Hyundai Sonata Hybrid record setter

Hyundai Sonata Hybrid record setter 

Hyundai Senior powertrain engineer Dean Schlingmann took a ride in this modified Sonata on September 25, 2019 at the Bonneville Salt Flats and ran a top speed of 164.669 miles per hour (MPH), compared to the previous record set in 2016 by a Hyundai Ioniq prototype at 157.825 MPH.

The Sonata in a unique wrap appeared at the Hyundai booth at the 2019 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) in Las Vegas in early November. The Sonata was slightly modified from stock, as it rode narrow Goodyear Eagle™ Land Speed D2956 28 x 4.5-15 tires inflated to 70 PSI mounted on Vision Rally 55 race wheels with Mooneyes™ Moon disc covers.

For the record run, Sonata received an FIA-specification chromoly cage, Sparco seats and harnesses, KW Suspensions strut/shock/spring package, a custom front valance, custom-made high-speed brakes and Simpson parachute. Power train modifications included a Nitrous Express setup, custom header and Injen Technology 3-inch stainless exhaust system, and new engine software to work with the nitrous system and the VP™ MS109 unleaded highly oxygenated race fuel.  

All photos by the author.

Hyundai at SEMA 2017

The Hyundai Motor America booth at the 2017 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in Las Vegas combined a racing theme along with two unique customized vehicles.

i30N race car

Sold in the United States as the Elantra GT, Hyundai proudly showed off the i30N which raced in the 2017 24 hours of Nurburgring race. Hyundai entered a pair of i30N racers in the SP3T class for production-based cars with turbocharged engines displacing between 1.6 and 2.0 liters, and both cars made it across the finish line. This car, the #92 shown at SEMA just as it rolled off the German track finished 4th in class and 50th overall with 135 laps completed around the 15 ½ mile track which is a combination of the historic Nordschleife and Grand Prix circuits.

The i30N racer is powered by an all-aluminum four-cylinder double overhead camshaft 16-valves engine with direct injection and continuous variable valve timing that develops 270 horsepower in race trim. Don’t look for the Elantra GT in your local showroom to develop that much horsepower, as Hyundai advertises 161 horsepower in the base GT or 200 horsepower in the GT Sport, or to come equipped with a six-point roll cage.  

Vaccar Tucson concept

After they started with a 2018 Hyundai Tucson Sport, the team at Aaron Vaccar's design studio set out to “build upon the well-developed Tucson platform, powertrain and design to give enthusiasts a vision of just where this affordable crossover aspires to go." Under the hood the team added a Boostec turbocharger and blow-off valve, AEM air intake system and a Mishimoto G-Line Intercooler to the intake side of the Tucson’s 2-liter engine. On the exhaust side, Vaccar fabricated front-mount piping and cat-back exhaust with Magnaflow stainless piping and performance mufflers.

The Tucson now rides on Gecko G-Street Coil overs with Power Stop Z23 Front and Rear Evolution Brake Kit and Concept One Forged Wheels on Continental Extreme Contact Sport tires. The body features Vaccar fabricated front lip, side skirts, rear diffuser and an M&S mesh front grille covered with a two tone scheme that used BASF R-M Paint Systems Silver over Blue Metallic.  

Blood Type Racing Elantra Sport

The Blood Type Racing in Glenview Illinois modified a 2018 Hyundai Elantra Sport engine with a Torcon CAI intake Pierce Motorsports exhaust system and Devil's Own water/methanol injection system.  Suspension was upgraded with HSD coil over suspension on all four corners, Pierce Motorsports sway bars, strut tower brace and chassis brace, and Fella Big Brake kit. The Elantra now rides on SSR GTX01 wheels wrapped with Toyo T1 Sport tires.

This fellow took a different tact - instead

of photographing the BTR Elantra, he sketched it!

Blood Type Racing re-stitched the interior with Diamond-stitched floor mats and fitted with a SoCalGarageWorks carbon-fiber steering wheel. The body was customized with Aerotek custom front, side and rear valances, an APR GTC-200 GT wing, and BTR custom fender flares all covered with BASF Glasurit 55-line Arancio Borealis paint applied by AutoArt body and paint.

All photos by the author - design sketch provided by Hyundai Motor America