Hyundai has set a new land speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats—and it did so in a modified version of its upcoming right-lane-hugging, hypermiling Prius fighter, the 2017 Ioniq hybrid.
The FIA-approved record, of 157.825 mph, and a peak speed of 160.7 mph, was set in the hybrid-vehicle category (FIA’s Category A, Group XI) on September 17. We can’t say how long this record will stand, however, given that the new Acura NSX, for example, is a hybrid vehicle that’ll do 191 mph in stock form (ahem, Acura, you might want to step up and make that official).
We’ll present two ways to process this. On one hand, Hyundai is giving its burnishing the cred of its newly engineered dual-clutch hybrid running gear. And on the other hand, it’s publicizing the Ioniq nameplate ahead of its U.S. launch—in mere weeks—albeit with an image that’s a complete counterpoint to the Ioniq’s eco-friendly positioning, not to mention a strong contrast to how you’ll actually encounter this model in the wild: watching from behind as its driver feathers the accelerator up a long grade at 10 mph under the speed limit.
With its anticipated EPA combined fuel-economy rating of better than 50 mpg and its wind-cheating Kamm-back profile, the Ioniq is the most direct rival yet to the Toyota Prius liftback. It will have a 104-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine plus a 43-hp electric motor and a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. And while its power specs—and its anticipated acceleration time of about 10 seconds to 60 mph—will be very close to those of the Prius, Hyundai seems eager to prove that there’s a little more excitement (or at the very least, a little more capability in its hybrid system) simmering under the surface.
The prototype that achieved the record was far from stock, of course. Modifications included special low-restriction exhaust and intake systems, an ECU recalibration and top-speed-governor removal, a single-stage nitrous-injection system, underbody air-dam changes, and various aerodynamic aids, as well as a safety cage and harness and other racing must-haves. The revamped competition coil-over suspension brings ride height down by nearly four inches, and it’s complemented by Goodyear Eagle rubber on lightweight aerodynamic wheels, while weight has been cut by removing the air conditioning and various interior pieces and accessories. And if you’ve been closely following your Ioniq news, you might pick out from these pictures that this record-breaking car uses the front end of the Ioniq Electric version.
One footnote: If you’ve been reading Car and Driver long enough, this idea might seem a little familiar. In 2004, executive editor Aaron Robinson took a Toyota Prius up to more than 130.794 mph on the flats.
The Ioniq Hybrid and Ioniq Electric both will go on sale late this year, with a plug-in-hybrid version due sometime in 2017.
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