Yesterday's announcement that Hyundai would be bringing three Genesis coupe concepts to SEMA has been met with some skepticism surrounding the legitimacy of the first rendering Rhys Millen Racing released.
John Sibal posted the RMR Genesis coupe illustration on his site today, along with his own LF-A rendering that we featured back in April. There's a striking similarity between the LF-A's front bumper design – specifically the molded winglet, side air intake, air dam and tow-hook placement. We've tried contacting Hyundai about the matter, hoping they could provide contact information for the artist who drew up the coupe, but got stuck in voicemail Hell instead. While this could just be a case of indirect inspiration, we somehow doubt it and are looking forward to getting the full story soon.
Hyundai is planning a big showing at this year's SEMA show, dispatching with orange Elantras and be-winged Accents in favor of highlighting the automaker's first foray into rear-wheel-drive performance. Six concepts are planned – three Genesis sedans and three Genesis coupes – with both vehicles getting the attention of the country's top aftermarket specialists.
Hyundai will be releasing teasers of the three Genesis coupe projects in the coming weeks, but the first is proof that the aftermarket is taking Hyundai's new turbocharged 2.0-liter coupe seriously. Rhys Millen Racing has rendered up its own interpretation of what the Genesis coupe is capable of, with an eye on the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, Formula D drift series and Redline time attack.
The RMR coupe will benefit from a prototype wide body kit and turbo setup, built in house by Rhys and his team, sending power to the rear wheels through an HKS heavy-duty sequential gearbox. Suspension duties are handled by a set of K&W coilovers, along with Enkei racing wheels and Bridgestone RE-01 tires. Brembo brakes are mounted fore and aft, and inside a Sparco steering wheel and seats join an carbon fiber dash and an eight-point roll cage.
According to Hyundai's PR man, Miles Johnson, Millen is making regular calls to Hyundai engineers to extract every last bit of performance from the coupe, and expect more details on final output and the other two coupes throughout the summer.
With the cancellation of any D1 Grand Prix drift action in the United States this year, the Formula D season should keep drift-addicts entertained when it gets underway on April 12th in Long Beach, California. Last season closed with Tanner Foust and his AEM Nissan 350Z being crowned champion, and Foust's multiple motorsports wins in 2007 (he also captured the X-Games rally title) garnered him increased attention and sponsorship deals. In fact, Rockstar Energy Drink has now ditched Daijiro Yoshihara and Pacific Rim to pair up with Tanner Foust and AEM for 2008. No matter for Go Go Daijiro though, as Rhys Millen conveniently had his number. Looking to expand the Pontiac Red Bull crew, Millen could not pass up the opportunity to snatch up the two time 2007 event winner in need of a ride. Millen's old Pontiac GTO will come out of retirement for Yoshihara to pilot in 2008.
