Hyundai Elite i20 WRC enters final phase of development

Hyundai’s new generation i20 rally car is ready and will compete in the 2016 WRC season. The car will be unveiled on the 9^th of December

Hyundai Motorsport has entered the final phase of testing and development for the rally version of the second generation i20, badged as the Elite i20 in India. The new car will take the baton from the previous generation Hyundai i20 rally car that performed commendably. The new car will represent Hyundai in its third season at the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship.

Rally cars are subjected to the harshest of conditions in motorsport and to ensure that the new i20 rally car is up to the mark, Hyundai has put the car through rigorous test programmes throughout the year across 8,000 kilometers in four countries. Hyundai Motorsport is content with the progress the rally car has made through basic tests to component testing and performance runs. As a result, the company has now submitted necessary documentation of the car to the FIA for homologation.

Team Principal Michel Nandan said, “We are approaching the final phase of preparation for our New Generation i20 WRC ahead of its debut in the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship. Since March, we have completed around 8,000km in stage conditions with the car, on both gravel and tarmac. For a young team like ours, to run an intensive testing programme alongside a heightened WRC campaign has been quite an achievement but we now embark on some important milestones. We all look forward to officially unveiling the new car in Alzenau next week, before concluding the all-important homologation process with the FIA. From there, we can really start the 2016 season. We have covered different types of terrain and rally conditions in testing so far, but we haven’t yet run the car on snow. It will be exciting times for Hyundai Motorsport as we conclude final preparations for the debut of the New Generation i20 WRC in Rallye Monte-Carlo next month.”

Hyundai Motorsport will formally unveil the new generation i20 WRC car on the 9^th of December at the factory in Alzenau, Germany. Stay tuned to autoX for more updates about Hyundai’s upcoming i20 rally car.

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