On Wednesday IL incorrectly reported that Rhys Millen's Red Bull sponsored Hyundai Genesis Coupe drift car is powered by a stroked 4.0-liter version of Hyundai's 3.8-liter Lambda V6. A Nissan VQ-based 4.0-liter V6 actually powers the car.
Millen told Inside Line last week that a "4.0-liter V6" powers the car and he was being truthful. However, subsequent discussions centering around specific choices to use the Hyundai V6 rather the the Hyundai 2.0-liter turbo engine were curiously misleading and led to the error. We regret the mistake.
Millen points out that he was under contract to complete the car by the first Formula D event (April 11) and using the Hyundai engine with so little development time was not an option. The program was only approved in mid January and the car was built entirely in nine weeks.
"The Hyundai engine should be ready by the second or third event of the season," Millen says.
Drifting is a unique sport which allows competition cars to use virtually any powertrain so the car was not in violation of the Formula D rules at last weekend's opening event on the streets of Long Beach, California.
kyolml says:
09:08 PM, 04/15/09
Dang? What's genesis meaning? Nissan?
ddark13 says:
09:57 PM, 04/15/09
Not exactly the image hyundai wants out there
tryan says:
03:23 AM, 04/16/09
Although this is not the first time a manufacturer's competition car has been powered by a competitor's engine, as ddark13 stated, it certainly is not kind of information Hyundai wants to be widespread.
You can't really blame them, though, the Lambda 3.8 is very much untested and the VQ design has had the benefit of nearly two decades of development and the knowledge base that comes with that.
crowb says:
09:30 AM, 04/16/09
Yeah, but its all part of the plan. Millen will drop in the Hyundai engine when its finally ready, and THEN start winning some events.
Its genius, I tell ya! Or, do I mean, Genesis?
Admit I blew your mind!
prosource1 says:
10:04 AM, 04/16/09
Still amazes me that the VQ was removed as one of the world's 10 best engines. Guess Ghosn refused to pay for that advertising spot.
Those of us who have owned a VQ know it needs no promotion.
jederino says:
10:13 AM, 04/16/09
Okay, I'm proud that a version of my VQ powers this drift race - makes up for the V8 fuel economy I "enjoy".
iskch says:
11:03 AM, 04/16/09
There is a Scion with a TOYOTA - NASCAR engine doing the D.C.S and that particular engine is not even remotely what Toyota makes for the public. i sthe same for other cars too.
jederino says:
06:50 PM, 04/16/09
These engines need to pull massive and dependable torque, so using native engines is probably not realistic all the time. Still, the use of many and varied platforms makes the sport exciting.
niceboat says:
11:19 PM, 04/18/09
Your move. Nissan.