Hyundai Takes the Veloster to the Track

by Matt Posky

Published: January 15th, 2019

There once was a time when racing credentials were mandatory if an automaker wanted customers to take a performance model seriously. However, with today’s vast sea of automotive websites (thank you for choosing this one, by the way) individuals can spend countless hours poring over spec sheets and reading reviews from every Tom, Dick, and Harry with access to a keyboard.

While we all like easy access to information, we’re also suckers for the entirely subjective “good old days” of motoring. Racing mean raising a car’s profile and, hopefully, improving sales while encouraging aftermarket support. With that in mind, Hyundai has entered itself in the 2019 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge series and is taking the new Veloster N TCR.

With a 2.0-liter, 350-horsepower turbocharged mill and an estimated curb weight of 2,833 pounds, the car should scramble around a track rather well. Of course, it receives additional help from an impossible-to-miss widebody aero kit, tremendous trellis wing, and no-nonsense suspension.

MacPherson struts with adjustable dampers reside up front and a multi-link setup (also adjustable) takes care of the back. Lightweight Hyundai Motorsport racing wheels house two-piston calipers up front and six-piston Brembo jobs in the rear for braking. True to the car it is based on, power is sent exclusively to the front wheels. But that’s about where the similarities end. The TCR just uses a six-speed sequential gearbox, competition seats, six-point seat harnesses, race-style instrumentation, has been gutted for lightness, and uses a full roll cage to ensure it passes course and event safety regulations.

Hyundai believes the TCR should aid in its marketing efforts for the Veloster, and we’re inclined to agree. Previously, the i30 N TCR raced in markets where it wasn’t even being sold. Introducing the Veloster TCR, which shares 85 percent of its components with the i30 racer, allows Hyundai to drum up some business for the model — and Hyundai seems to have listened carefully to what enthusiasts want when it comes to its hottest hatchback.

“The Veloster is a perfect fit for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge as we expand our motorsports efforts,” explained Dean Evans, vice president of Marketing for Hyundai Motor America. “The all-new 2019 Veloster and Veloster N are playful, fun-to-drive cars, and thanks to Bryan and his team we’re excited to introduce them to racing fans across North America. In 2018, we won a manufacturer’s championship, so it is great to get back to racing with our proven veterans, a pair of great young drivers, and this brand-new car.”

The IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge season starts on Jan. 25 at Daytona International Speedway. Hyundai plans on fielding two vehicles in conjunction with Bryan Herta Autosport. Michael Lewis and Mark Wilkins will be in one while the comparatively younger Mason Filippi and Harry Gottsacker pilot the other.

Believe it or not, you can actually buy the Veloster N TCR for yourself if you’re willing to jump through a few additional hoops. However, the model starts at a prohibitively expensive $155,000 plus international shipping — as both TCR racers are manufactured in Germany. Deliveries are said to commence in March.

[Images: Hyundai]

#Hyundai #HyundaiVelosterNTCR #MichelinPilotChallenge #Motorsport #Racing #TouringCars

Matt Posky

A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.

More by Matt Posky

Comments

Join the conversation

2 of 6 comments

NeilM on Jan 15, 2019

Just when I thought the Veloster couldn't look any stupider...

Like Reply
Dougjp on Jan 16, 2019

6 piston calipers....on the rear? Only 2 on the front? Love to hear that one explained, if in fact it isn't a mistake in reporting.

Like Reply

Recent Comments

Joe65688619 Under Ghosn they went through the same short-term bottom-line thinking that GM did in the 80s/90s, and they have not recovered say, to their heyday in the 50s and 60s in terms of market share and innovation. Poor design decisions (a CVT in their front-wheel drive "4-Door Sports Car", model overlap in a poorly performing segment (they never needed the Altima AND the Maxima...what they needed was one vehicle with different drivetrain, including hybrid, to compete with the Accord/Camry, and decontenting their vehicles: My 2012 QX56 (I know, not a Nissan, but the same holds for the Armada) had power rear windows in the cargo area that could vent, a glass hatch on the back door that could be opened separate from the whole liftgate (in such a tall vehicle, kinda essential if you have it in a garage and want to load the trunk without having to open the garage door to make room for the lift gate), a nice driver's side folding armrest, and a few other quality-of-life details absent from my 2018 QX80. In a competitive market this attention to detai is can be the differentiator that sell cars. Now they are caught in the middle of the market, competing more with Hyundai and Kia and selling discounted vehicles near the same price points, but losing money on them. They invested also invested a lot in niche platforms. The Leaf was one of the first full EVs, but never really evolved. They misjudged the market - luxury EVs are selling, small budget models not so much. Variable compression engines offering little in terms of real-world power or tech, let a lot of complexity that is leading to higher failure rates. Aside from the Z and GT-R (low volume models), not much forced induction (whether your a fan or not, look at what Honda did with the CR-V and Acura RDX - same chassis, slap a turbo on it, make it nicer inside, and now you can sell it as a semi-premium brand with higher markup). That said, I do believe they retain the technical and engineering capability to do far better. About time management realized they need to make smarter investments and understand their markets better.
Kwik_Shift_Pro4X Off-road fluff on vehicles that should not be off road needs to die.
Kwik_Shift_Pro4X Saw this posted on social media; “Just bought a 2023 Tundra with the 14" screen. Let my son borrow it for the afternoon, he connected his phone to listen to his iTunes.The next day my insurance company raised my rates and added my son to my policy. The email said that a private company showed that my son drove the vehicle. He already had his own vehicle that he was insuring.My insurance company demanded he give all his insurance info and some private info for proof. He declined for privacy reasons and my insurance cancelled my policy.These new vehicles with their tech are on condition that we give up our privacy to enter their world. It's not worth it people.”
TheEndlessEnigma Poor planning here, dropping a Vinfast dealer in Pensacola FL is just not going to work. I love Pensacola and that part of the Gulf Coast, but that area is by no means an EV adoption demographic.
Keith Most of the stanced VAGS with roof racks are nuisance drivers in my area. Very likely this one's been driven hard. And that silly roof rack is extra $'s, likely at full retail lol. Reminds me of the guys back in the late 20th century would put in their ads that the installed aftermarket stereo would be a negotiated extra. Were they going to go find and reinstall that old Delco if you didn't want the Kraco/Jenson set up they hacked in?