My wife is not happy with me.
Actually, there's nothing new about that. But this time it is for something I haven't even done yet.
When I was a kid, every now and then my dad would give me, or one of my siblings a clip round the ear for no apparent reason. When we would ask "what was that for," he would say, "that was for nothin', just wait till you do something."
So now my wife is at it, but I have to admit it is all my fault. During the Mega Sale this year my son insisted that I show my wife the new Hyundai Genesis coupe in her favourite shade of green. Not a good idea. Northland Hyundai sales manager Shawn Basi said I should take it for the weekend, and I thought that if I took it for the weekend my wife would want to buy it. That was the whole point he said, but I politely told him to procreate somewhere else and left.
However, when I drove the Genesis this week I did take it home to show my wife, and Basi was right, she does want it. The only problem is she is not too happy that I wont get another job so she can have it.
Laugh all you want Basi, I will get you for this.
I can see him and his sales crew at Northland Hyundai going over the same scenario time and time again after someone comes back from a test drive in this Genesis.
Customer: "So who really makes the Genesis?"
Sales rep: "Hyundai does"
Customer: "No way."
Sales rep: "Yes way."
Customer: "Get out of here, Hyundai doesn't make a sports car like this. They make family sedans and SUVs."
Sales rep: "It's a Hyundai sir."
Customer: "C'mon, stop fooling around. Who really makes it?"
Sales rep: "Hyundai does."
Customer: "OK, I don't care who made it, I want one."
Sales rep: "OK sir, but you can't have the green one, that is for Mick's wife"
This Genesis is awesome. It looks great, it feels great, it sounds great and my wife just put a poster of one on the ceiling in our bedroom,
The Genesis just wants to go, all the time. The only time it may not is when you are in park and it is out of gear. But even then, you want to go, all the time.
At rest it is almost silent. The interior materials are excellent and the fit and finish are top notch. It gives you a feeling that you are richer than you actually are.
Then you place it in first gear and set off like a pack of rabid British hounds trying to get their last fox hunt in before the new government regulation to stop it come into place.
It pushes you from behind like a rocket sled, and the amount of pressure your right foot places on the fun pedal seems to be directly related to the size of the smile on your face. Hit it too hard and you may look like Jack Nicholson as the Joker in Batman, but who cares, you're driving the Genesis Coupe GT and they're not.
The 19-inch rims and low to the ground chassis make for superb handling. There is still a little bit of undulation coming through but not enough to bother anyone. If there were none, this would not be a proper sports car.
But it is a sports car with all of the options: Satellite radio, navigation system, sunroof, bluetooth, proximity key, heated seats and mirrors, six air bags, ABS, EBD, ESC, TCS, USB, climate control, Homelink and an Infinity sound system.
Do yourself a favour when you take the Genesis out for a drive. Get up to highway speed - which will be extremely easy - slow down to about 80, drop the Genesis into third gear, hit the gas pedal and open your ears. The sound is exciting, it's exhilarating, it's electrifying, it's energizing, but best of all, the energy and excitement is very relaxing. It is also a little like an addiction, if you drive it once you will keep coming back for more.
Now if anyone would like to offer me a second job it appears I will have to get one pretty soon.
Hyundai Genesis GT
2-door coupe
6-speed manumatic
3.8 litre V6
Horsepower 306 @ 6,300
Torque 266 @ 4,700
Mileage: 12 l/100 km 24 mpg City 7.6 l/100km 37 mpg Hwy
Price $39,960
