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Hyundai is a long way from being a legitimate performance brand. I have a lot of respect for this project because it shows that Hyundai wants to join the brawl for top performers in this class. The problem is that Hyundai has an image to change. In this case, the car is ugly, and that image has to change. Otherwise, Hyundai needs to produce some quality advertising that pits the Genesis against other cars in its class—ads with spunk.
I respect all cars to the best of my ability. Hyundai makes fairly reliable economy cars. To make the step into the performance field is admirable. I'm sure someone will say, "Hyundai makes the Tiburon, and it is cool and fast." It's a FWD car that's about as cool as a '90s era Saturn. I'm sure it can perform with help, but I highly doubt that it really floors competitors at the track. If the Genesis is a success, it will really impress people. I hope it does, but I expect Hyundai to do significantly better in the second generation than the first because no performance car goes without its kinks.
Is it competition? I think it will give the Camaro LS a little bit of a run, but I doubt it will really sell like the Camaro because it doesn't have a history or tradition of competition backing it.
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