Hyundai Motorsport has unveiled the newest addition to its range of TCR-specification race cars: the Elantra N TCR. oining the i30 N TCR and Veloster N TCR, the Elantra N TCR will be offered to customer teams around the world. Why does Hyundai need three different TCR race cars, you ask? Well, it’s all about offering racers that are representative of the automaker’s road car lineup in various countries.
In Hyundai’s own words, “the addition will
ensure maximum relevance to customers around the world, with the new car
intended for teams in those markets where the standard Elantra model is sold.”
The latest car to be designed and built by Hyundai’s Customer Racing Department
was revealed for the first time at the Beijing Auto Show. The world premiere
followed a busy first three months of testing, during which the car has already
completed 5,000 kilometers of running on European race tracks.
Designers and engineers were given the
task of taking full advantage of the Elantra road car’s sporty chassis and
sedan body shape to optimize the design while also applying the lessons learned
racing the i30 N TCR and Veloster N TCR. In the styling department, the Elantra
N TCR adopts an aerodynamically-optimized body kit featuring a sizeable front
splitter and fixed rear wing, as well as wide fenders to accommodate the wider
tracks and wheels. While Hyundai does not say it specifically, this body kit
might preview the looks of the upcoming Elantra N road car, at least to some
extent.
In line with the category’s regulations,
the Elantra N TCR is front-wheel drive and is powered by a 2.0-liter
turbocharged engine “derived from a brand new base engine taken from Hyundai’s
family of road-going models.” The car shares the same six-speed, paddle-shift
operated gearbox as the i30 N TCR and Veloster N TCR. Hyundai will continue
testing the car in the coming months, with the first car set to be delivered to
customer teams before the end of 2020.
