Having successfully (in parts, at least) upgraded its status from budget beaters to genuine class contenders, Hyundai Europe is gunning to add yet another side to its multifaceted brand construct – the elusive performance breakthrough. To that end, the Germany-based Hyundai Motorsport GmbH will introduce a performance sub-brand as early as 2015.
Rally veteran and Hyundai’s WRC team chief Michel Nandan has confirmed the Korean brand’s intention, with the new sub-brand banking on the company’s return to the WRC stage next year. Its sporting credentials will have to be earned, however, especially since it’ll have to beat the newly-crowned WRC champion Sebastien Ogier and his Volkswagen team.
A performance-oriented sub-brand similar to the likes of Nissan’s Nismo is what Hyundai targets. Its first offering is said to be based on the next-generation i20 small hatchback, which is primed for a 2015 launch. Hyundai’s permanent, fully-fledged test centre at the Nurburgring track will play a pivotal role in this project.
It’s a simple enough premise: success on the world stage will improve Hyundai and its new sub-brand’s image and henceforth, sales (though arguably Proton has gained very little from its rallying exploits). Other than the hot i20 hatch, quicker, more serious variants of the Veloster, Genesis Coupe or even bigger hatchbacks/saloons could be on the cards. Anyone filled with excitement yet?
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If Proton have use their own engine in the rallying, I think, Proton will earned its name…however
Only lazy people who don’t work hard and are poor due to their laziness buy Hyundai. People who work hard usually have lots of money and they are clever. They buy Toyota, better RV and will trash the kimchi inside out.
Clever people who earns a lot of money will know what car is worth the money. Only blind people with money will blindly buy overpriced cars.
I knew a guy, tauke of big company, bungalow and all, his son’s bedroom is as big as my apartment. He can only think about making money, everything is about money. But noooo he never bought a new toyota. He only bought second hand conti cars, and sell it off in a year or two for the same amount he bought it. “It’s stupid to spend money on cars” he says.
Smart people buy cars that are value for money…full spec with full safety features….
Only peoples that are afraid to change that will stick to certain brand even though their cars are overpriced for the minimal spec and minimal safety features just because of perceived RV…
honestly, real rally fans are not really worried about what engine goes into a rally car, because they know at the the World rally Championship level, rally car engines bear little resemblance to the actual cars. gone are the days of purely Group N, or production based rally cars. the point is the “brand” getting itself involved in motorsport.
Malaysia govt prefer to invest in high end condo for the cows to call home.
Malaysia want to breed cows but only manage to breed a fat mama with mamak blood.
Proton think it is still Asia BMW, and thus, only can set up brother accessory go fast kit at Batu 3.
Oh wait a minute, there is no more Batu 3, it is now Toyo little bungalow projects.
So, Proton funding only can test it at Ulu Yam, Genting, and chow kit ‘coz the rest of the money, the cronies rather spend on luxury trip and lawatan sambil kongkek.
wat actually ur talking about? dont blame ur self if u cant afford to buy luxury brands car..LMAO
that suppose similar trait to certain 90’s deputy PM aka Finance minister…
im being call r****t..but how bout this guy above
I’m surprised how your comment is being approved by the admin despite its rubbish content which has none related to the blog post.
While my negative comment on a brand a few weeks ago and very related to the post is disapproved.
Yeah yeah..u on ice?
i want proton to be like this.i want to be proud of proton.haih..
Syabas hyundai
Satria neo already in Rally before wat. you must proud of Proton.
It’s a news about Hyundai, why must associate with Proton everytime? Sigh.
Proton already bought petronas engine, would like to see it’s plonked in the rally car.
‘though arguably Proton has gained very little from its rallying exploits’
That’s why
Not getting excited until I see the product.
If it ends up like yet another Nismo/TRD/Mugen bodykit package, it’ll be just as big a disgrace.
I’m not saying they can’t do that, but how about actually go faster, corner better, sound nicer instead? Niche market yes, but that’s exactly what it is.
200hp C4FJ, lowered/stiffer i20 with bucket seats please?
In my life, i have own 4 protons. Wira, Satria, Putra and even Tiara. I have move on to other non-local car.
Lately, i was looking for a cheap run around car and decide to revisit Proton. Sad to says after almost 2 decades, proton quality check is bad. I mean real bad. 2 decades and they are still stuck at the yesteryear era.
I checked suprima out after hearing many praises but alas, before even switching on the ignition, my excitement became dismay. The steering wheels look like an afterthought and doesn’t feel nice. The semi-leather seat already have bad creases (guess after many people sit in it, it shows).
The small compartment at the driver side can’t even close properly and looks loose and the plastics seems rough and not smoothen at the edge. There are many rough edge spots. The center media looks too cheap and felt out of place.
Test drive started, power wise, it is pretty good. NVH had improve than previous yesteryear proton. Then issue started. After going over a speed bump, somehow the passenger compartment pop open. SA claims, it is small issue. Then i hear some soft front knocking noise when going over bad roads, SA claims, no, no sound. Yeah right, i told myself.
To sum it, for a budget of rm80k, after my experience with it, I am sad to says, it didn’t drive me to part with my hard earn money. Proton need to brush up on all the tiny details if they are serious to make this a global car. For me even though i try to be patriotic, i hate to says, i have to pass my money to non-proton car again.
Proton should really look at how the korean transform and put it as their main business strategy for the next 10 years. If Toyota and even VW is now looking hard at the korean, they are a force not to be laugh at anymore.
So what are you driving now? Vios, forte, cerato, almera, attrage or fiesta?
I booked a kia rio ex instead. It ticked all the box of what I want athough performance may not compete with suprima, but it ticked the value buy for me. I love the fiesta, but the 2 airbags put me off.
what on earth do you need 2 airbags? what for? just bang and fly…:) faster than Superman..:)
Hello, Sam does not even accept Kia as trade in now. No one will even trade in your Rio. Young might have to just drive it into Klang River to dispose and get insurance claim
“…somehow the passenger compartment pop open.”
Ha,ha,ha… exactly like my ex-Proton Iswara (10 years ago) which I have ditched. They can design engine, but they can’t attend to all these small quality issues. It is really all these small little things that cost them their reputation big time. Hyundai will never have these kind of problem-lah.
No car is perfect, at least in batch there would be some which is lemon units
This would end up like the previous DISASTER with Tuscani, there r so many better performance car in Europe.
Owh i thought Incus was the performance division of hyundai? No?
Sam likes to trade Hyundai instead of Kia.
This would be a good model to make easy profit
more high performance models?? yeah!! but wait, the fuel quality of your country is too low, so we cannot sell those models in your country, sorry…….you will have to make do with all those MPI and NU engines!!
we export our good quality oil and import low quality oil for our domestic used, umno bn bolih