To help promote the new Veloster to the Gen-Y and under crowd, Hyundai has decided to bolster the coupe’s credentials by taking it racing. And in keeping with the car’s demographic, it won’t be racing in the more mainstream World Challenge or Grand Am series, but in an arena where the Red Bull-drinking youth of today will actually pay attention – Rallycross.Presented today at the Chicago Auto Show, the new Veloster rally car has been built by Hyundai motorsports partner Rhys Millen Racing and will be piloted by rally racer and Drift champ Rhys Millen himself in the 2011 U.S. Rallycross Championship and in the increasingly popular X Games.
Build by RMR, the Veloster race car makes 500-hp and 600 lb-ft of torque from a seriously reworked 2.0-liter 4-cylinder. A true rally car in every way, it includes expected items like a full roll cage and custom off-road suspension, plus all the body panels are made of light weight carbon-Kevlar.
Rhys Millen himself will race the car in the 2011 Rallycross series, while a second vehicle will be piloted by both rally champ Marcus Dodd and freestyle motorbike racer Robbie Maddison. A third car will then be built to complete in a 2WD class, more closely representing the car’s factory capabilities.
Prepped and ready to go, Rhys Millen and the Veloster Rallycross car will make their debut March 26 at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, Calif.
[Source: Hyundai]
