Luxury sedans have become uber-expensive, blisteringly fast machines that are good at pretty much everything. Such is the case with the all-new BMW 5 Series. But if you're after more thrills for the buck, you might want to consider the Genesis G80 Sport.
Power is nothing new to the G80, the old namesake Genesis sedan. It comes with a thumping V8 engine. But the Sport does away with that in favor of a twin-turbo V6 like the one in the Stinger GT. A sport-tuned suspension and an aggressive body kit mean the Korean car finally has the looks to compete with the AMG and M packages.
Yet the Auto Guide review starts by looking at the new BMW 540i, and we're not surprised. This is a brand new mid-size executive from one of the biggest names in the business, and it comes loaded with toys. Sure, they can be labeled as gimmicks, but that's missing the point of what this car is all about: a way to celebrate your success with toys you don't need yet obviously want to have.
And since success is measured in money, the 540i comes with an as-tested price of $77,000. Auch! The Genesis G80 Sport starts at just $55,250 for the rear-wheel drive model, and the AWD is just $2,500. That's it! There are no smart automated parking or gesture controls to tempt you into paying extra.
While the 540i's 3-liter engine is smooth, the 3.3-liter turbo V6 in the G80 has 25 horsepower more and delivers an exciting surge. However, that's where the good news ends, as the Genesis doesn't ride as refined as its German competitor, which the reviewer says is down to the 600 lbs of extra weight carried.
The conclusion is that BMW still makes the yardstick by which its competitors are measured. But in isolation, Genesis has built an exciting and cheap car that some might say looks a little more appealing.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News