Hyundai Australia could go rallying

Diving into rallying in Australia could provide the youth appeal to accelerate N-car sales for Hyundai in Australia, according to the company’s world championship rally boss.

Hyundai is already a proven front-runner in the World Rally Championship and the company is expanding into more and more regional championships with a customer version of its WRC winner.

It has claimed championships in France, Spain, Italy and Portugal and Michel Nandan, the team principal of Hyundai Motorsport, says the R5 version of its i20 is more than just a competition car.

“It shows, not just the performance, but the fact that the products are for young people. That is the message,” Nandan told carsales.com.au at the Rally Australia on the weekend.

“For sure, it can help the brand. It is connected to the home brand. It is connected to the N brand. I think it could be good. It is good.”

Hyundai has already sold two circuit-racing cars to Australia for the fledgling TCR racing series that will kick-off in 2019. And there are rumours of at least one team that is keen to bring an R5 rally racer into the Australian championship next year to go head-to-head with the new Toyota GAZOO Racing Australia cars that will be campaigned by Harry and Lewis Bates.

For Nandan, what is called the R5 program — which was created for the international R5 category that sits one step below the full-house WRC category — would be ideal and cost effective as a way to boost showroom interest for Hyundai.

“Already, in Australia, Hyundai has a very good market. So it would be interesting. Considering the amount of cars, the sales are quite good.

“[But] with rallying, the connection with R5 and the motorsports category can work.

“All of the motorsport activities are connected to the N division. When Hyundai Motorsport was created the idea was to promote the N brand. All the products coming from the motorsport division are connected to the N brand.”

Hyundai Motorsport has sold 52 cars to 10 different countries through its Customer Racing division, and one of its world championship drivers — Hayden Paddon — has developed his own car to dominate the New Zealand rally championship.

Nandan sees huge growth coming in national championships with the new generation of R5 cars, including Ford and Toyota -- although the only current contender in Australia is the Skoda Fabia. Hyundai has recently taken its first win in Paraguay in the country’s biggest event, the 45th annual Transchaco Rally.

“It is true that new cars are coming, like a Volkswagen Polo and maybe a new Skoda,” he says.

“These are ideal, especially for the type of rally you have in Australia.”

He says Hyundai is continuing development of its car ahead of the 2019 season, after a major engine upgrade earlier in 2018, although the basic specification is already set and the car is a proven winner.

“Last year we won the French championship on gravel, the Spanish championship. This year Portugal.

“The customers’ feedback is that the cost is reasonable, and one of the less expensive per-kilometre.

“The advantage to have customer products is that we are reaching different countries. Locally, for promotion it is better and more dedicated to each country.”