Hyundai in GT3?
Yes way. There were plans to enter the Korean manufacturer into the burgeoning GT format more than a decade ago and it had an Australian twist.
In fact, the organisation planning to enter Hyundai into GT3 racing was Australian firm Austech Motorsport, which held ambitious targets for its concept using the Genesis model sold in the United States.
Launched in 2008, the Genesis was effectively a replacement for Hyundai’s much loved Tiburon in some respects albeit a rear-wheel-drive coupe featuring either a four or six-cylinder engine.
It proved popular among consumers and the media, but was never sold in Australia as Hyundai continued to work hard to lift its reputation from cheap and cheerful to a more desirable level.
The Genesis competed in limited motor racing events in the United States including regional touring car championships, the popular Formula D Series and even Pikes Peak where New Zealand ex-pat Rhys Millen set the 2WD Time Attack record up the legendary hillclimb.
But GT3? Really.
At the time GT3 was fast growing and tuners provided the basis to some of the most popular models eligible. During its infancy, GT3 played host to: the German-based Callaway Cars’ Chevrolet Corvette Z06R, Reiter Engineering with its Lamborghini Gallardo, Kessel Racing represented Ferrari, Ford had Multimatic Motorsports and Matech Concepts, Jaguar was Apex Motorsport and AutoGT Racing built the obscure Morgan.
Advertised as a low cost entry into GT3 racing was Austech Motorsport’s Hyundai Genesis featuring an in-house developed V8 aimed to produce 520hp.
First announced in 2011, two years of research and development took place before it was revealed Hyundai had not approved of the concept, a requirement to be homologated as a GT3 model.
In the 10 years since the project ended, Hyundai has rapidly grown its interest in motorsport particularly in the touring car ranks having won the WTCR title multiple times and Genesis was launched as the Korean brand’s prestige brand in 2015.