Hyundai’s been on a huge efficiency bender this year. After introducing some amazing concepts during the 2016 Paris Motor Show, the automaker simply uncovered its brand new rally car.
This brand-new rally racer, based upon the i20 hatchback (otherwise referred to as the Elantra GT in the United States), will be Hyundai’s 3rd vehicle in the FIA World Rally Championship series. Hyundai starting taking part in this league in 2014, wishing to broaden its horizons worldwide of motorsport. In 2017, Hyundai’s 3 cars are going to run under the Hyundai Shell Mobis World Rally Team banner.
While there is an i20 underneath this exterior, it’s tough to discover. That’s because rally cars are a menagerie of aerodynamic bolt-ons and more aerodynamic bolt-ons. The diffusers are big, the front canards appear like they might slice a block of limestone and the wing is big enough to look quite silly.
Under the hood we find a 380-horsepower engine, which is 80 more horse power than in 2016. Altering FIA guidelines dropped the curb weight in between 2016 and 2017, also, so this thing is going to be wonderfully fast as it careens over crests and wanders through little European hamlets.
The automobile might be all brand-new, however the motorists aren’t. All 3 drivers for 2017 are the same as in 2015– Thierry Neuville, Hayden Paddon and Dani Sordo will object to each round of the WRC in the group’s 3 cars. If the rally championship were won on appearances alone, Hyundai would be off to a really early start. And without Volkswagen taking part in 2017, it might in fact have a possibility to win some races.
