Much was made of Hyundai’s decision to postpone the introduction of its next-generation WRC car earlier this season. The Korean outfit blamed delays in the production of the new road-going i20 for the setback but promised a fully homologated version of the hatchback would be with us before the year was out and well in time for the start of the 2016 WRC season.
We’re pleased to say that the Hyundai has been as good as its word, as the Far Eastern powerhouse will be showcasing its 2016 WRC title challenger at the 2016 Frankfurt Motor Show. Not only that, it will also be unveiling a pair of highly intriguing performance concept models codenamed the N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo and the RM15 at Germany’s premier motoring extravaganza.
First under the microscope is the 2016 i20 WRC. Based on the new generation i20 hatchback that entered production last winter, Hyundai’s 2016 title challenger is expected to be a five-door rather than a three-door model and is already undergoing a rigorous testing, engineering and development programme. If all goes according to plan this time, the Frankfurt-bound car, in final rally specification, will make its World Rally Championship debut at Rallye Monte Carlo 2016, where it will lock horns with the likes of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC and the dominant VW Polo R WRC.
Away from rallying, the Hyundai RM15 concept car will also take to the stage at Frankfurt this September. This mid-engine concept will fly the flag for Hyundai’s performance-orientated ‘N’ division and serves as a real-life testbed for certain new driver-focused technologies that could enter production in the near future. Beyond its confirmed 2.0-litre 296bhp powertrain, Hyundai is keeping the specifics of the RM15 concept under its hat for the time being.
Completing the Hyundai line-up for Frankfurt is the N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo ultimate concept. The latest in a series of high profile manufactures queuing up to get their designs transported from the office drawing board to the bedrooms of millions worldwide, Hyundai is pitching the mysterious N 2025 as a high-performance virtual race car that showcases the future potential of Hyundai N. Details on the N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo are even more scarce than those of its fellow N division concept, save a couple of shadowy teaser images for you to mull over.
However, the gaming community won’t be the first ones to get a better look at Hyundai’s cryptic new virtual concept. The N 2025 and its two companions will be unveiled together at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show and we’ll be bringing you further updates as soon as the curtains go up Tuesday 15th September.
