Hyundai i20 WRC

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Plan9

I hope people accept Hyundai as a rally brand, as Skoda eventually was, even if it does not do well initially.

---

Agreed. I had a real soft spot for the Accent and already have a soft spot for the new i20. Think they'll have one good season and then tail off a bit personally, but I can imagine the team will gain a cult following much like the Peugeot 307 even if it's not successful. A thing that would really help their popularity would be if Meeke or another Brit got into it and started competing at the top. Even without bias I feel that the sport is lacking a plucky Brit like Burns so hope Meeke gets a chance with Hyundai.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pettersolberg29

Agreed. I had a real soft spot for the Accent and already have a soft spot for the new i20. Think they'll have one good season and then tail off a bit personally, but I can imagine the team will gain a cult following much like the Peugeot 307 even if it's not successful. A thing that would really help their popularity would be if Meeke or another Brit got into it and started competing at the top. Even without bias I feel that the sport is lacking a plucky Brit like Burns so hope Meeke gets a chance with Hyundai.

---

Me thoughts exactly. I saw a teaser vidoe for the i20 on i-Rally and it look okay. It does not sound as iconic and the Mini (twin exhaust pipes) but its a tidy and well presented car. I think the i20 will be quite popular with gentleman drivers as it will probably be the cheapest wrc car. I loved the Accent to; the first Rally NZ I went to Loix let me sit in his car between stages as he could see I was very excited to be close to a WRC car for the first time.

Carry on the company a company tradition alive of cheap cars into motorsport? But of course, no WRC car is ever going to be "cheap" in a conventional sense. Don't all WRC entrant have to produce cars for customers to use?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Plan9

I hope people accept Hyundai as a rally brand, as Skoda eventually was, even if it does not do well initially.

---

Subaru was a cheap brand only for farmers and Japanees. WRC made them hot and popular.
Skoda also was not a highly rated brand, just garbage from east Europe. being a VW brand and rally made Skoda a big and fancy car maker.

I would say being part of VW made Škoda what it is now. Škoda used be involved in rallying through it's all history.

Yes, the 130 RS from the seventies was a fine looking rally machine actually, and reliable too.

It actually started long time before ;)

For example this car did Rallye Monte Carlo in 1936 (72 pieces built in 1935-38) :)
http://www.eurooldtimers.com/temp/st..._zoom_4920.jpg

There's a lot of lovely mentions of these classic Skoda's in Graham Robson's 'Monte Carlo Rally: The Golden Age'. A great read to go off topic slightly for a second too!

To continue with off topic. A “few” years ahead.

Esko Keinänen Monte Carlo 1961, 6^th place. This was beaten by Armin Schwarz 2001 when he was 4^th. The best results for Skoda is 2^nd in 2010 and 2011.

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...einnen1961.jpg

Another pic (I don’t know the year)

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i...skoKeinnen.jpg

OK, this is not a WRC car and not even an i20, but this Veloster commisioned by Hyundai Australia is further indication that the parent company is on the way back in to international motor sports.
Hyundai Veloster Turbo Race Concept | Australian International Motor Show - YouTube