Despite what its label may conjure in enthusiasts' minds, the R-Spec isn't a sedan designed to embarrass the curvy-road combatants from Mercedes AMG,
Cadillac V, and BMW M. No, the Genesis 5.0 R-Spec is more a sport model than 'Ring racer. That's that.
But the R-Spec is a step in the right direction. It gives the standard Genesis much-needed injections of athleticism and emotion. Hyundai engineers provided an all-new direct-injected 5.0-liter Tau V-8 GDI based on the current sedan's 4.6-liter. Bore grows from 92 mm to 96 mm and compression bumps from 10.4:1 to 11.5:1, resulting in a healthy dose of 429 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque (as opposed to 385 hp and 333 lb-ft from the 4.6).
A new bed plate, camshaft carriers, and roller timing chain reduce mechanical chatter and ensure the eight-cylinder is as fuel-efficient as possible (it's rated at 16 mpg city/25 mpg highway). An eight-speed automatic transmission with a manual mode directs power to the optional Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Position rubber ($1400). When needed, four-piston front and rear calipers bite hard on 13.6-inch rotors rather than the usual 13.0-inch variety.
While the powertrain adds much to the Genesis' repertoire, the suspension had staffers talking. Each corner perches on 25- to 30-percent-stiffer Sachs Amplitude Selective Damping shock absorbers. The rear end's multilink setup is tuned to tauter R-Spec requirements. One-millimeter-thicker anti-roll bars -- 26 mm front, 19 mm rear -- fight lateral loads under hard cornering.
The finished product surprised us on the real-world blacktop. The R-Spec was composed in and out of corners and wore its 4199 pounds well. Compared to the 4.6, excessive body lean is nearly cured in the 5.0, which pushes when spurred aggressively (thank its burliness and 54/46 front/rear weight distribution). Although weighty and more communicative, the steering still lacks the directness of some of its German rivals.
Its stiffer ride will have you thinking "sports car," not "luxury sedan." Off smooth paths, the suspension is confused and bouncy at times, yet capable of absorbing mountainous acne. A week's worth of passengers complained not once -- just don't expect the Genesis' usual Lay-Z-Boy ride anymore.
Like the transmission it's bolted to, the V-8 heart is as smooth and as quiet as they come. While welcome for those who appreciate the subdued nature of a Lexus LS V-8, the R-Spec's quiet demeanor is a quality that ultimately disappoints -- an "R" on the tail necessitates a voice that should be more enticing than a muffled burble.
Even so, here is a Korean sedan as quick to 60 mph as a BMW 550i (4.8 seconds) and faster over a quarter-mile than a Ford Mustang V-6 (13.3 seconds at 107.1 mph vs. 13.7 sec @ 102.0 mph). It demolishes the 4.6's figure-eight time by nearly 1 second (26.3 seconds at 0.68 g) and consistently stops three feet shorter from 60 mph (109 feet). It also pulls an average 0.87 g on the skidpad (up from 0.86 g).
