Hyundai i20 N-Line leaps into India rallying!

J A Motorsport have unveiled the Hyundai i20 N-Line rally car built to the upcoming INRC 3+ category. Also called the INRC 3T category, the Indian motorsport governing body, FMSCI, aims to have it operational next year, and open to 1-litre turbocharged cars in production-stock specification.

The Hyundai i20 N-Line rally car runs the same 1-litre, 3-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine but with a motorsport-spec ECU and performance intake and exhaust boosting power to over 125 horsepower. The gearbox is the standard 6-speed manual and mated to a limited slip differential. Suspension will be top-shelf Reiger 3-way adjustable dampers, and it runs on MRF’s rally-spec 15-inch tyres.

There is a strong MRF Tyres connection to this rally program with the team’s European Rally Championship driver Martins Sesks drafted in to test and develop the car. Martins will be testing and developing the car in India but J A Motorsport aren’t confining themselves to Indian rallying with the Hyundai i20 project. Plans are afoot to build the Hyundai i20 to Rally 4 and Rally 5 specification and export it to markets around the world. This will cash in on Hyundai finally clinching the World Rally Championship crown this year. With two rallies remaining, Hyundai leads the 2024 WRC manufacturers standing by 17 points over Toyota Gazoo Racing while Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville leads the driver’s standings by 29 points over team mate Ott Tanak with Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier a further 12 points adrift. The driver’s championship is nearly in the bag for Hyundai Motorsport and that will boost the performance credentials right here in India.

However, as of now, Hyundai Motor India aren’t involved in the Indian Rally Championship project. J A Motorsport have bought the i20 N Line from a local dealer and have done all the testing and development on their own. However with MRF Tyre’s strong partnership with Hyundai Motorsport, particularly in the European Rally Championship where they run the i20 Rally2 cars, the hope is that Hyundai India will get eventually get involved in Indian rallying. In the past when Volkswagen Motorsport were active they used to support rally drivers with parts and components at a subsidised cost. If Hyundai India steps into that void, that itself will be a big boost for rally drivers in India.

On choosing the i20 N-Line for the project, J A Motorsport MD J Anand points out that the car is the lowest, lightest and has one of the best power to weight ratios of the cars in this category. “If the car does well, we can eventually speak to their motorsport division,” says Anand, adding, “It is something to look forward to, working with a car company which has a such a strong global motorsport background.”

This i20 N-Line is not a single-make rally car. J A Motorsport will build the 10 Hyundai i20 N-Line rally car for customers, more if demand increases. No word as of now on prices, but to be competitive it should be in the region of ₹25 lakh.

Getting a new rally car, especially one from India’s second largest car manufacturer, will be a huge shot in the arm for Indian rallying. It’s also credit to the work of the INRC promoter, Blue Band Sports, who were instrumental in getting J A Motorsport back into rallying. J A Motorsport are one of India’s foremost race and rally outfits, having worked on the factory MRF rally cars when the Group N+ Mitsubishi Cedia and before that Honda City VTEC and Maruti Suzuki Baleno were running in the INRC. J A Motorsport also builds and runs the MRF F-2000 and F-1600 single-seater race cars. With their pedigree, motorsport know-how and reputation behind the i20 N-Line rally cars, we are sure to see more renewed interest in Indian rallying.