The Tau V8, Hyundai’s first completely in-house engineered and built V8 engine, has received positive preliminary opinions from those that have had the chance to test it, but already the company is looking at boring or stroking the Tau out to 5.0L from its current 4.6L to help boost low-end torque for application in the new VI flagship. Now talk has begun of the company also considering the engine for the Genesis sedan, though fuel economy will be a major concern in expanding the Tau V8’s displacement and power in such a volume application.

Despite the technical achievement of the standard 4.6L Tau V8 already featured in the Hyundai Genesis sedan, the engine’s debut has been somewhat overshadowed by the out of control oil market, which has quickly turned V8s from essential to unfashionable at best. Undeterred, however, Hyundai is still exploring ways to improve torque while maintaining fuel economy, reports MotorTrend. Part of the equation will be solved with the addition of direct injection technology, but to overcome the relatively low 333lb-ft (451Nm) of torque to a more competitive figure, engineers are also looking at increase the bore and/or the stroke to bring displacement up by 0.4L to 5.0L.

Currently rated at 368hp (274kW) the 4.6L Tau V8 is rated at 17mpg city and 24mpg highway. Unless engineers can maintain, or ideally, improve, those figures, however, the bigger Tau will not see production. Given the Korean automaker’s massive resources and proven ability to quickly upgrade its product lineup, however, the introduction of direct injection across its entire lineup could by itself improve the power and torque figures to a more competitive level.

The engine is already expected to feature in the upcoming long-wheelbase version of the ‘VI’ flagship glimpsed yesterday in official teasers. This application may not face the same fuel economy requirements the higher-volume Genesis sedan must deal with, and could see application of the engine even in the unlikely event that engineers are unable to maintain fuel economy with the larger 5.0L V8.

 

so it will be as fast as GS350 with 50% worse fuel mileage?

:-)

 

hahahah

yeah it seems like boring isnt the answer
but DI is

also how good is the transmission on the Genesis?

 

333 ft lbs. of torque is weak? Damn, I only have 162.

And this engine is putting out more HP than the direct injected Lexus 4.6L.

 

By Lexus choice, the 4.6 in the LS puts out 380hp

 

Ah, so it does. So then is the idea to keep the GS450h the quickest?

 

The GS 460 does not have the dual intakes of the LS 460, there is no room. This affects power.

 

I see. Is the exhaust setup different as well?

 

in this case, GS350 is quicker than Genesis V8 so it doesnt really matter, does it?

 

Yeah but the Genesis is a bigger car and does weigh more. The 3.5 in the GS/IS is pretty much fastest or tied for fastest in class with class leading MPG. I don't expect Hyundai to beat it with its first effort.

 

Thats not what I was asking though.