Rhys Millen, Genesis Coupe Team up for Pikes Peak Record

[Hyundai NEWS]

As is the case in many families, when Rhys Millen wanted to do some Sunday driving recently, he had to do so in his dad’s old set of wheels. The difference? Rhys was piloting a specially prepped Hyundai Genesis Coupe that his father—off-road legend Rod Millen—had used in 2009 to set a new class record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Also, one-upping Rod, Millen the younger took the Genesis to the top of the mountain in an overall record time, winning the 2012 event in just 9:46.164 for his RMR racing outfit.
The annual motorsports classic is held on Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Colo., with a route that covers 12.42 miles, more than 156 turns and 4,720 ft. of elevation. To handle that kind of course, RMR and Millen upgraded the Genesis Coupe with:

• New F200 Hankook racing slicks and HRE lightweight wheels
• A revised bodykit for better aerodynamics
• Numerous braking-system enhancements
• A Garrett turbocharger that allowed Millen to extricate 700 hp and 700 lb.-ft. of torque from the Hyundai’s V6 engine

“This year, it really came together for the RMR team at Pikes,” according to Rhys Millen. “With the insights gained from the last few years in our Genesis Coupe, the team was able to make some high-impact improvements, leveraging additional downforce and traction opportunities provided by the new all-tarmac surface [of the course]. And behind the wheel, my experience at Pikes Peak over the years allowed me to shave a few tenths from virtually every corner. Breaking the 10-minute barrier is something I’ve always wanted to do, and it feels great to accomplish this goal in 2012.”