YES, IT'S A HYUNDAI!June 27th, 2010, Rhys Millen will aim to break the Pikes Peak hill-climb record, and he's partnered with Hyundai to build the unique weapon you see here to help him! He is determined to bring the Pikes Peak record back to the Millen family - Rhys's father, Rod, held the record for 13 years until Tajima broke it in 2007!
Created for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Unlimited Class, the all-new Hyundai Genesis PM580 is race car akin to those that race in Le Mans, and is certainly unlike any performance vehicle ever produced by the Korean automaker.
Weighing in at a mere 1,850 pounds, the Genesis PM580 is powered by a 4.1-liter Hyundai Lambda turbocharged V6 engine producing an incredible 750 horsepower. Developed with the help of Rhys Millen, it also possesses a competitive power-to-weight ratio that should help to propel this car into the winner's circle.
"We are building a car for today's road," said Rhys Millen "The car will have a sleek aerodynamic body, the grip of Toyo Proxy tires and the power and durability of a Hyundai engine. This is the package I need to break the record."
The body of the Hyundai Genesis PM580 is not only aerodynamic, but it's also covered with carbon fiber to reduce weight. Punctuating its sleek exterior is a bold rear wing that helps keep the car planted to the road and improves stability during heavy braking and cornering.
RMR Hyundai Genesis PM580 Video Teased Ahead of Pikes Peak Debut Published Apr 15, 2010
Just the Facts:
* Hyundai issued a black-and-white teaser video about its RMR Hyundai Genesis PM580 race car. * The Genesis PM580, driven by Rhys Millen, will debut on April 19. * It will compete at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 27.
HUNTINGTON
BEACH, California - Hyundai on Thursday issued a moody, black-and-white
teaser video about its "never-before-seen race car," the RMR Hyundai
Genesis PM580, which is bound for a world debut on April 19. The car
will compete at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 27.
The
new Genesis racing car will be driven by Rhys Millen, who dramatically
intones, "It's man and machine against the mountain," in the video.
Inside Line contacted Hyundai Motor America on Thursday morning, but
the automaker would not provide any technical information about the car
at this point. The video, which runs 1 minute, 45 seconds, does not
show the full vehicle but only gives brief looks at the wheels and its
underpinnings. The video identifies the vehicle as the RMR Hyundai
Genesis PM580.
In a statement, Hyundai, Red Bull and Rhys Millen
Racing said they "will attempt to set a new world record at the famous
Pikes Peak course [in the car]." The current record holder is Nobuhiro
"Monster" Tajima, with a record time of 10:01.408. Millen says he will
attempt to come in at under 10 minutes at the race.
"Breaking
into the 9s has been a dream and desire of mine for the last 10 years,"
said Millen in a statement. "I finally have the team, support, and
infrastructure to put in a serious effort to go after the world record."
The
video explores the Millen family history and its link to the Pikes Peak
race. Rhys' father, Rod Millen, tamed the 14,110-foot Colorado mountain
in 1994 with a time of 10:04.06. "To me, this was the ultimate hill
climb," said Rod Millen in the teaser video.
The video then focuses on Rhys, who proclaims, "It's my turn to bring the record back into the family name."
Hyundai
said in a statement that Rod Millen will be testing the car in early
June, due to a scheduling conflict with one of Rhys' Formula Drift
series events.
Inside Line says: The Hyundai video whets the
appetite for what's to come at the grueling 12-1/2-mile race up the
mountain. - Anita Lienert, Correspondent
SEE IT IN ACTION!!!
SEE IT UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL!!
DID YOU MISS LAST YEARS CLIMB IN THE HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE? See it now!
