Hyundai Accent WRC
Hyundai's three-generation World Rally Car from 2000 to 2003.
The Hyundai Accent WRC was a World Rally Car developed by Motor Sport Developments for the Hyundai Castrol World Rally Team. Based on the road-going Hyundai Accent, it made its debut at the 2000 Rally Sweden. The car competed in the World Rally Championship from 2000 to 2003, going through three official generations.
The first evolution, the Accent WRC, was introduced after a year of development and testing in 1999. Its successor, the Accent WRC2, brought revised aerodynamics, an active front differential, longer suspension travel, and improved suspension top mounts, though most work focused on boosting reliability. Like the original, its best result in a WRC event was fourth place. The Accent WRC3, which featured new dampers and engine internals among other updates, first appeared at the 2002 Tour de Corse.
Drivers during the car’s lifespan included four-time world champion Juha Kankkunen, ex-Subaru winner and former Group A champion Kenneth Eriksson, and former British Rally Champion Alister McRae—though the first two were near the end of their careers. Belgian Freddy Loix and 1991 Rally Catalunya winner Armin Schwarz also drove the works Accents. The car showed flashes of competitiveness and promise.
Development effectively stopped during the 2003 season due to budget limits. In September of that year, Hyundai announced its withdrawal from the WRC. The manufacturer later returned with the Hyundai i20 WRC, unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.
Quick Facts
- Car Name
- Hyundai Accent WRC
- Category
- World Rally Car
- Constructor
- Motor Sport Developments
- Designer
- Nick Clipson (Chief Engineer)
- Successor
- Hyundai i20 WRC (Hyundai Motorsport GmbH)
- Wrc
- yes
- Team
- KOR Hyundai Castrol World Rally Team
- Drivers
- SWE Kenneth Eriksson · FIN Juha Kankkunen · ITA Piero Liatti · BEL Freddy Loix · GBR Alister McRae · GER Armin Schwarz
- Length
- 4200 mm
- Height
- 1332 mm
- Wheelbase
- 2440 mm
- Track
- 1550 mm
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Accent WRC was developed and tested in 1999 before its debut at the 2000 Swedish Rally. The second evolution, Accent WRC2, featured revised aerodynamics, an active front differential, longer suspension travel and improved suspension top mounts, though most attention was directed at improving reliability. Like its predecessor, the car's best result in a WRC event remained a fourth place. The Accent WRC3, with new dampers and engine internals among other changes, debuted at the 2002 Tour de Corse.
Drivers included four-time world champion Juha Kankkunen, ex-Subaru rally-winning and former Group A champion Kenneth Eriksson, former British Rally Champion Alister McRae, Belgian Freddy Loix, and 1991 Rally Catalunya winner Armin Schwarz. Kankkunen and Eriksson drove in the twilight of their careers. The car was reasonably competitive at times and showed some promise.
Due to budget constraints, the car's development was virtually halted during the 2003 season. In September, Hyundai announced its withdrawal from the WRC. They returned to the championship with the Hyundai i20 WRC, unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.
Reader's Guide
The Hyundai Accent WRC represents Hyundai's first full works effort in the World Rally Championship, spanning three evolutions from 2000 to 2003. Despite never achieving a podium finish—its best result being fourth place—the car demonstrated occasional competitiveness in the hands of experienced drivers such as Juha Kankkunen, Kenneth Eriksson, and Alister McRae. The Accent WRC2 focused heavily on reliability improvements, while the WRC3 introduced new dampers and engine internals. Development was halted during the 2003 season due to budget constraints, leading to Hyundai's withdrawal from the championship that September. The car's legacy lies in laying the groundwork for Hyundai's eventual return to the WRC in 2012 with the i20 WRC. The Accent WRC remains a notable chapter in the marque's rally history, showing promise without breaking through to victory.
More in Rally Cars, Part 4 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced