Best Car 2008: World --> Democracy Rulz! Vote!

[YSSMAN]

Not really though as apparently it handles like a boat. What cars exactly is the hyundais rival anyway?

Depends on where you're at...

Here in the US it would technically be Buick and Lexus these days, elsewhere, they want to chase BMW and Mercedes around. They're really only going to accomplish it with the big-ass Genesis, and maybe if they get around to making a RWD Azera, but that'd be about it. The Sonata is a good car for small families, their compacts are becoming increasingly nice as well (the i30 comes to mind).

I'd personally put the Hyundai lineup against Buick/Saturn, maybe VW to a small extent, and that'd be about it. Problem is that even they themselves can't decide who exactly they're chasing after across the board...

 

[niky]

The Genesis isn't a boat, note... it does feel like one (or an old Merc) in standard mode, but it has a "sport" mode that firms up everything. I'd rate it as about as good as a Lexus LS... but at a lower price point. Great engine, too.

The only real drawbacks of the Genesis is the lack of steering feedback and precision on the V6 models, which don't get the V8's electric assist and the fact that the fiddly little buttons inside on the climate control and radio seem a little cheap (hey, Toyota and Mercedes have this problem, too). Add a little more spring-weighting to the buttons and change the font to something more stylish, and the interior will be just about perfect.

Granted, I'd have a 5-series, too... but the Genesis has a much better rear seat than anything in this price class... and for a budding luxury car line, that's all that really matters.

(guess which car got one of my votes? ).

The other vote... difficult. Gave it to the KTM X-Bow. Quirky, interesting, appealing. Something you don't get much of, nowadays.

 

[Tornado]

and for a budding luxury car line, that's all that really matters.

There are two main differences.


1. When the LS came out, Toyota launched a whole brand around the car so any preconceived notions wouldn't apply. They spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the car alone, not to mention the unenviable costs of starting a luxury car brand based around a single car. Hyundai doesn't have this luxury. They are a brand who are trying to sell a BMW 5 series competitor whose brand up until a couple of years ago was most known for this:

.
Even Cadillac, who went so low as to sell a rebadged Cavalier, had a far stronger image than Hyundai does now when it refocused itself towards European tastes. And Cadillac began working on that 11 years ago (granted, at the same time Lincoln pulled it off without a hitch seemingly on accident, but what is the chance of Hyundai repeating that luck?).


2. Hyundai cannot be a luxury brand unless they refocus their entire lineup. No one is going to take the Genesis seriously as a luxury car (at least in America) when it is sold on the same lots as the Elantra. Unless they spin-off the Genesis into an entirely different brand, the car will always have an image problem, and it wouldn't matter if the Genesis was a licenced copy of a 7-series in that case.

Coupled with the fact that the car isn't exactly the game changer that the Lexus LS was in 1989 (there is already a car on the market that does the same thing that Hyundai set out to do), I sadly don't see much success in store for the Genesis.

Now the Genesis Coupe on the other hand, I can see going places.

 

[Leonidae]

I voted C30 and CCX-R. First one is very un-orthodox for a volvo, and second is the meanest supercar frm Scandinavia.

 

[niky]

True, all... which is why Hyundai is starting the Genesis off as a cut-price model despite its obviously S-Class dimensions. And Hyundai is pushing its line-up upmarket... the i10 and i30 are going straight into Japanese territory, while the rest of its line-up (globally) is now going up into the next price-class instead of providing cheaper "value for money" vehicles. Hyundai is now relying on Kia to provide their "budget" brand.

It's a strategy that I, personally, don't like. One of the best things you could say about Hyundai before is that it provided 90% of what the Japanese did at just 80% of the price... now they're going for 100% at 95%, they just don't seem the same value proposition as before. Oh well... their brand... they can do what they want.

It's an unknown how much acceptance the Genesis will get in the US, but it's bound to be a hit in Asia and in Korea (which bought "luxury" Hyundais before this that were absolute POSs)... and apparently, even the Kelley Blue Book has high hopes for this car (giving it a predictive resale value higher than any Lexus or Acura in the price range). It may not be a game-changer, but it's bound to see at least some success.

But for me, the biggest hurdle for this car will be the rather anonymous styling (I like the grille, though). Everything else is okay. And I would dearly love to get my hands on a Genesis Coupe test-unit... oh well...

 

[forza2.0]

Although nice, everytime i see a i30 I just think bmw 1 series rip off. Even the namimg i30 reminds me of a bmw 130i.

 

[Leonidae]

and the rest of it ( interior ) is ripped off from Corolla.. but it works and sells well, so what is there not to like?

 

[Omnis]

A brunette.... female shot-putter.

Least she puts out.

 

[TopHat]

Least she puts out.

Giggity!

 

[forza2.0]

I dont understand how the ccx-r is doing so well imo.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

I dont understand how the ccx-r is doing so well imo.

Because it's one bad-arse mofo that looks and sounds better than most Italians? I didn't vote for it though because I think there are cars here more deserving, but I'm not too troubled by it.

This is a really interesting vote, it was a tie between Genesis and CCX-R for a while, then the Commodore screamed into the lead and the Hyundai took second, now the CCX-R has retaken 2nd, very heated.

 

[mustangGT90210]

I voted the Falcon and the commodore. Why? The G8 GT is a wonderful car, and I love the look of the Falcon, it needs to come to America!

 

[Slicks]

Voted Turbo X and Commodore - The Saab solely for the wheels (okay, also because it's a turbo wagon that I love the looks of), and the Holden for three letters - HSV.

 

[McLaren]

Interesting way events are unfolding... The Volvo is out to an early lead with the Genesis right behind. Can the Aussies catch up? What about everyone's favorite Swedish supercar?

I would have voted for the Segg' except someone nominated the model that's an even bigger rip off than the Reventon. $2 million for a carbon fibre body over the $700,000 tag of the CCX? No thank you, Christian.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

I voted the Falcon and the commodore. Why? The G8 GT is a wonderful car, and I love the look of the Falcon, it needs to come to America!

👍

Voted Turbo X and Commodore - The Saab solely for the wheels (okay, also because it's a turbo wagon that I love the looks of), and the Holden for three letters - HSV.

Mmmm, 7.0L HSV W427, Take that Europe!

 

[Rotary Junkie]

I don't think Europe is afraid.

If the 7.0 was boosted, then there may be something to worry about... But it's not so...

I'll take my 80-hp spanking and a Falcon GT E. Then boost it and make any and all Commodores little specs in the rear view

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

I don't think Europe is afraid.

If the 7.0 was boosted, then there may be something to worry about... But it's not so...

I'll take my 80-hp spanking and a Falcon GT E. Then boost it and make any and all Commodores little specs in the rear view

Same could be done for any Commodore engine. Simple fact that the VE Commodore handles better given the same engine type and that the chassis can handle loads of power is enough to say that I just need to match the power and I win in the corners.

Europe should not make the same mistake twice, the CTS-V already beat them once.

 

[Alex.]

I would have voted for the Segg' except someone nominated the model that's an even bigger rip off than the Reventon. $2 million for a carbon fibre body over the $700,000 tag of the CCX? No thank you, Christian.

Aswell as 211 extra BHP, advanced adjustable rear wing, and wheels. This is the CCXR Edition, not the CCX.


Yes it is still a ripoff.

 

[exigeracer]

I was so impulsive that I voted for the X-Bow. I was surprised Famine did as well! I like it when new comanies come into the field, or companies try something new and pull it off with relative ease. Yes, the Atom is cheaper and faster, but they nailed the X-Bow, and with the recent press release stating they are seriously trying to get the thing Stateside and street legal, I'm all smiles.

The Genesis got my second vote. I've been liking what Hyundai has been doing for a few years now, and this car is just doing more of the same in better ways. Great shtuff.

 

[Philly]

I voted for the Commodore and the Genesis.

I would have voted for the Segg' except someone nominated the model that's an even bigger rip off than the Reventon. $2 million for a carbon fibre body over the $700,000 tag of the CCX? No thank you, Christian.

Like the Golf situation in the German thread, the regular CCX or all variants of the CCX probably would have been a better nomination to win votes.

I don't think Europe is afraid.

If the 7.0 was boosted, then there may be something to worry about... But it's not so...

Nope. You can still consider the most powerful uber-sedans to be luxury cars, while I don't think you would feel comfortable chauffering a big CEO in a HSV Commodore.

 

[YSSMAN]

The Genesis is two votes behind the CCX-R with less than ten minutes to go, what will we do?

 

[Tornado]

Cheer?

 

[forza2.0]

Cheer?

id cry

 

[Tornado]

You want the Genesis in?

 

[Car-less]

Holden, Hyundai and Volvo C30 for me.
Difficult choice, but I dropped the Holden as it seems to be doing well enough on its own without my vote.

 

[McLaren]

Aswell as 211 extra BHP, advanced adjustable rear wing, and wheels. This is the CCXR Edition, not the CCX.


Yes it is still a ripoff.

The CCX-R Edition is not the same as a CCX-R. The CCX-R Edition features what you said, and costs $2.3 million. When this CCX-R came out below, it was est. around $1 million.

Now, my issue is where did Christian believe that the unique wheels, new spoiler & just a plain carbon fibre body were worth $1.3 million more? Sure, it has a different interior, and that the engine & everything has been slightly tuned for the track, but other manufacturers aren't doubling their car's MSRP because so.

Worse yet, Christian has a similar CCX Edition coming for the base CCX, which is $2 million, and again, features no extra horsepower, some tuning, carbon fibre body, and spoiler.

I'm not knocking the cars themselves, but I think these should just be offered as affordable options to the CCX buyers. But, unsurprisingly, Christian is supposedly making them limited edition.

 

[Philly]

^^^ At least the Reventon has a new fancy body that will stand out a mile away. Because that's what people who buy these cars really want.

The extra 200 hp in the R certainly is big, but very very few people will want to pay that much more for a little extra performance that probably won't be used and similar looks.