Hyundai in IRL? - Hyundai Performance Forums

S15 · 03-17-2002, 03:30 AM

hm, I heard Hyundai agreed to buy Nissan/Infiniti's IRL engine program back in 1999.

is this true, I still see Infiniti name on their website... hm..

Mechanix034 · 03-17-2002, 03:56 AM

So far there has been no news of Hyundai incorporating Nissan powerplants or even considering to do so. It would be a big boon to us though, but it would also drive prices up, especially in the performance department.

Oh...and getting to the S15's oil filter if there's a JUN intake, retrofit oil cooler in there and a front diffuser too just sucks so bad...lol

The racing car is not a technical exercise. it is not an art object. The racing car is simply a tool for the racing driver...~Carrol Smith

S15 · 03-17-2002, 07:08 PM

quote:

So far there has been no news of Hyundai incorporating Nissan powerplants or even considering to do so. It would be a big boon to us though, but it would also drive prices up, especially in the performance department.

Oh...and getting to the S15's oil filter if there's a JUN intake, retrofit oil cooler in there and a front diffuser too just sucks so bad...lol

The racing car is not a technical exercise. it is not an art object. The racing car is simply a tool for the racing driver...~Carrol Smith

uh, we are talking about IRL, right, Indy Racing League?

-------------->

quote:
Korean automaker Hyundai has agreed to purchase Nissan's IRL racing efforts.

By John Bansch
Indianapolis Star/News

INDIANAPOLIS (May 25, 1999) The deal is expected to be announced at a
press conference at the Speedway later this week. Hyundai officials stated
that the sale would not be completed until next season when the IRL begins
using new purpose built race engines. Hyundai officials do not expect to
affect current IRL teams using the Nissan engine.
Jin Ju Mao, Hyundai's new Racing Director said, "We at Hyundai have
been anxious to enter the North American racing scene for since introducing
our sports car, the Tiburon, but we have been waiting for just the right
moment. Purchasing Nissan's IRL effort allows us to be a part of the worlds
greatest race. We are very excited about this opportunity to show the
American public that a company know for sensible autos can also be a world
class sports car maker."
Hyundai is expecting to begin a full advertising campaign this summer
promoting both their new engine program and the IRL. Hyundai believes that
the IRL's new engine formula for next year will allow it to be much more
competitive then Nissan has thus far. The challenge will be getting teams
and the American public to accept Hyundai as a serious entry into the racing
world.
"We know it will be hard to get teams to give us a shot, but we have
already started working with Nissan engineers. If we didn't believe that we
could field a competitive product, we wouldn't be entering the IRL. We are
confident that by May next year the American public will shake their heads
and say, 'That's a Hyundai?'" Mao said.
Nissan representatives said this afternoon that their decision to sell
their engine program to Hyundai was in no way a reflection of the IRL.
Nissan stated that the decision was made earlier this year to leave the IRL
because of further downturns in the Asian market. Nissan said it will be
focusing more on the luxury car market where it has a larger sale of the
auto market compared to it's share of the sports car market.
Leo Mel, executive director of the IRL, told Star News that they knew
of Nissan's decision since March, but did not have a part in matching Nissan
with Hyundai. He believes that Hyundai will be a great addition to the
IRL.
"We are always welcoming additions to the IRL family. While we are
saddened by Nissan's need to refocus their efforts in other areas, we
believe that Hyundai's enthusiasm will bring new excitement to the IRL next
season," said Mel.

**i8acobra** · 03-17-2002, 11:42 PM

F**k IRL, give us the farking WRC Accent.

Later,
Aaron Britt
Events Coordinator, Las Vegas F-body Assoc.
'96 Elantra GLS
'01 Tiburon
"The shortest distance between two points is a straight line........but, it's not as much fun."

Mechanix034 · 03-18-2002, 06:30 AM

Sorry, but I don't follow Indy Racing...what is it?

Please don't get me wrong, there have been rumors about Hyundai taking over part od Nissan's engine lineup here(the now-defeunct SR20DET, which will be replaced by SR20VET, as another rumor states, is basically an SR with variable valve timing on the individual cams)...but the name of the project was unknown, to i took a guess as to what it would be called.

Bad guess huh?lol

The racing car is not a technical exercise. it is not an art object. The racing car is simply a tool for the racing driver...~Carrol Smith

S15 · 03-18-2002, 07:45 AM

quote:

Sorry, but I don't follow Indy Racing...what is it?

Please don't get me wrong, there have been rumors about Hyundai taking over part od Nissan's engine lineup here(the now-defeunct SR20DET, which will be replaced by SR20VET, as another rumor states, is basically an SR with variable valve timing on the individual cams)...but the name of the project was unknown, to i took a guess as to what it would be called.

Bad guess huh?lol

The racing car is not a technical exercise. it is not an art object. The racing car is simply a tool for the racing driver...~Carrol Smith

IRL has been around for 5-6 years now I think. Basically, think F1 cars racing in ovals, although the engines [Infiniti and Chevy] arent F1 class [due to lack of competition, regulations, budget].
Indy 500 is part of IRL.

If anything Hyundai was supposed to get a hand-me-down engine technology from Nissan, Infiniti Q45 powerplant.

As always, Hyundai is out to buy engines.. haha... is Hyundai still using Mitsubishi engines on their bigger cars? I mean, Delta is as big as they come from Hyundai, right?

I was sorta hoping Hyundai would buy Nissan back when they were about to go out of business... although i doubt it was ever an option, a korean company buying out a Japanese auto giant. too much of an ego bruise to mostly nationalistic Japan pop..

heh heh. Imagine that iron block from GTR in Tuscani. haha

Edited by - S15 on 03/18/2002 03:54:07 AM

Tiburonx2000 · 03-18-2002, 01:35 PM

doesn't hyundai have the V8 Omega engine? i remember seeing a picture of it on the internet

Objects in the mirror are losing!

Mechanix034 · 03-19-2002, 08:12 AM

Whoa there dude...Nissan was NEVER a part of Hyundai. The proof is in the fact that Hyundai's and Nissan's technology followed 2 very different evolutionary curves, and have 2 VERY different price points, catering to very different classes of consumers where performance is concerned, and going at it tooth and nail where economy and consumer satisfaction is the name of the game.

The Skylines, Silvias and Pulsar N14s were too far ahead on technology to have been Hyundai-affiliated tech. Nissan has been ahead of Hyundai for a long time, and only now has that gap begun to close. However, with the possibility of a completely new generation of GT-R in the works, or perhaps even on the test track as we speak...Hyundai has done whatever it can in increasing the potential of it's vehicles, as seen in the Tuscani and Accents. Please note, that if and when this new generation of Skyline GT-R arrives, it may either be too advanced(and too expensive)for Hyundai to try to emulate or surpass, or it may be a pale ghost of what the GT-R moniker once stood for: unsurpassed power and performance, and world-beating potential.

Only time will tell...

Hyundai is not using the 4G63...that stopped a long time ago. The engines you see today are 100% Hyundai.

The racing car is not a technical exercise. it is not an art object. The racing car is simply a tool for the racing driver...~Carrol Smith

S15 · 03-19-2002, 12:55 PM

quote:

Whoa there dude...Nissan was NEVER a part of Hyundai. The proof is in the fact that Hyundai's and Nissan's technology followed 2 very different evolutionary curves, and have 2 VERY different price points, catering to very different classes of consumers where performance is concerned, and going at it tooth and nail where economy and consumer satisfaction is the name of the game.

The Skylines, Silvias and Pulsar N14s were too far ahead on technology to have been Hyundai-affiliated tech. Nissan has been ahead of Hyundai for a long time, and only now has that gap begun to close. However, with the possibility of a completely new generation of GT-R in the works, or perhaps even on the test track as we speak...Hyundai has done whatever it can in increasing the potential of it's vehicles, as seen in the Tuscani and Accents. Please note, that if and when this new generation of Skyline GT-R arrives, it may either be too advanced(and too expensive)for Hyundai to try to emulate or surpass, or it may be a pale ghost of what the GT-R moniker once stood for: unsurpassed power and performance, and world-beating potential.

Only time will tell...

Hyundai is not using the 4G63...that stopped a long time ago. The engines you see today are 100% Hyundai.

The racing car is not a technical exercise. it is not an art object. The racing car is simply a tool for the racing driver...~Carrol Smith

i hear you, bu I think you didnt rear my replies carefully...

I never said Nissan was ever a part of Hyundai. Just that Hyundai bought out Nissan's IRL engine program... nothing else.

Mechanix034 · 03-20-2002, 07:00 AM

Yeah, you're right I misread. No info about that btw, it's all gone quiet.

The racing car is not a technical exercise. it is not an art object. The racing car is simply a tool for the racing driver...~Carrol Smith