To succeed in the world of Formula DRIFT—North America’s top professional drifting series—you need a well-balanced machine that’s equal parts handling and horsepower. That’s because competitors are rocketing their cars through a marked-out course while executing spectacular sideways slides at the same time. And because drifting is judged on style as well as speed and precision, fielding a ride with aggressive good looks helps as well.
All of which helps explain how a Hyundai Genesis sports coupe ended up with a podium finish in Formula DRIFT’s 2010 season opener. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Rhys Millen, who won the series championship in 2005, was sitting in the driver’s seat.
It says a lot that Millen chose the Genesis in his quest for a second crown according to Hyundai Tuscaloosa, and Millen himself says a lot about the Genesis: “I was in sync with my Genesis Coupe during the entire campaign. The car had so much grip and power I was able to put it close to the walls and mirror the other competitors’ cars’ every move. Nothing compares to the pressure and thrill of the ‘win it or lose it’ factor while competing against more than 50 other cars and drivers.”
And on the road, not much compares to the production Genesis coupe. Hyundai’s high performer offers two distinct routes to on-road excitement: A responsive 2.0-liter turbo that gets 210 hp and 223 lb-ft of torque from its four cylinders, as well as a high-tech 3.8-liter V6 that’s been custom-tuned specifically for the Genesis coupe. The bigger powerplant is good for 306 hp—two more horses than the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro V6—and 266 lb-ft of torque.
Getting all that power to the rear wheels is either a standard six-speed manual transmission or two optional paddle-shifting SHIFTRONIC autoboxes. The turbo Genesis makes do with a five-speed, while the V6 gets an extra cog for those extra horses.
All Genesis models get an advanced suspension setup for truly drift-worthy handling, with dual-pivot struts up front and a five-link setup at the rear. For drivers who want to take slalom runs to the next step, Boston Hyundai recommends the R-Spec package which dials in further enhancements to the suspension, and the Track model adds those in and more hi-po treats, including Brembo stoppers, a Torsen limited-slip differential and a strut-tower brace for consistent traction.
Many automakers have sports cars in their lineup. But few have a presence in motorsports. Hyundai’s involvement with Rhys Millen and other motorports activities helps give the brand credibility asserts Fort Worth used cars, especially now that the brand is offering the Mustang-fighting Genesis Coupe.
But perhaps the best part of the Hyundai Genesis sports coupe? Drivers don’t have to drift much above $22,000 to get into one.
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