Autoblog

Click above for a high-res image of the RMR Hyundai Genesis coupe.

Hyundai is planning a big showing at this year's SEMA show, dispatching with orange Elantras and be-winged Accents in favor of highlighting the automaker's first foray into rear-wheel-drive performance. Six concepts are planned – three Genesis sedans and three Genesis coupes – with both vehicles getting the attention of the country's top aftermarket specialists.

Hyundai will be releasing teasers of the three Genesis coupe projects in the coming weeks, but the first is proof that the aftermarket is taking Hyundai's new turbocharged 2.0-liter coupe seriously. Rhys Millen Racing has rendered up its own interpretation of what the Genesis coupe is capable of, with an eye on the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, Formula D drift series and Redline time attack.

The RMR coupe will benefit from a prototype wide body kit and turbo setup, built in house by Rhys and his team, sending power to the rear wheels through an HKS heavy-duty sequential gearbox. Suspension duties are handled by a set of K&W coilovers, along with Enkei racing wheels and Bridgestone RE-01 tires. Brembo brakes are mounted fore and aft, and inside a Sparco steering wheel and seats join an carbon fiber dash and an eight-point roll cage.

According to Hyundai's PR man, Miles Johnson, Millen is making regular calls to Hyundai engineers to extract every last bit of performance from the coupe, and expect more details on final output and the other two coupes throughout the summer.

With the cancellation of any D1 Grand Prix drift action in the United States this year, the Formula D season should keep drift-addicts entertained when it gets underway on April 12th in Long Beach, California. Last season closed with Tanner Foust and his AEM Nissan 350Z being crowned champion, and Foust's multiple motorsports wins in 2007 (he also captured the X-Games rally title) garnered him increased attention and sponsorship deals. In fact, Rockstar Energy Drink has now ditched Daijiro Yoshihara and Pacific Rim to pair up with Tanner Foust and AEM for 2008. No matter for Go Go Daijiro though, as Rhys Millen conveniently had his number. Looking to expand the Pontiac Red Bull crew, Millen could not pass up the opportunity to snatch up the two time 2007 event winner in need of a ride. Millen's old Pontiac GTO will come out of retirement for Yoshihara to pilot in 2008.

[Source: Exhaust Note]

There's probably a good reason why nobody has launched a truck off a ramp to execute a backflip. Despite that, Rhys Millen wants to be the first to pull it off. However, the dangers are very real and sometimes one's health is more important than the glory. While recently practicing for his Red Bull Experiment, Rhys Millen suffered an unfortunate accident leaving him with five fractured vertebrae. The incident took place after Millen successfully completed the flip three times into a cushion of cardboard boxes. It was the fourth and final jump test that landed him in the hospital. The truck apparently overshot the landing area and hit the ground -- hard. Thankfully, Rhys's injuries are non-threatening and although he won't be performing the trick in Las Vegas for New Year's Eve, he'll be back in action in due time. We wish him well and hope for a full and speedy recovery.

Thanks for the tip.Ray!

[Source: Red Bull]

New Year's Eve at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada Rhys Millen, with the help of Red Bull, will attempt the first ever (purposely performed) backflip of an off-road racing truck. The stunt is part of ESPN's No Limits broadcast immediately following the Chick-fil-A Bowl. It is scheduled to begin airing live at 11:15 pm EST on December 31st. That is of course, pending the clash of the tigers doesn't go into overtime. The experiment is no far stretch for Mr. Millen as he has performed many movie stunts behind the wheel, along with claiming Pike's Peak and Formula D titles. If the stunt doesn't go as planned Rhys has no one to blame but himself since his crew took on the responsibility of designing and building the launch ramp.

Follow the jump to see a teaser video of Rhys Millen and his Red Bull truck courtesy of GT Channel.

[Source: Red Bull Experiment]

As expected, Rhys Millen and his Pontiac Solstice GXP dominated not only the inaugural 2WD Time Attack class, but when the dust settled, he was four-seconds faster than Nathan Conley in an '03 Subaru WRX Wagon competing in the 4WD division. Millen made it up the mountain in 12:45.153, while his nearest competitor in the 2WD class, Colin J. McCleery in an '89 Ford Sierra, was a full minute and 50 seconds behind.

Millen was pleased with both his driving and the GXP, but was less enthused with the course conditions, citing poor traction on parts of the gravel-strewn stages.

You can read Millen's full account of the race in the press release after the jump, while the overall standings of all the competitors can be viewed here.

[Sources: GM, PPHIC]

For more years than we can count, we've threatened to make it to Colorado to experience the spectacle that is the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Making it out this year was yet another logistical nightmare, so we've decided to live vicariously through our friends in attendance, while keeping tabs on our hero, Rhys Millen and his Red Bull Pontiac Solstice GXP.

We gave you the details on Rhys' ride last month, the same GXP that he's been sliding sideways since his GTO exited stage left. On Thursday, Mr. Millen made his way up the first section of the mountain in an absolutely scorching 5:32:756, taking first place in the inaugural Time Attack two-wheel drive class, and leaving his nearest competitor nearly a full minute behind.

He tells the tale in the press release after the jump, but one factoid in the text deserves note: he's running E85 in an effort to cope with the elevation changes and the high temps of running a turbocharged vehicle up the hill. According to Millen, his success is attributed to the combination of his sideways skills and the E85 engine's ability to keep cool under duress. They're not even running a spray system on the intercooler – impressive, to say the least.

Make the jump to get the skinny on the qualifying session, and be sure to check back tomorrow when we'll have an update on Rhys' overall performance at the Race to the Clouds.

[Source: GM]

The organizers of this year's Pike's Peak Hill Climb have added a new Time Attack class to the event, and one of our personal heroes is returning to beat the mountain into submission.

Rhys Millen, the pilot of the 550 HP Pontiac Solstice GXP drift car, Pike's Peak veteran, renowned rally racer and all-around driving deity, will be flogging his heavily modified sideways sidewinder up the hill during the Time Attack's inaugural run.

The Solstice itself will remain relatively unmodified for the event, keeping the same suspension setup, but tweaking the ECU to cope with the elevation changes and its affect on the air/fuel ratio.

There's too much good stuff to summarize here, so we'd encourage you to click the 'Read' link below for all the details, including several choice insights from Millen.

[Source: GM]

NASCAR drivers don't usually like to experience extreme oversteer in their racecars because it usually means they're spinning out of control and about to hit the wall. Tomorrow, however, a brave group of NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers will fight their instincts in a drift battle against some of the top D1 drifters at Irwindale Speedway, the site of this country's very first professional drift event in 2003. All of the proceeds from the event, called the Mopar D1 All-Star Duel presented by ShiftIntoGear, will go to the Kasey Kahne Foundation.

Kasey Kahne himself will be among the eight NASCAR drivers drifting it out at Irwindale, along with Bill Elliot, Robby Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Chris Cook, Greg Biffle and Casey Mears. The professional drifters, meanwhile, will be lead by none other than Samuel Hubinette, a.k.a. the Crazy Swede, and also include Ken Nomura, Toshiki Yoshioka, Voughn Gittin, Rhys Millen, Tanner Foust, Hideo Hiraoka, Takahiro Ueno and Tatsuya Sakuma.

Chris Cook, professional racer and part owner of the ShiftIntoGear professional driving school, will be responsible for educating the NASCAR drivers in the fine art of drifting before flying off to compete in the NASCAR Busch Series race at Kentucky Speedway this weekend.

We sure hope ESPN or some show is on hand to capture this event. Regardless of whether or not you're a fan of drifting, it's going to be fun to watch.

[Source: Irwindale Speedway]

UPDATE: GM RELEASED PICS FINALLY (click for high rez)


With the Goat about to go bye-bye again, Pontiac needed to cough up another car for its championship drifter Ryhs Millen to pilot in this year’s Formula D circuit. Fortunately the 2007 Pontiac GXP makes a perfect choice thanks to its RWD layout and potent 2.0L ECOTEC engine. The ECOTEC four-cylinder has been pumped up to over 1,400 hp in drag racing applications, so the fact that it will provide Millen’s right foot with 500 hp is no surprise. And the darn thing runs on E85! Live Green, Go Yellow, Burn Rubber we always say.

Domestics have dominated the Formula D circuit since its inception a few years ago, with either Millen in his GTO or Samuel Hubinette in his Dodge Viper taking top honors at nearly every competition. Hubinette will also be trading in his Viper this season for something a little more accessible to John Q drifter… a Dodge Charger drifting sedan.

The first competition of the 2006 season has already taken place, and we’re not surprised that Hubinette, the 2004 Champion, is in the lead with Millen, last year’s champion, following close behind in points.

We put in a call to Pontiac for an actual pic of the Red Bull Solstice GXP drifter and are awaiting a reply.

Follow the jump for GM's official release that includes more details on the Red Bull racer.

[Source: GM]