[26.03.14]
Hyundai and Rhys Millen forge formidable new force to complete in 2014 Global RallyCross Championship in Veloster Turbo Rallycross making 450kW of power
- New two-driver team includes the first female driver in Global RallyCross: top-ranked Emma Gilmour of New Zealand
- Rhys Millen to be full-season driver with 2014 GRC title sponsor Red Bull
- Rhys Millen Racing Veloster Turbo Rallycross generates over 450kW of power
24th March 2014 – Hyundai and Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) are again joining forces to create a groundbreaking new team for the 2014 Global RallyCross Championship (GRC) series. For 2014, Hyundai and RMR continue their assault on dirt- and tarmac-based circuits throughout North America with highly-tuned Veloster Turbo rallycross cars. The new two-car team will feature Pikes Peak champion and veteran racer Rhys Millen, with New Zealand rally champion Emma Gilmour behind the wheel of the second Veloster racecar. “We can’t wait for the 2014 Global RallyCross season to get started with our new team and freshly-tuned Veloster Turbo racers,” said Steve Shannon, vice president of marketing, Hyundai Motor America. “Global RallyCross is the perfect racing series for the compact, fun-to-drive Veloster, and the RMR Velosters are sure to be pushed to the limit every race this season with rally veterans like Rhys and Emma at the helm. We’re proud to team up with two drivers known for their precision and consistency, and we are especially excited to give Emma the opportunity to be the first female driver in Global Rallycross.”
HYUNDAI/RMR VELOSTER TURBO Hyundai Veloster Turbo employs a unique third-door design and an efficient, direct-injected, lightweight aluminum powertrain. The Turbo model boasts a hefty 63 horsepower advantage over the normally-aspirated model, generating an impressive 201 horsepower from only 1.6 liters of displacement. The fully race-prepared RMR Veloster Rallycross turbo engine generates more than 600 peak horsepower from its four-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled powerplant, for explosive acceleration out of corners.
| 2014 RMR Veloster Turbo Rallycross Enhancements | |
| Upsized turbocharger, wastegate control, ECU tuning, and Wiggins turbo clamps | |
| XTRAC center differential, handbrake hydraulic coupler and handbrake lever | |
| Reiger Racing internal bumpstop struts with roller bearings and roll control | |
| New Veloster Turbo rallycross front and rear fascia with new rear wing design | |
Read more at http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwfitness/article/Hyundai-And-Rhys-Millen-Compete-In-2014-Global-Rallycross-Championship-Series-20140325#pKamQYcFTjUTzXTs.99 RHYS MILLEN “The Global Rallycross series holds even more promise for the Hyundai/RMR team in the 2014 season, with great opportunities to leverage valuable racing and technical experience earned by the team in recent years,” said Millen. “The RMR Veloster is perfect for GRC by giving enthusiasts a glimpse of affordable, fun-to-drive production cars exploited to their full race potential in an action-packed rallycross series. Even more, I’m especially proud to have Emma as a teammate; with many top rally drivers hailing from New Zealand, her consistent top performance is sure to impress at every stage of the series.” World Champion driver Rhys Millen set an overall world record at the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, earning “King of the Mountain” status in the RMR Genesis Coupe. In the 2012 Global Rallycross Championship Series, the Hyundai/RMR team finished second in manufacturer’s points and third in driver’s points. Millen’s driving credentials further include extensive movie and advertising stunts, 2008 Formula Drift World Champion, 2005 USA Drifting Champion, seven Pikes Peak world records and the 2008 New Year’s Eve Las Vegas truck flip at Red Bull: New Year. No Limits. Behind Millen’s success in the driver’s seat is an experienced team of engineers and expert fabricators in race preparation and tuning. NEW RMR DRIVER: EMMA GILMOUR “I couldn’t be more honoured to join the Hyundai/RMR Global Rallycross team for the 2014 season,” said Emma Gilmour, New Zealand rally veteran. “Rhys is known worldwide for his precise and consistent rally skills, and my years of successful rally experience are a perfect fit for the RMR team effort. It’s a true privilege to be the first female driver in the GRC series, and I’m confident my performance will open up more opportunities for a number of great female rally drivers in the future.”
| Emma Gilmour: Recent Racing Results | |
| 2012 | 2nd Overall, New Zealand Rally Championship |
| 2nd Overall, Group N Rally New Zealand | |
| 2011 | 2nd Overall, New Zealand Rally Championship |
| 2010 | 2nd Overall, New Zealand Rally Championship |
| 2nd Overall, PWRC Rally New Zealand | |
| 2nd Overall, Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, Whangarei | |
GLOBAL RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES The 2014 Global RallyCross Championship season features 10 race events, including the ESPN Summer X-Games®. The X-Games were one of the first public venues introducing the concept of rallycross to U.S. racing enthusiasts. The GRC circuit at each venue features a series of tight turns and a large jump where the cars become airborne, with most of the circuit visible to GRC fans for the duration of the heat. The 2014 GRC season will kick-off at the Caribbean island of Barbados at the BBC Top Gear® Festival, Saturday, 17 May, where fans are invited to get up-close with both drivers and technicians in the GRC paddock area. RMR fans will be able to view both RMR rallycross and production versions of the Veloster. 2014 GLOBAL RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
- 17-18 May: Barbados, Top Gear® Festival
- 7 June: Austin, X-Games®, ESPN
- 21-22 June: Washington, DC
- 19-20 July: New York, NY
- 25-26 July: Charlotte, NC
- 2-3 August: Detroit, MI (Riverfront)
- 22-23 August: Daytona, FL
- 19-20 September: San Pedro, CA
- 26-27 September: Seattle, WA (DirtFish)
- 5 November: Las Vegas, NV (SEMA)
About Hyundai Motor Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the Hyundai Motor Group, with more than two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Hyundai Motor — which has seven manufacturing bases outside of South Korea including Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, India, Russia, Turkey and the U.S. — sold 4.4 million vehicles globally in 2012. Hyundai Motor, which employs over 90,000 worldwide, offers a full line-up of products including small to large passenger vehicles, SUVs and commercial vehicles. Further information about Hyundai Motor and its products is available at www.hyundai.com. Hyundai Motor Company Australia Pty Ltd (HMCA) was established on October 1st, 2003 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company. The award-winning range of Hyundai vehicles continues to set segment and industry benchmarks in value, quality, and safety, with innovations such as Vehicle Stability Management, Electronic Stability Control, and Australia’s first five-year warranty with unlimited kilometres. Hyundai Motor Company is the fastest growing automotive brand since 2005, according to the 2012 Interbrand ‘Best Global Brand’ survey, with an increase of 115%. The growth rate of the Hyundai Motor Company brand in the last year alone has been calculated at 24.4%, against an industry average of 11.2%. Its current brand value of US$7.5 billion ranks it seventh among global automotive companies.