Hyundai unleashes racier Veloster

The Hyundai Veloster Race Concept car developed in Australia in 2012 is a bona-fide tarmac rally car, but is yet to turn a wheel in anger.

Until now.

The light-weight, stripped out, hard-charging Veloster race car has made the digital transition into one of the world's most popular free racing games, Real Racing 3 -- which is also made in Australia.

Created for Hyundai Australia by a local engineering team, the motorsport-ready Veloster is powered by a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine and fitted with stainless steel high-flow exhaust to increase power.

Fitted with an FIA-compliant roll cage, Recaro carbon seats with multipoint harnesses, 355mm front disc brakes, adjustable suspension, and plenty more kit besides, it could be eligible for the Australian Rally Championship and Production GT racing categories with "minor modifications", says Hyundai.

Although it is yet to be raced competitively, it's now available to drive in Real Racing 3, a game which has been downloaded more than 85 million times for tablets and smart phones. The addition of the Veloster concept car in Real Racing 3 follows a popular trend among car makers to put unattainable vehicles in videogames, such as with the Gran Turismo game franchise.

The digital addition of the low-slung Veloster Race Concept car is part of a fund-raising campaign for the Save The Children Fund. More details on the videogame charity tie-in can be found at Hyundai's Game 4 Good page.

Participants of the special Hyundai Veloster Turbo Time Trial Competition within the game can donate to the fund, which helps children in need right around the globe. The fastest drivers will enter a final race streamed live to Hyundai's giant billboard in London's Piccadilly Circus, the winner scoring a VIP trip to the Italian World Rally Championship (WRC) round, the Sardegna Rally.

The winner will get to meet the Hyundai WRC team in Italy at the sixth round of the WRC, and the competition closes on May 12.

Real Racing 3 can be downloaded free for iOS devices at the App Store, or on Android devices on Google play or Amazon appstore for Android via Firemonkeys.com.au.