Hyundai and Rhys Millen reunite, will return to Pikes Peak with new RWD racer, Genesis Coupe

Tue, 15 Jan 2013

Last September, Hyundai confirmed that it was exiting all of its motorsports programs in North America. That left Rhys Millen Racing without a title sponsor for its Formula Drift and Global RallyCross Championship series challengers. It also looked to have meant the end of a partnership that last year resulted in a record-setting run at Pikes Peak when Rhys Millen established the new benchmark for a run up the Colorado mountain in a production-based race car.

Hyundai clarified that September report by saying it was "reconsidering our continued involvement in Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, having achieved the world record in a Hyundai Genesis Coupe this year." The return is official, with Hyundai saying it is going back to the peak with Millen and two cars, one of them a "purpose-built unlimited class rear-drive," the other being the Hyundai Genesis Coupe-based racer that set last year's record in the time attack two-wheel-drive class.

Hyundai wants to show off the strength of its engineering, so the unlimited car will have something like 900 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque while using the production block, cylinder heads, bearings and accessories of its Lambda V6 engine. You can read more about the effort in the press release below, and click the image above for an enlarged view of what's coming.

HYUNDAI AND RHYS MILLEN RACING RENEW PIKES PEAK HILLCLIMB MOTORSPORTS PARTNERSHIP TO DEFEND 2012 WORLD RECORD

2013 Pikes Peak Two-Car Program Focuses on both UnlimitedAnd Time Attack 2WD Classes

Millen to Defend World Record in the Unlimited Class with All-newDedicated Rear-drive Racer

COSTA MESA, Jan. 14, 2013 – Hyundai today announced its renewed partnership with Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) to defend its 2012 world record in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC). This years' race to the internationally-renowned summit is planned for June 30. This year, Hyundai will expand its presence at Pikes Peak with a two-car effort, with Millen piloting a new, purpose-built unlimited class rear-drive racecar joined by the production-based Genesis Coupe that set last years' all-time record to the peak (9:46.164).

2013 Hyundai/RMR Pikes Peak International Hill Climb – Unlimited Class Racecar
"We're certainly proud to renew our successful partnership with Rhys Millen Racing to take on the unique challenge of international motorsports known as Pikes Peak," said Steve Shannon, vice president, marketing, Hyundai Motor America. "Last year's all-time world record, set by Millen in the production-based Genesis Coupe, was a defining milestone in Hyundai's quest to build thrilling and durable rear-drive performance vehicles that are as capable on the road as they are in the rigors of competitive motorsport."

TWO-CAR EFFORT
For 2013's effort, Millen will produce and drive an all-new, ultra-lightweight, purpose-built racecar using major powertrain components from Hyundai's production-based Lambda engine family. This powertrain is expected to produce over 900 h.p. and 800 ft. lbs. of torque, while still making significant use of production components including the block, cylinder heads, bearings and engine accessories. The racecar chassis will be enveloped by a Genesis Coupe-like silhouette to compete in the unlimited class. This no-holds-barred racer will be accompanied by last years' world-record-setting, production-based Genesis Coupe in the Time Attack 2WD class. The driver of the Genesis Coupe will be announced at a later date. RMR is a truly unique racing firm, one of the very few which successfully conceptualizes, fabricates, tests, tunes, and most importantly, drives its vehicles in motorsports competition. In fact, the world-record-setting Genesis Coupe is the exact same production-based coupe that Millen successfully drifted in the Formula Drift competitive series, a testament to both the extreme durability of Hyundai engineering as well as the tuning versatility of the RMR team.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

By Jonathon Ramsey