    It doesn’t have to be luxurious, packed to the brim with latest auto-this and sensor-that. The more important fundamentals are 50-50 weight distribution, excellent driving ergonomics with low H-point, slick 6-speed manual (or DCT for those who has to have it for whatever reasons) and obviously an engine that is a joy to be driven spiritedly.

    The engine doesn’t have to have 300kW with four turbos.. wide spread of torque (tractability) and free revving nature are more important than kWs and Nms. Last but not least it has to be fairly economical, reliable and priced for the masses.

    In other words.. a GT86 with four doors.

    I’m sure we will all erase our memory of faded red Excels forever if Hyundai can make such car,

    • Kampfer

      “This is a car I have been waiting for for years. A rear wheel drive, compact NON-executive sedan.”

      Toyota been making them for years… Google “Toyota Mark X”. Around same price as Camry oversea. We just keep missing out…

    • Kampfer

      BTW, Hyundai will be selling the new car as a rear wheel drive, compact EXECUTIVE sedan. Don’t think Hyundai will sell it as Camry price.

      Hyundai doing well in US and they will find buyers for it. Not in Australia. How many i40 Hyundai sold here so far?

      • F1MotoGP

        Jan-May 2012 682 i40 was sold.

        • Kampfer

          Cool, where you mention to get the number? How’s the number compares to other mid-sizer?

  • Peanut

    Overseas car makers are moving back to RWD Cars while we are moving away from them here…..hmmmmm

  • Andrew Sherwood

    Many have tried to match and overtake the 3-series but have fallen well short. Just ask Lexus, Audi, Volvo, Infiniti, and Mercedes Benz. Just shows how high BMW have set the standards and how far the competition is from reaching it. It sickens me how many try to claim their new model will beat the 3-series only for journalists to declare it to not be quite up to it. Yet they still keep trying. Hyundai doesn’t have a hope of matching the 3 series on driving dynamics.

    • bd

      That doesn’t mean they can’t compete in the segment.

      The Infiniti G sells very well in the States and the new ATS will likely do so as well.

      Don’t necessarily have to beat the 3 Series to do well in the segment.

      And with the new 3 Series being less fun of a drive than its predecessor, time is ripe for some automaker to come out with something that beats the 3 (Cadillac has come REAL close with the ATS (granted, it will take a long, long while before any automaker beats 3 Series when it comes to having the top image/prestige in the segment, even if they do eventually beat the 3 Series in driving enjoyment).

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/FFLU42DZJ4E23NZKHN3UXJU44Q Aazz

    Wow…. That sedan pictured looks awesome. At first glance it looks like a Lexus/Merc.

    • Schn

      It’s more Infiniti M sedan. Like, a lot of Infiniti M. 

      • bd

        Not really Lexus or Infiniti (much less Merc).

        Mostly BMW with the Hofmeister kink but the same can be said for Infiniti (G) and Lexus (GS).

        • Schn

          Well, when I look at the rear of the Genesis sedan, the styling is a lot like the Infiniti M especially the lights and the way the boot is shaped. I think, Hyundai though, have made it a bit more better than Infiniti though.  

  • Frank Leighton

    Hyundai has eclipsed most japaneese manufacturers in power output for teh production / mass produced cars except the type R Civic, Integra etc. This shows how much they have progressed over the last 5 – 7 years. If they keep this pace for another 5 years, likely the Japs are doomed.

    BMW?? It may take them 5 years to master the art of building performance cars but it will happen.

  • Schn

    Well, if I, just purely as a consumer, were to choose Hyundai or BMW… I would still probably choose BMW, even if the Hyundai had a some advantages of the 3 series. I mean, for many people the fact it’s a BMW, just draws them in. Whereas, the fact that it’s a Hyundai, would just turn away a fair amount of people.  

    • Legnab

      They still dont understand dynamics , nor the word restraint either outside or inside , starwars dashes for kiddies .

      Bmw have evolved the feel for over 40years , still stirs you when you sit in a BMW .

  • crouchy35

    Something something…. Ambitions… Something something…. Capabilities….

  • Basil Exposition

    Hyundai will persist until BMW is vanquished. First effort will probably struggle. Not only is Toyota afraid of Hyundai so is Honda and VW… Soon BMW and MB will be spooked.

  • bd

    The next gen “Genesis” coupe will be going upscale and be partnered with the new smaller RWD sedan (never really was a natural partner to the larger Genesis sedan).

    The new Genesis sedan is due out next year with the coupe and new RWD sedan due out sometime around 2014-15.

  • Gus

    So now the Germans are scared of…wait for it…Hyundai !!!  
    Hahaha….many of the comments here are just plain naive & stupid…
    Hyundai aren’t even worthy to lick the dirt from BMW’s tyres…no prestige or engineering excellence  at all…the Japs may be feeling a bit nervous though.
    …another Korean show pony & the gullible morons that love them.

    • Robin_Graves

      Tell that to the GT3 and the rest of the field that got obliterated by a Hyundai at Pikes Peak hill climb 2 days ago.

      320kW NA V8 is not bad either from a manufacturer who has no prestige or engineering excellence.  Tau V8 was in the top 10 wards best engines along with a few BMWs.

  • Jax

    Hyundai= Budget Car.
    When I see a brand new Hyundai I automatically think that the owner couldn’t afford anything better. 
    They have less prestige than even Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, etc.
    So how they gonna compete with BMW ?
    Some of you guys must have rocks in your head.

    • Robin_Graves

      The only ones who have rocks in their heads are morons who automatically dismiss a car because of it’s badge before they even drive it.  The upside is they are the ones to miss out.

  • Luke Brinsmead

    What about the Hyundai Grandeur, the new model looked fantastic when I saw it in Korea a few months ago.

    • F1

      It’s called the Hyundai Azera in USA

  • Maximark2601

    To compete with the 3 series  Hyundai need to offer 10 full yrs warranty and 15G less of the 3 series prices. Hyundai need to beat the Japanese  first ( still a long way I think) before they can put up the fight with the European car such as BMW, Merc..etc.