News flash: Hyundais 5.0-liter V-8 makes 429 horsepower. In your face, Mustang! Okay, nobody from Hyundai actually said that about Ford or its iconic pony car. In fact, Hyundais figure isnt even a certainty. Its an unofficial estimate given to me (and the rest of the media assembled in South Korea to drive the Sonata hybrid and 2.0T) by an engineer at the companys R&D center.
Hyundai America wont give us an official comment, but heres the data I gleaned Hyundais powertrain development tour. The 5.0-liter Tau engine is essentially a bored-out, direct-injection version of the 4.6-liter V-8 currently found in the Genesis sedan. Bore increases to 96 mm, an increase of 4, while stroke stays the same at 87 mm. Output figures, and remember that these are estimates, are 429 hp at 6500 rpm and 376 lb-ft at 5000 rpm with an 11.5:1 compression ratio. That not only beats the Mustang GT, which gets 412 horses from its rowdy 5.0-liter V-8, its a kick in the teeth to Infinitis 420-hp 5.6-liter. The current 4.6-liter Tau makes 375 hp and 333 lb-ft.
The newest Tau will come mated to an eight-speed automatic designed and manufactured by Hyundai. The transmission is itself an impressive feat; Toyota and ZF are the only other companies to put so many ratios in one bell housing. Again theres no official confirmation from Hyundai, but the 5.0-liter GDI (that stands for Gasoline Direct Injection) could arrive on our shores in the Genesis sometime in mid-2011. Its also safe to assume that it will eventually make its way under the hood of the upcoming Equus.
Hyundai America wont give us an official comment, but heres the data I gleaned Hyundais powertrain development tour. The 5.0-liter Tau engine is essentially a bored-out, direct-injection version of the 4.6-liter V-8 currently found in the Genesis sedan. Bore increases to 96 mm, an increase of 4, while stroke stays the same at 87 mm. Output figures, and remember that these are estimates, are 429 hp at 6500 rpm and 376 lb-ft at 5000 rpm with an 11.5:1 compression ratio. That not only beats the Mustang GT, which gets 412 horses from its rowdy 5.0-liter V-8, its a kick in the teeth to Infinitis 420-hp 5.6-liter. The current 4.6-liter Tau makes 375 hp and 333 lb-ft.
The newest Tau will come mated to an eight-speed automatic designed and manufactured by Hyundai. The transmission is itself an impressive feat; Toyota and ZF are the only other companies to put so many ratios in one bell housing. Again theres no official confirmation from Hyundai, but the 5.0-liter GDI (that stands for Gasoline Direct Injection) could arrive on our shores in the Genesis sometime in mid-2011. Its also safe to assume that it will eventually make its way under the hood of the upcoming Equus.
