It's a Hat-Trick of Trophies for Hyundai's i30

SYDNEY – November 25, 2010: Team Hyundai Rallye has taken out three titles in the 2010 Australian Rally Championship (ARC) season.

After completing the last round of the ARC in Victoria, the team won the ‘Showroom Series’, ‘Eco- Challenge’ and ‘Class P4’ titles in the 2010 ARC Championship.

“We are ecstatic with the result. Everyone involved worked so hard all year,” said driver Mick Gillett. “Our team has been rallying together for many years, hoping for this kind of result. Finally we are living the dream, driving a competitive car in the ARC, and bringing home the trophies!”

It was a combination of consistency, reliability and agility that separated the i30 CRDi turbo diesel from the competition.

Entering the last round, Team Hyundai Rallye had already accrued enough points to secure the titles across the three classes. But it was still game on for co-driver Harvey Smith. “We wanted to showcase the fantastic reliability of the i30 by completing all of the series’ competitive stages.”

The tricky course loaded with switchbacks was run in challenging conditions. Heavy storms on Friday night forced event organisers to cut short the Saturday forest stage due to potential safety risks.

While the team were disappointed the stage had to be shortened, Gillett commented, “It would have been great to keep going as the i30 was handling and performing very well in the extreme conditions.”

“The team had a wonderful weekend with fantastic results to close off the 2010 series,” said Nick Aravanis, Hyundai Motor Company Australia’s Director of Aftersales. “We could not have done it without the enthusiasm of the local Hyundai dealerships that have supported the team at each event, and provided some really fantastic young technicians to work as part of the service crew.”

The 2011 Australian Rally Championship kicks off with the Quit Forest Rally in Western Australia in April, 2011.