2012 Hyundai Genesis Prada launched

2012 Hyundai Genesis Prada - 17.5.2011

Features a 5.0-liter V8

Hyundai in cooperation with Italian fashion label Prada has launched in Korea the limited edition Genesis Prada.

Designed to be one of the most luxurious models the company has ever built, the Genesis Prada is available in three colors (Black Nero, Blue Baltico and Brown Moro) and is distinguished by dark chrome accents, a "shark-fin" antenna and exclusive 19-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, the cabin is outfitted with "Saffiano" leather upholstery, piano black trim and a rear seat entertainment system.

Power is provided by a 5.0-liter V8 engine that produces 430 PS (316 kW / 424 hp) and 510 Nm (376 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which "allows drivers to enjoy the car's power and driving dynamics to their fullest extent."

Production will be limited to 1,200 units, in South Korea, but a "small number" of models will be exported to China and the Middle East.

Source: Hyundai

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Hyundai Begins Sales of `Genesis Prada'

- Hyundai unveils production model of `Genesis Prada' in Seoul
- Hyundai's award-winning Genesis sedan reborn with innovative input from Prada, one of the world's leading luxury brands
- Hyundai to limit sales to 1,200 units in Korea, will export small number to other countries

(Seoul, Korea) Hyundai Motor Company, one of the world's fastest-growing major automakers, today began sales of the limited edition Genesis Prada in Korea amid industry-wide attention surrounding the collaboration between a leading carmaker and Prada, one of the world's leading brands in the luxury goods industry.

The Genesis Prada, based on the 2012 Genesis sedan and featuring Hyundai's award-winning Tau 5.0 GDi engine, was unveiled today at a media event in downtown Seoul. Over 100 VIPs, company executives and media members attended the event, which was held at an art gallery in downtown Seoul.

Genesis Prada is characterized by a special design that combines Prada's sophisticated innovation, attention to detail and uncompromised quality approach with Hyundai's advanced technology and expertise in car manufacturing. Hyundai and Prada worked together for over two years to perfect the model, after unveiling a special edition at the 2009 Seoul Motor Show. This is the first time a production model is being introduced to the market.

The joint project of Genesis Prada is the result of both companies' approach to create a highly unique version of the Genesis model, addressed to the most sophisticated clientele. In particular, the project reflects Hyundai's new marketing direction, "New Thinking. New Possibilities.", which aims to provide customers with new experiences and values beyond their expectations. This matches the brand image of Prada, which also balances tradition and innovation.

Genesis Prada
Genesis Prada is based on the 2012 Genesis, which was launched in February this year. The car, which won the prestigious 2009 North American Car of the Year award, is powered by Hyundai's Tau V8 engine, which has been chosen as one of Ward's 10 Best Engines for three consecutive years since 2009. The 2012 Genesis's Tau 5.0 GDi engine delivers a peak power of 430ps and a maximum torque of 52.0kgm, mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission that allows drivers to enjoy the cars power and driving dynamics to their fullest extent.

Genesis Prada comes in three special colors - Black Nero, Blue Baltico and Brown Moro - that are applied with a three-layer coat technology with stereoscopic gold pearl. Dark chrome is applied to the radiator grille, emblem and door handles to reflect the unique palladium-coated buckles on Prada's bags. The innovations introduced by Prada include also 19-inch alloy wheels and an outer antenna with a wedge shape.

For the interior, the dashboard and the upholstery have also been revised and artisan-crafted in "saffiano" leather - Prada's signature top quality leather - to obtain a luxurious and sophisticated finish.

Genesis Prada will be produced by customized personal orders, while the limited Genesis Prada badge and GP500 emblem will emphasize the scarcity of the car. Hyundai, together with Prada, will carry out exclusive VIP marketing activities to provide customers with ultimate satisfaction and convenience.

Hyundai plans to offer a limited number of 1,200 units in the Korean market, later exporting to a limited number of Middle Eastern and Asian countries, including China.

Hyundai developing a 10-speed transmission
(19 comments)

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juventus7977

to pay anything more than $30,000 for a hyundai is wasted money in my opinion

May 17, 2011 11:01 am

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2 replies

YuZi

how painfully ignorant! 5.0 V8 with 424 bhp sounds juicy, much better than most competition in my opinion

May 17, 2011 12:16 pm

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loopsterman

Juventus, you sir are a douche bag....im a bmw man but hyundai in the last couple of years has been doing an amazing job, just like KIA.. Where i live they were the first to introduce a warranty of 10years/150 thousand km and now everyone is following on. Bmw still offers a 5year/100 000 km warranty. If the engine is non turbo or supercharged, basically a NA engine... those figures are AMAZING specially for HYUNDAI, they are fairly new to this kind of market. Yes i would agree for the price to be cheaper then its german rivals because this is something new from Hyundai. I also agree with NORTHER about mercedes being old fashioned, they have been changing in the last few years with the new c class looking more sporty(trying to go bmw way) but you know what is the worse part for them, there own customers hate it! All my friends that have mercedes dont like the new c class and its the first 1 i said to them, i would consider taking this one if it was given to me where as in the past, even if they payed me i wouldnt take a mercedes....

May 18, 2011 2:16 am

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norther

you are so right yuzi. juventus, you are ignorant. besides the engine (which audi has 6.3, v12, 450ps; bmw 6.0, v12, 435ps; and merc 5.0, v8, 380ps), this also has 8 speeds, which merc hasnt. merc still has the 5g tronic, which in my opinion is as hold as a t-rex. even the 7g tronic sounds old (which is just a 5g tronic with 2 more pinions). u say paying more than 30 grand for a hyundai is a waste, i say paying 80+ grand for a merc, and not getting: carbon brakes, panoramic roof with fotovoltaic cells, double clutch box etc (of course hyundai doesent have them, but audi and bmw have), is more than a waste and more than a ripoff. dont get me wrong, merc isnt bad, but is old, and they are not open to the NEW. they are just like ur nickname and team, juventus: once champions, now old dinosaurus

May 17, 2011 12:30 pm

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3 replies

Vroom-vroom

I could not have said it better.

May 17, 2011 1:50 pm

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Edison

Agreed about Juventus, but dude where/when are you getting your specs from and which cars are you comparing? I know it's vogue to support the blue collar underdog, but get the facts straight, Merc has been using the 7gtronic for a few years now, and it's not necessarily worse than an 8-speed, particularly in MCT format. It depends on application. What's more, I don't know why you mention the ps figures of Merc, BMW, and Audi without even mentioning torque figures and rpm, which is what these particular engines were built for (most power available at low rpm, which is what you would want from a smooth yet power large luxury car). The engines you mention produce almost 100 lb-ft of torque more than the Genesis. If you just look at power, it doesn't explain why, for example, the 4.2L engine in the BMW M3 produces 420ps, or Maserati's 4.7L V8 produces 440ps, while the cars you mention produce about the same power from a Liter more of displacement. It's not as much about the technology in this case, it's about purposeful design. Anyways, going back to your point, Merc is much more of a technology leader than Hyundai is, no contest. Don't always go by a power figure and a gear count before saying that one car is a waste of money over another, there is sooo much more to a car.

May 17, 2011 2:13 pm

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albertobarichovich

duuuuuddee u killhime with that one, hahahahah, my wife and i bought a 09 genesis last year, dude that car is sick, and we have also a 07 sonata, no probleas at all. oh, and the genesis that we got is a v6 though,but it does the job, we bought it in a rush, never asked if the car was rear of front traction, lol i foung out the hard way one day when i decide to nail it to see how quick it is getting of of the apartment parking hahaha that mother ***** tail on me jajaja be luckly in got control of it, it was my bad because i turn of the traction control, that v6,,,,, man eats mustand v6 for dinner,

January 13, 2012 2:51 pm

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swifthead

norther you must be a teenager :D as first...BMW with 6.0 V12 has 544hp and Merc with 6.0 V12 has 612hp and tons of torque...Audi with 6.3 W12 has 500hp and that with 6.0 W12 is old and it has 450hp yes! then you mentioned 5G-tronic...it doesn't exist...it is just 5speed automatic...not to mention to you that this is the most durable and bulletproof gearbox ever...and it is sophisticated...it was in SLR, Maybach...al 65 AMGs...you are one ignorant kid! to teach you something about mechanics...it doesn't matter how many gears you have...Merc with 1000Nm could live easily with 3gears...it is the ratios which defines driving and that 8-gears are just a fashion fly...automakers already told us that this is the limit...maybe 9-speed and 10-speed will be produced...but it is logical that more gears, more complex and fragile the gearbox is...it is not really the advantage to have 8-speed...somehow 7-speed is the limit and 6-speed is perfect (for torquey cars 5-gears is okay)....and why they developed it...for a little better fuel consumption and to have something to sell :D ...about that Hyundai..it is a great car but no comparo for a Germans in every aspect...and it is not nowhere near to the 30+ grand....but whatever and whoever wants it...it is there...but can you afford it???? maybe if you will...you would like to have a such amount of cash in a more prominent car badge :))) oh and yes...Hyundai doesn't have ceramic breaks and it never will...never needs it!

May 17, 2011 2:18 pm

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2 replies

norther

the s65 has 612 hp. hyundai doesent have an AMG rival. so this model is a competitor for the s500...you "ignorant kid". and yes, my dear fellows, i know that the germans have more torque than the asians. but im sorry to say, mercs torque is all over the place. in other words, their boxes cannot put the torque effieciently on the road. the wheels spin like crazy even in a c-class. mercs are good "drift machines". so what if the 5g tronic was in the slr? i know it was. and it was outdated considering the ompetition. i wouldnt have a super saloon or a hypercar with 5 speeds, even if ud give to me for free. i bet my ass that the next gen hyundai luxury saloon will have double clutch ..and other goodies, before merc, anddd still be cheaper. :P i am not ignorant, but i see that this hyundai is better value for money than a merc (but not necesarily better than an A8...or 7 series)

May 18, 2011 12:35 am

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Edison

Dude, the SLR came out like 6 years ago. If you want to talk halo cars the SLS (which is current Mercedes inventory) has a 7-speed Dual Clutch (DCT). Also the 7g-tronic was the first 7-speed auto in the world, not to mention it was designed by Mercedes, not by ZF. Anyways, this discussion is really more for the E550 or C63 AMG and you need to drive both before determining how each drives to make any meaningful comparison. Instead of spending 50k on the Genesis though, I would just spend a bit more and get a 5-series. I'd be getting a better interior anyway plus a state-of-the-art engine with tons of torque to go with the power, option of manual or 8-speed auto (I'd get the manual), option of 4WD, design that does not look like it was cobbled together from other cars, and dynamics.

May 18, 2011 10:39 am

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alamak

I've driven the old Hyundais, and yes, they are crap.......but you can't say that to the new gen. I've you not driven the lastest Hyundai, pls dont offer any stupid comment. I've recently driven the new Sonata, and I can tell you it drives way better than the Accord and Camry. The Genesis is fighting the big dog, which is the 5-series, E-class, and A6. All of which its main rival has already updated its model. This Genesis is one gen behind its main rival, a more suitable comparison would be to wait for the new Genesis.

May 17, 2011 2:34 pm

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thecarenthusiast

Since this is such a techno-spec discussion, then you fellows may want to learn something. I am a big fan of the new ZF 8-speed, that is now becomings so popular (soon Chrisler with license-build it, but that's another story). The miracle of ZF 8HP, is that it's able to field eight ratios while having only 4 planetary gear sets and only 5 shifting elements. Whereas, your Merc is using a gear set and a shifting element for each of the 7 ratios, as does Lexus in its 8-speed box. Torque you say: ZF is rated for over 1000Nm. Oh, and the MCT thing in the Mercedes, well, that 12-plate clutch pack that takes the place of a torque converter... well, that one is also developed by ZF. As far as Hyundai 5.0 goes: I thing it's a decent engine, that seems to do well against its most suitable competitor, 412 hp 5.0 from Mustang GT... My money's on Hyundai.

May 17, 2011 8:43 pm

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Broseph Stalin

even though its the top of the range the interior looks a bit shabby.

May 17, 2011 11:30 pm

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1 reply

radmeister

looks pretty damn good for 50K

May 18, 2011 8:25 am

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schizo

I'd rather have the Poltrana Frau leather from the Chrysler 300...just the leather not the interior:) But seriously speaking...this car is special for the market it's being sold in (Korea) because the 5 liter V8 is not available in the Genesis in the home market, even though it's available in the States. In Korea the engine is available only in the Equus. That's why it's really a big deal. It's not a bad car...but the engine should have more torque to really match the characteristics of it.

May 18, 2011 9:16 am

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