While the world is still waiting for Hyundai to finally unveil its very first pickup truck – the Santa Cruz – the South Korean auto group’s Genesis luxury brand went ahead and revealed its new GV80 premium SUV. Now, it turns out that the Santa Cruz could become one of the recipients of the powerful diesel engine found under the hood of the new Genesis GV80.
Genesis GV80’s 3.0-Liter Turbo-Diesel Engine
According to CarSales, the new Genesis GV80 made its global debut earlier this month in South Korea. Set to compete against the likes of the BMW X5 and Audi Q7, the new GV80 is served by the group's 3.0-liter turbo-diesel engine (Smartstream D3.0) that delivers around 274 hp of max output and 434 lb.-ft. of peak torque.
This is quite a powerful engine and according to Hyundai R&D chief Albert Biermann, the new mill may find its way to other vehicles across the Hyundai group. He hinted that since Hyundai also builds commercial vehicles, its new inline six-cylinder diesel unit would linger for quite some time.
Possible Uses In Other Vehicles
That statement doesn’t directly confirm the application of the Smartstream D3.0 turbo-diesel unit to the upcoming Santa Cruz pickup. However, Biermann’s statement hints at the possibility of the engine being used in other vehicles – especially commercial ones -- aside from the luxurious GV80 SUV.
Nonetheless, Biermann told CarSales that the South Korean auto group has yet to decide whether the 3.0-liter turbo-diesel engine would be fitted under the hood of non-Genesis models. After all, when Hyundai unveiled the GV80, it said the 3.0-liter turbo-diesel engine would be exclusive to Genesis. Well, maybe and maybe not.
While Hyundai hasn’t revealed how much it invested to develop the new turbo-diesel engine, it is safe to assume that it involved a lot of money. Limiting the engine’s usage to Genesis might be counter-productive and Hyundai might find it more profitable if it spreads the development costs across several applications.
Into Hyundai Santa Cruz’s Engine Bay?
Since the upcoming Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup is expected to employ a ladder-frame chassis, the turbo-diesel engine’s plentiful torque should suit its configuration. But of course, this is all speculation based on the words of Hyundai’s R&D chief. We can only speculate, and it’s up to Hyundai if it actually comes to market.
Source: CarSales