The 2017 World Rally Championship once again is coming around the corner and its participants are gearing up to for the big race. Hyundai unveils its new World Rally car and reveals some of its specs. Will it bring excitement to fans in the upcoming event?
New Rules Bring New Cars
As reported by Motor Sport, the 2017 Word Rally Championship (WRC) will have new rules that are directed toward showing the importance of not just the aspect of aerodynamics but the power of the engine and mechanical grip as well. In light of the new rules, Hyundai's new WRC car is currently undergoing a certain program as a test for the next big race.
The New World Rally Car Specs
Apparently, all the cars that will be participating in the World Rally Championship will be making use of the same 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines in compliance to the rules for the 2016 season. However, the restrictors on the turbo have been loosened up a little bit from 33mm to 36 mm, TopGear noted. This will allow the original Hyundai i20 power to go from 330 brake horsepower to 376 brake horsepower.
The powertrain is paired with a six-speed paddle-shift sequential gearbox and an all-wheel drive (AWD) drivetrain. Accordingly, there will be a new active central differential that drivers can use to adjust the amount of torque that is distributed to the wheels to increase speed in terms of cornering.
Hyundai Wants The Championship
Apparently, the Hyundai does not want to be just a mere participant in the 2017 WRC. "It's an opportunity to put into practice everything we have learned and experienced in the past three seasons. All teams are starting from scratch so we are on equal footing. Having finished in second position in 2016, we want to demonstrate our ability to fight for the Championship in 2017 and we are confident the Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC will help us do just that," said Michael Nangdan, Hyundai team principal. From Nangdan's statement alone, it is clear that the Hyundai team is aiming to get the championship.
