South Korean car manufacturer Hyundai recently unveiled the next generation i20 WRC at its German headquarter. Hyundai announced that it will release an R5 edition of the five-door car. The R5 model will be able to complete in more rally events compared to the WRC model.
Many analysts believe that the 2016 Hyundai i20 WRC R5 edition will help establish Hyundai's presence in the market.
In a statement acquired by Auto Blog, Team Principal's Michel Nandan said, "The New Generation i20 WRC is the product of a full year of development and, with a more experienced team, we now raise our objective to be more confident to fight at the front."
The new generation i20 WRC has a turbocharged 1.6-liter L4 that is capable of power output of up to 300 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 295 feet-pound of torque. This is the same engine spec that powers the previous model. There is a paddle-shifted sequential gearbox that sends power to the front and rear differentials, just like in the 2014 model.
According to Auto Week, not much were changed on the new i20 except for the body. Hyundai claims that the new model is stiffer compared to its direct predecessor.
Experts believe that Hyundai is serious about its racing program. The motor company is known to bring a completely enclosed garage to every event instead of a normal service area that usually include a tent and a semi-trailer.
With the new 2016 Hyundai i20 WRC and its R5 model, this puts Hyundai into a strong spot to win the next rally championship that it plans to enter.