Rhys Millen Racing Hyundai Genesis Coupe Drift Car هونداي دريفت

With the new 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, South Korean automaker Hyundai has made no secret of the fact that they are gunning for the sport compact car tuning market. Using language like "a high-performance blank canvas for tuners" and shelling out big bucks for Superbowl advertising, Hyundai has spent a pretty penny creating an aura of performance and mystique around the new Genesis Coupe.

As a technology showpiece for the new Genesis Coupe, Hyundai has commissioned Rhys Millen Racing, known the world over for their multiple drift and Pike's Peak Hill Climb victories, to shape the V6 Genesis Coupe into a 550 horsepower, turbocharged drift-ready beast.

The Rhys Mllen Racing Genesis Coupe Drift Car, co-sponsored by Red Bull, is no mere set of bolt-ons for the Genesis, rather a completely reengineered race car set to compete in the Formula Drift Professional Drifting Championship, the Hill Climb, and Redline Time Attack series events.

Stripped down to chassis, the Rhys Millen Genesis Coupe is rebuilt entirely in carbon fiber body panels while retaining its tuner car lines, and gaining a huge rear spoiler and some fancy aerodynamic hardware.

The motor gets bored and stroked out to 4.1 liters, gaining a Turbonetics turbocharging system for its stellar 550 hp output with 525 lb-ft. of torque. Mated to an HKS sequential manual tranny, the Rhys Millen Genesis is ready to light up race tracks all over the world, sideways.

Riding on 265/40-18 Toyo Proxes R1R's out back and 225/40-18 in the front, Rhys Millen and Hyundai have set a target weight of 2400 lbs. curb. If they can stick under this number, the Genesis Coupe drift car will be pushing some serious performance potential.

Very nice, Hyundai. Fresh off the Motor Trend Car of the Year award for the 2009 Hyundai Genesis sedan, it looks like they have another winner on their hands with the tuner ready I4 and V6 Coupes.