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Hyundai Appoints Former Citroen, Peugeot & Toyota Key People for WRC Project

South Korean carmaker Hyundai is getting ready to return to the World Rally Championship (WRC) next year by appointing a number of key people, formerly involved with brands such as Citroen, Peugeot, Subaru or Toyota.
Hyundai i20 WRC 1 photo
Photo: Hyundai
According to Autocar, experienced rally technician Stephane Girard has been appointed as engine manager and Bertrand Vallat was charged to head the design team. Girard had worked in the past for Subaru, Citroen and Peugeot, while Vallat was involved in creating the Peugeot 207 S2000 rally car.

The other people joining Hyundai's WRC efforts are Alain Penasse, who will be the team manager starting April 22, and Ernst Kopp, brought to head the team’s workshop. Penasse has been envolved with Toyota and Peugeot, while Kopp worked for Toyota’s WRC team and other Le Mans, Formula One projects.

“We’ve been evolving rapidly since the beginning of the year and made great progress in filling all the main roles to establish our core team. We’re facing a big and exciting challenge in building a team from scratch, and we have now only nine months to prepare for next year.

Hyundai will tackle the 2014 World Rally Championship season with a modified i20 vehicle. Revealed last year, the i20 WRC was showcased in its second development phase at Geneva last month.

Story via Autocar
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About the author: Ciprian Florea
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Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.
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