All About Japan Autos

There wasn’t much wrong with the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe to begin with, but Hyundai is deciding to improve the 2011 model anyways.

“All Genesis Coupe models get a refinished interior for 2011 with soft-touch, matte-finish surfaces and dark metal-grain accents on key bits and pieces, along with softer leather on the steering wheel and cloth-wrapping on the A-pillars. There’s also new chrome trim on the shifter bezel, center stack knobs and gauge cluster rings,” says Autoblog.

Given the abundance of nicely grained but hard plastic in the 2010 Genesis Coupe, softer touch materials will be a welcome upgrade to the Genesis Coupe’s cabin.

Still, for some buyers the Genesis Coupe’s interior plastics are simply of little concern to the overall package. Soft-touch, chrome trim – for a select few Genesis Coupe owners, forgoing all interior materials in order to gain a little extra speed and agility wouldn’t be a problem, and with the new-for-2011 3.8 R-Spec model Hyundai takes the first step to help these customers out.

While these customers will still benefit from the new interior details, buyers will be forced to leave out items such as automatic headlights, cruise control and some interior accents in order to save weight. Hyundai then includes 19-inch wheels, Brembo brakes clamping 13.4-inch front brake rotors and 13-inch rear rotors, a retuned suspension, a limited-slip differential and camber adjustment bolts for the front wheels. Plus, you’ll need to learn how to operate a clutch since Hyundai won’t offer the option of a two-pedal gearbox on R-Spec models.

As Jalopnik writes, “Hyundai’s bribing us into liking them again by announcing the extra-track-ready 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec.”

The R-Spec model isn’t new, though. Hyundai offers a 2.0T R-Spec model on 2010 Genesis Coupes that are powered by the company’s 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder and put down 210 horsepower. 2011 Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec models, as the name implies, substitute the 2.0-liter four-cylinder for Hyundai’s 306 horsepower 3.8-liter V6.

If you’re in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.