Hyundai Is Developing a New ICE for Mid-Engine Cars

This might come as a surprise, but Hyundai has been experimenting with mid-engine prototypes for over a decade. Work on the RM (Racing Midship) project began in 2012, but it wasn’t until a couple of years later that the RM14 broke cover as a rear-wheel-drive Veloster with its engine mounted between the axles. The subsequent RM15, RM16, and RM19 were also based on the quirky hatchback, yet a production version never materialized.

However, it seems Hyundai hasn’t abandoned its pursuit of a mid-engine car. A new official video posted on YouTube by the company’s Korean branch confirms the project is still very much alive. In it, a researcher from the engine design team goes on record to say that an MR (midship, rear-wheel-drive) engine is currently in development.

Described as a high-revving, high-performance unit, the engine’s progress hasn’t been without challenges, as the engineers admit they’re “experiencing many difficulties.” Still, Hyundai appears to be gradually ironing out the kinks, suggesting there’s a real chance the project could eventually reach production.

The company’s stated goal is to “develop an engine that meets the performance requirements of the market and to mass-produce it without any problems.” While it’s impossible to be certain, that statement makes it sound unlikely that Hyundai is referring to the twin-turbo V-8 designed for Genesis Magma Racing’s GMR-001 race car.

Hyundai calls the new engine one “that has never existed before,” featuring a “very different” design and configuration. By contrast, GMR’s powerplant, developed by Hyundai Motorsport in Germany since 2024, is based on the four-cylinder 1.6-liter engine from the WRC program, sharing roughly 60 percent of its parts with that smaller unit.

Until Hyundai or Genesis clarifies the situation, all we can do is speculate. Perhaps the new V-8 for endurance racing is the engine mentioned in the video. Another plausible scenario is that Hyundai is developing a comparable powertrain for road-legal cars under Genesis’ newly formed Magma performance sub-brand or the Hyundai N lineup. A third possibility is that two different engines are being developed: the V-8 for LMDh and another internal-combustion unit for a mid-engine street car bearing the Hyundai or Genesis badge.

Meanwhile, we’re still waiting patiently for Hyundai to deliver the production-ready N Vision 74 supercar it has been teasing for some time. Even if it doesn’t use a combustion engine, the concept’s combination of dual hydrogen tanks and a battery pack is intriguing. With 671 horsepower on tap and futuristic styling reminiscent of a modernized DeLorean DMC-12, it has certainly caught our attention.

Enthusiasts would argue that shoving that V-8 behind the seats for a flagship N car would be a far better choice, but Hyundai hasn't said anything about putting a gas engine in its radical sports car.