Are we even sure there's going to be an Rspec? It seems to me that name was a bad decision. It seemed to overstate the track-orientation of the car, and all the auto mags seemed to start their reviews saying that this is no AMG/M/S competitor. Hyundai has to target the German's to use this as a sort of halo-car to increase brand recognition, but the rspec name was never taken seriously on the Genesis sedan, anditthat's not good for marketing IMO. Personally I think they should keep the entire
KDM naming system and just call it the Genesis G500 in the US. The other thing is that the suspension mechanics were one of the primary differences between the 5.0 and 5.0R while they both existed, and now with the "sport mode" suspension a big part of the difference will be gone.
If they choose to do an Rspec again it needs to be a bit more focused. IMO it should be rwd-only, revised front lower fascia, they should have distinct intake and exhaust that actually open up flow and produce some noise and even if it's only 5hp they should advertise the hp difference. There should also be a "track" drive mode that allows traction and stability to be totally killed without the old fuse pulling, in addition to making the rear diff lockup more aggressive. Throw in a minimum of 275 series rear tires on 19's or 20's. Programming a mild launch control into the transmission wouldn't hurt either.
As far as the lights go, I don't know what to expect. At this point we're not far away from finding out, but if they do give us the LED's that will be a pretty major departure from their previous generation business practices. While it is true that the
KDM didn't previously get the Rspec the BH 380 was significantly better equipped than the US version in terms of goodies.