Hyundai creating new mid-mounted ICE powertrain for future rear-drive sports activities automotive
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Hyundai is creating an inner combustion engine (ICE) that’s set to be mid-mounted, a format frequent in unique sports activities automotive from manufacturers together with Ferrari, Lamborghini, and even the extra humble outdated Toyota MR2, which is mooted for a return.
The Korean auto model has by no means supplied a mid-engined mannequin, however it has produced a number of ‘Racing Midship’ (RM) branded sports activities automotive ideas since 2014 (together with the electrified RM20e pictured beneath), primarily based on the Veloster and incorporating mid-mounted turbocharged engines and rear-wheel drive.
However now in a YouTube video posted by the Hyundai Motor Group, a researcher from the corporate’s engine design crew, Daehee Kim, has confirmed that an ‘MR’ – which stands for mid-mounted, rear-wheel drive – powertrain is being developed, which might be a primary for the model.
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‘Mid-mounted’ (or mid-ship) refers to a car which has its engine solely between the entrance and rear axles, which brings weight distribution benefits and higher driving dynamics, corresponding to within the Porsche Cayman. The commonest type of mechanical format for street automobiles is front-engined, whereas some automobiles – most famously the Porsche 911 – have an engine over the rear axle.
“We’re at present creating the MR engine,” confirmed Mr Kim within the video clip. “The MR engine is a very new engine, and its design and configuration is sort of completely different from every other engine.
“It’s a high-speed, high-performance engine, so we’re going through a number of challenges. Nonetheless, we’re progressively establishing a course with our seniors.
“Our crew’s aim is to develop an engine that meets the efficiency necessities of the market, and mass produce it with none issues. This requires a disciplined method to not overlooking even the smallest particulars.”
The clip confirms that regardless of the MR program relationship again greater than a decade, it has not been deserted – regardless of the Hyundai group’s headlong assault on the electrical car (EV) market, together with with high-performance N-badged mannequin variants just like the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6.
The brand new engine has been described by Hyundai as one “that has by no means existed earlier than” and which has a “very completely different” format, suggesting it would energy a brand new sports activities automotive that’s but to be revealed.
Based mostly on this, it’s clear Hyundai shouldn’t be referring to the twin-turbo V8 engine the corporate is engaged on for its 2026 Genesis Magma Le Mans racer – the GMR-001 Hypercar – which has not formally been confirmed to spawn a road-going mannequin.
Magma is the high-performance arm of Genesis – Hyundai’s premium sister model.
As a part of the 2030 Imaginative and prescient enterprise technique it introduced in September 2025, Hyundai Motor Group confirmed a worldwide gross sales goal of 5.5 million annual car gross sales by the top of this decade, together with 3.3 million electrified autos (EVs and hybrids).
The latter quantity may even embrace extended-range electrical autos (EREVs) from 2027, with the Genesis concentrating on 350,000 annual gross sales comprising a mixture of EVs, EREVs, and hybrids (HEVs).
Plans for Hyundai’s high-performance N division embrace seven fashions, which can see a brand new i20 N hybrid sizzling hatch launched after the next-generation gentle hatch arrives in showrooms in 2026.
MORE: Discover the Hyundai showroom
