Hyundai i20 N-Line for Indian Rallying Scene

The Hyundai i20 N-Line rally car, built by J A Motorsport, is all set to enter into Indian motorsport. It is one such custom rally car developed for the new INRC 3+ category to enhance the Indian National Rally Championship (INRC) with advanced features and a fresh wave of excitement.

Advanced Features for a Competitive Edge

The Hyundai i20 N-Line rally car comes with the same 1-litre, 3-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine but has performance-oriented upgrades. A motorsport-spec ECU, in tandem with performance intake and exhaust systems, pumps the power output of over 125 horses. Along with this, it gets a standard 6-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential to give better traction on rallies.

Suspension is by high-performance Reiger 3-way adjustable dampers. Rally-specific 15-inch tires by MRF provide the much-needed grip on difficult terrain. With low weight and a really impressive power-to-weight ratio, the i20 N-Line is all set to dominate the INRC 3+ category that will soon be open to 1-litre turbocharged production-spec cars.

A Vision Beyond Indian Rallying

J A Motorsport has designs on taking the Hyundai i20 N-Line far beyond Indian rallies. The car will be further developed to meet Rally 4 and Rally 5 specifications for global markets. The project benefits from MRF Tyres' involvement, with European Rally Championship driver Martins Sesks testing and developing the car in India.

At present, Hyundai Motor India is not a part of this project because J A Motorsport individually procured and customized the car from the i20 N-Line. Still, there's a strong possibility of Hyundai India joining in the future considering the strength of its global motorsports presence as well as the association with MRF in European rallies.

J Anand, Managing Director of J A Motorsport, explained that the i20 N-Line’s lightweight design and strong power-to-weight ratio made it an ideal choice for the project. He expressed optimism about collaborating with Hyundai’s motorsport division if the car proves successful.

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A Bright Future for Indian Rallying

The new i20 N-Line rally car is likely to ignite new zeal into Indian motorsport. It is priced at an estimated ₹25 lakh, and this should make rallying accessible to fans. Reputed motorsport outfit JA Motorsport will also ensure top-drawer development and support. This initiative with a blue-checked background, made possible through INRC promoters Blue Band Sports, may see a new dawn into Indian rallying.

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