Paddon to lead Hyundai Mobis World Rally Team

February 5, 2015

Paddon to lead Hyundai Mobis World Rally Team

Hayden Paddon will lead the Hyundai Mobis World Rally Team for the rest of this year’s World Rally Championship with co-driver John Kennard in their i20 WRC car.

The team, which is supported by Hyundai-Mobis, a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company that supplies Hyundai’s global production & genuine spare parts requirements, will run alongside the same i20 WRC cars driven by Thierry Neuville & Dani Sordo.

Geraldine’s Paddon and Kennard from Blenheim will compete in all 12 remaining rounds of the WRC starting at the Rally of Sweden, which gets under way from Karlstad in central Sweden, next Thursday, 12 February.

The team’s official test driver Kevin Abbring of Sweden will also take part in at least four WRC rounds for the Hyundai Mobis World Rally Team during 2015 in a fourth car.

Despite rallying with two separate team names in 2015 – as was the case last season – Hyundai Motorsport will manage all cars from the same operational base in the event service parks, and with the same skilled team of engineers and mechanics.

“We are pleased to name Hyundai Mobis as the primary partner for our other team, as we prepare to run three cars from Rally Sweden,” said Team Principal Michel Nandan.

“The new team will run in parallel to the Hyundai Shell World Rally Team, with cars for Neuville and Sordo for the rest of the 2015 season,” said Mr Nandan.

“The Hyundai Mobis team will allow some of world rallying’s’ rising stars – Paddon and Abbring - the chance to showcase their talent on a competitive stage, something we as a WRC manufacturer take very seriously.”

Paddon’s 2015 WRC campaign is being supported by Hyundai New Zealand, and its dealer network.

About Hyundai New Zealand
Hyundai has been in New Zealand for over 31 years, and is a 100% New Zealand owned and operated company. Hyundai has been the number one selling diesel passenger vehicle brand for 9 years running, with the Santa Fe holding number one spot for diesel passenger vehicle sales, and the ix35 as New Zealand’s No.1 selling Small SUV in 2014. Hyundai is committed to helping New Zealand families through The Hyundai Family Time Project. Find out more by visiting www.familytimeproject.co.nz, or for more information visit www.hyundai.co.nz.

About Hyundai Motor Company
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Co. has grown into the Hyundai Motor Group, with more than two dozen auto-related subsidiaries and affiliates. Hyundai Motor Group has seven manufacturing bases outside of South Korea including Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, India, Russia, Turkey and the U.S. Hyundai sold 4.9 million vehicles globally in 2014, and employs over 100,000 staff worldwide.

Hyundai Motor Company is the fastest growing automotive brand since 2005, according to the 2014 Interbrand ‘Best Global Brand’ survey. The growth rate of the Hyundai Motor Company brand in the last year alone has been calculated at 15.6%. Its current brand value of US$10.4 billion ranks it seventh among global automotive companies. They offer a full line-up of products including small to large passenger vehicles, SUVs and commercial vehicles. Further information about Hyundai Motor Group and its products is available at www.hyundai.com.

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