The Genesis G80 represents Hyundai’s first model under the new Genesis luxury sub-brand and, like most new models that have proven to be successful in their initial run, it’s adding a new member to its family. That’s exactly what we’re seeing here with the introduction of the G80 3.8T Sport, a performance-oriented version of the G80 3.8T sedan that features plenty of cosmetic and performance upgrades.

If the G80 Sport sounds like a souped-up version of the G80, that’s because it essentially is. It’s still not as powerful as the range-topping G80 5.0, but it does slot above all the available variants of the G80 3.8, thanks in large part to an output of 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. Do the math there and those numbers represent an improvement of 52 horsepower and 83 pound-feet of twist from the 3.8’s standard output. On the flip side, the G80 Sport’s 365-horsepower and 379-pound-feet of torque numbers sits a lot closer now to the G80 5.0’s output of 420 horses and 383 pound-feet of torque.

Think of that how you want, but the Genesis G80 Sport now slots in as the perfect mid-tier model bridging both the base G80 and the range-topping G80 5.0.

Beyond the improvements in power, the G80 Sport also gets a series of cosmetic and aerodynamic upgrades on both the exterior and interior, not to mention a new set of wheels and a menu of Hyundai’s latest multimedia and connectivity technology systems.

The Genesis G80 Sport, like most of the 2018 G80 family, is expected to become available in the fist half of 2017.

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The Genesis lineup is rounding out quite nicely

Hyundai and Genesis are not going to admit this, but as a new luxury sub-brand that’s just entering one of the most competitive segments in the entire auto industry, there’s innate pressure there from Genesis to make the right first impression. I don’t know if the decision to introduce the G80 Sport to sit as the mid-tier model between the 3.3 and 5.0 fits into that rationale, but I won’t be surprised if the brand’s decision makers went with it just to plug the perceived holes people may have of the entire G80 family.

From one perspective, the rationale to introduce the G80 Sport makes sense if you consider what the competition has at their disposal. BMW, for instance, has a number of different variants for the 5 Series, including the 550i, the most logical rival to the G80 Sport. Same thing with Mercedes and its E-Class family and Audi with the A6 lineup.

Genesis needs that same kind of variety if it wants to be taken seriously in this market. It’s not enough to have the base 3.3 model and the range-topping 5.0 model and then think that they’re both enough to compete against the three German titans. The G80 Sport could be Genesis’ answer to those questions and it could also potentially serve as the first in a series of new variants that will come out of the G80 family.

I know it’s too early to talk in those platitudes, but given Hyundai’s aggressive push to turn Genesis into a viable alternative in the luxury market, I wouldn’t be surprised if more variants of the G80 arrive sooner than later. For now though, it’s the G80 Sport’s turn in the spotlight.