At the Paris Motor Show Hyundai revealed its plans to return to the World Rally Championship and also unveiled a WRC car they’ve prepared based on the current production i20 hatchback. Who thought this small and slow city car is going to get a motorsport career… in WRC! It better perform well, or Hyundai might regret not picking the Veloster for the job.
Hyundai pulled out of the sport in 2003 as a competitor, and settled being a sponsor, not just in the motorsport world, but in other fields as well. But now in 2013 they are ready to come back with their own an in-house WRC team in Europe. The i20 rally car is the result of this team’s efforts. They have not yet revealed the car’s specs, but given the current WRC regulations, it should have a 1.6 liter turbocharged engine with around 300 horsepower.
Mark Hall, Marketing Director at Hyundai Motor Europe, commented: “The World Rally Championship is recognised as one of the most dramatic sporting series on Earth. It’s a spectacle filled with excitement and dynamism ? the perfect embodiment of the Hyundai brand. “The WRC also offers the most technologically-diverse challenge for an automotive manufacturer. Our participation will demonstrate Hyundai’s engineering excellence and durability, and will also help to enhance our passenger vehicles in future.
