The Hyundai i20N Rally2 wants to go get muddy

Meet the Hyundai i20N Rally2. In short, it’s the motorsport version of the rambunctious little i20N road car revealed at the same time.

So you’ve the same 1.6-litre turbo engine though it’s hooked up to a five-speed sequential transmission, and under Rally2 regulations it’s likely to put almost 300bhp through all four wheels.

Rally2 is the new name for the R5 class, with these cars aimed at customers and privately run rally teams. So you stump up £150,000 (or more), stick all your sponsor’s stickers on the outside, then go and have a jolly nice time. There’ll be a much harder-cored i20N WRC – to fight for world championship honours in the hands of hot-shoe professionals – in due course.

“New suspension components and dampers give the car more driver-friendly handling characteristics on all surfaces,” says Hyundai when comparing the i20N Rally2 to the old R5. Well, they would say that. But just try telling us you don’t want a go in a little hatchback as pumped up as this.

Development of the Rally2 is underway, with full homologation – and first deliveries – due in summer 2021.