June 28, 2011 - With enthusiasts eagerly awaiting the upcoming launch of the 2010 Genesis Coupe, Hyundai is adding to the excitement by teaming with Rhys Millen Racing and Red Bull Energy Drink to campaign the car in the high-energy sport of drift racing this year. At the Chicago Auto Show, Hyundai unveiled its motorsports program in the U.S. with the help of drift champion Rhys Millen, who will fabricate and race a 550-horsepower Genesis Coupe in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the Formula Drift Professional Drifting Championship and at select Redline Time Attack series events in 2009.
June 28, 2011 - Rhys Millen Racing said the RMR Hyundai Genesis PM580 is patterned after "a modern Le Mans-style car." It has a target weight of 1,850 pounds and is powered by a 3.8-liter Hyundai Lambda turbocharged V6 stroked to 4.1 liters. Although Hyundai skirted the issue of precise engine specifications, the automaker said that "current engine testing shows the engine is capable of producing 750 horsepower, which is more than needed to tackle the mountain." It also noted that to have a competitive power-to-weight ratio, the team feels "the car will need to produce 675 horsepower."
CHICAGO, 02/09/2011 - World Champion driver Rhys “Mad Skills” Millen pilots the RMR Red Bull Hyundai Genesis Coupe in the Formula DRIFT Championship and the RMR Red Bull Hyundai Veloster rally car in the U.S. Rallycross Championship Series, including Summer X Games. Millen and his team are an ideal match to help launch Hyundai’s motorsports effort. Millen’s driving credentials include movie stunts, multiple drifting championships, a Pikes Peak world record and his 2008 New Year's Eve Las Vegas truck flip at Red Bull: New Year. No Limits. Behind Millen’s success in the driver’s seat is a full team of engineers and fabricators that know how to maximize the potential of a race car. Rhys and his team will once again attempt to set a new world record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) driving the Hyundai PM580 powered by a turbocharged Lambda V-6 engine.
Huntington Beach, CA, June 28, 2011 - The RMR Genesis Coupe’s record time of 11:04.9 was achieved with Pikes Peak legend Rod Millen behind the wheel. Rod was the former overall world record holder for 13 years, from 1994 through 2007. Rod beat his best friend and main rival, Jeff Zwart by three seconds, with Zwart piloting a factory-modified Porsche 911 GT2 RS. Rod recently turned 60 years old, but his driving skills have barely diminished over the years.