A 1,000 horsepower Hyundai Santa Fe — WTF, man? Even if it’s just a concept car produced by Bisimoto teaming up with Hyundai, it’s still insane to think about. 1,000 horsepower on a car that small? That thing must scream down the road. While there aren’t any official 0-to-60 mph times right now, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw some pop up on the internet soon. This presumably speedy Santa Fe will be showcased at the SEMA aftermarket trade show at the Las Vegas Convention Center in November, so they might take it for a spin after more hype builds. Unfortunately, ride alongs won’t be available. It’s officially dubbed as the Santa-Fast concept by Bisimoto, and will be labeled under that at the show if you’re heading over there. That way, you know exactly what to look for.
But, if your curiosity can’t wait or, like most of us, you can’t make this year’s SEMA show, then read on to learn what little we know of the “Santa-Fast” concept car.
A Little Blurb About Bisimoto
Before that, I think it’s important to give Bisimoto a little credit. This is a company that has a reputation for building some of the best concept cars. In particular, their forte seems to be shoving a stupid amount of horsepower into your daily-driving vehicles. With how increasingly popular crossovers are, it only makes sense that the company decided to try its hand at something relevant.
They are also unofficially known for creating extreme amounts of hype around a concept vehicle, while simultaneously crushing the hopes and dreams of many consumers when they realize these concept cars will never become a reality. Therefore, it’s highly unlikely that Hyundai will never make this concept car from Bisimoto a reality. So, I caution you against falling for it too hard.
How they Did It
I’m sure the burning question from many readers right now is how they managed to give a Santa Fe 1,000 horsepower. Thankfully, this is part of what we do know.
The concept rig takes the 3.8-liter V6 engine found on the Santa Fe and flips it to power the crossover’s rear wheels. Then, they use a custom twin-turbocharger setup, skyrocketing the power output to 1,000 horsepower or more.
One of the major updates comes courtesy of the Genesis G90, a luxury/performance model, because the “Santa-Fast” is using the rear differential to direct the power to the rear-wheels. For extra fun points, Bisimoto even threw a manual transmission on this ride.
Any Other Alterations?
Naturally, there would have to be for a vehicle like this to support this type of power. If that was thrown on a stock suspension and chassis, it would probably cripple them to the point beyond repair. Therefore, Bisimoto and Hyundai outfitted the “Santa-Fast” with a custom rear sub-frame and four-point roll cage to help support the vehicle and the driver. Custom axles and half-shafts ensure the power won’t wreak havoc on the parts located between the crankshaft and rear wheels. The braking system also needed to be updated, simply for safety purposes. What’s it take to stop that type of power? Buddy club four-piston brakes.
Aesthetic alterations are low-key. New wheels, a full-car vinyl wrap, new grille, and mud guards are taken directly from Hyundai’s inventory of accessories, and the KW suspension components give it a slightly lower ride-height than before.
Then again, who needs looks when you’re zipping along, backed by 1,000 horsepower?
