Hyundai has tapped drifter-extraordinaire Rhys Millen to campaign a Red Bull-Sponsored Genesis Coupe in various motorsports events in 2009. To prepare for the rigors of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the Formula DRIFT Championship and Redline Time Attack events, Millen and his Rhys Millen Racing crew put the Genesis through a strict diet and exercise program, shedding excess weight and adding 550 hp of muscle.
In the production Genesis Coupe, the naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V-6 produces 306 hp. In the RMR car, the engine is stroked to 4.1-liters, compressed with a snail from Turbonetics and mated to a sequential transmission from HKS. An AEM engine management system oversees the operation. Total output climbs to 550 hp and 520 lb-ft of torque. This power meets rear 18-in Enkei RPF1 wheels, measuring 9.5-in wide and wrapped in 265/40 size Toyo Proxes R1R tires. The front wheels -- 8.5-in wide in 225/40 size rubber -- figure out handling duties.
The RMR team first stripped all components from the frame -- bodywork, interior pieces, and drivetrain -- which spent a week with an Alkali bath to remove extraneous rubber and adhesives. An eight-point safety cage and firewall takes the place of standard comfort amenities such as passenger seats and interior panels. Next, the car received lightweight, carbon-fiber bodywork which first appeared on the "Art of Speed" Genesis unveiled at last November's SEMA show. Each component the team added weighs some 50% to 80% less than the part it replaces; for example, 119 lbs was shaved from the doors alone. Target weight stands at 2400 lbs.

hyundai genesis coupe