This 300bhp i20 is Hyundai’s rally car for 2016

Hyundai has revealed a new car. It is fast, loud, very sideways and features many stickers and colours. It is the firm’s 2016 World Rally Championship car.

Based on the new i20, it is the car Hyundai hopes will offer a sterner challenge to current WRC kings Volkswagen; since Hyundai entered the WRC two seasons ago, it has been VW and Sebastien Ogier who have come out on top.

So, this new i20 has a steep hill to climb. As per WRC regs, it comes with a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo engine, producing a heady 300bhp and 295lb ft of torque, running through a four-wheel-drive system with two mechanical diffs both front and rear, and a six-speed sequential gearbox. There are paddles.

Obviously, you won’t get a 0-62mph time, but considering the thing weighs just 1200kg – or 1360kg with both driver and co-driver on board – it’ll be suitably brisk.

There are some rather large Brembo brakes, air-cooled calipers, 18in alloys for the tarmac stages (15s for the gravel sections), and various tyres. Naturally, there is a roll cage, together with a reinforced steel and composite fibre body.

Hyundai will field three i20s in next year’s WRC season, with a host of drivers on board. Though we know Dani Sordo, Hayden Paddon and Thierry Neuville will contest all 14 rounds.

“The competition remains strong and we know our manufacturer rivals will not ease in their pursuit for victory,” explains team principal Michael Nandan, “but we want to take the fight to them in 2016”.

Game on.