Hyundai may be making a push into the world of sports cars with its upcoming N Performance brand, but SEMA will play host to a fast Hyundai of a different kind. Forget about hot hatches and Nurburgring lap times, the 1,040-hp (776-kW) Santa-Fast is purpose-built to turn heads and grab attention on the floor of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The Santa-Fast might have started life as a mundane soft-roader, but Hyundai and tuning-house Bisimoto have completely overhauled it for SEMA. All-wheel drive has been turfed in favour of rear-drive, and the standard engine has been replaced by a totally reworked turbo V6.
Based on Hyundai's Gamma V6 motor, it's been fitted with a twin-turbo kit running a staggering 39 PSI of boost. To handle the pressure, the engine is fitted with forged pistons, racing injectors, and heavy-duty waste gates. There's a totally reworked valvetrain, too, and the whole setup is managed by an Infinity 908 ECU.
All the power is put to the road through a Hyundai Equus rear differential, and the standard automatic gearbox has been swapped for a six-speed manual setup nicked from the Genesis. The whole package sits lower thanks to KW coil-over suspension, attached to 19-inch wheels wrapped in R888 Toyo 265/35 tires.
With so much power on tap the factory-fitted cloth seats were never really going to cut it, which is why MOMO bucket seats and a full roll cage have been slotted into the stripped-back interior.
The car will be on display at the Las Vegas Convention Center between November 1st and 4th this year.
Source: Hyundai