Hyundai i20 N Rally1 #6 D. Sordo / C. Carrera Rally Monte Carlo 2023 IXO 1:18

While Thierry Neuville anchors Hyundai's Monte Carlo assault as the team's full championship contender, Dani Sordo brings a different dimension to car #6. Sordo races selected WRC rounds for Hyundai Motorsport as a specialist event driver — and Monte Carlo, with its demanding tarmac-to-ice transitions and the compressed preparation timeline of January, sits among the stages where his pace has historically been most difficult to challenge. IXO documents this second Hyundai entry from the 2023 opening round in 1:18 diecast.

Sordo as Monte Carlo Specialist — The Case for Car #6

Dani Sordo's role within Hyundai Motorsport differs structurally from Neuville's campaign. Racing a programme of selected events rather than the complete season, Sordo appears where his specific skills are best deployed — and Monte Carlo has consistently rewarded his tarmac precision and familiarity with southern French stage roads. Car #6 therefore represents a different competitive function within the same factory deployment: a targeted specialist entry rather than a season-long championship build.

For collectors documenting the 2023 Monte Carlo Rally specifically, this distinction matters. The two Hyundai i20 N Rally1 entries operated from the same service park but carried different strategic objectives — Neuville chasing championship points from the opening round, Sordo aiming for stage wins and providing the team with additional development data. IXO's livery documentation preserves this specificity: the #6 identification on doors and bonnet, co-driver Carlos Carrera's name strip, and the identical i20 N Rally1 specification that Hyundai fielded for both drivers that January.

Physically, this 1:18 diecast matches the Neuville car in construction quality while documenting the separate crew. At approximately 25 centimetres, the i20 N's proportions — notably the wide front track, compact roofline, and Rally1-regulation air intake scoop — are consistent between the two models, making them natural shelf companions. The Hyundai Motorsport blue reproduces with the same tampo print quality, sponsor placement corresponding to the team's official 2023 Monte Carlo specification on both pieces.

IXO's 1:18 Diecast Approach to Modern WRC Documentation

IXO established itself as the primary systematic documenter of WRC competition across decades and manufacturers. Their approach prioritises coverage breadth — ensuring every significant entry from championship rounds receives a scale model treatment — over the premium finish levels of smaller-run producers. At 1:18, this delivers opening features standard across the WRC range: doors, bonnet, and boot lid operate on metal hinges, and interior detail shows the mandatory FIA safety equipment that modern Rally1 regulations require. Roll cage, seat installation, and co-driver equipment arrangement represent the specific Sordo/Carrera pairing rather than a generic rally interior.

Livery accuracy represents IXO's strongest competitive claim. Official WRC licensing provides access to Hyundai Motorsport's exact graphic specifications, and the corporate blue here matches the team's 2023 branding rather than a photographic approximation. This distinction matters most when both Hyundai entries sit side by side — the identical shade across #6 and #11 reads immediately as a coherent factory deployment, which is precisely how collectors assembling event-complete documentation want to display the pair.

Comparing IXO with alternatives for this modern WRC subject: Otto produces 1:18 resin WRC models in sealed format, delivering sharper body line tolerances at the cost of opening features. For hobbyists who want to handle and examine interior rally preparation detail, IXO's diecast provides the more accessible experience. For those prioritising exterior surface precision on display, Otto's sealed construction achieves tighter shut lines. Both approaches serve genuine collecting needs at different price points.

IXO Hyundai i20 N Rally1 1:18 Sordo — Pairing with Neuville

The dual-Hyundai Monte Carlo 2023 display is the natural collecting context for this piece. Side by side, the Sordo #6 and Neuville #11 reproduce a complete Hyundai Motorsport factory deployment — the two-car team strategy that modern WRC manufacturers field at selected championship rounds. The matched liveries and identical i20 N Rally1 specification make the pairing visually coherent, while the distinct car numbers and crew name strips document the separate competitive functions within the same event.

British collectors who follow WRC as a season-long narrative — an audience with deep roots in the championship going back to the McRae and Burns generations — will recognise the Monte Carlo entry as the opening chapter of the 2023 title battle. Both Hyundai entries documented here represent a specific moment in the i20 N Rally1's competitive development, and IXO's systematic production of the full manufacturer field from 2023 Monte Carlo makes this the entry point for a complete event collection rather than a standalone purchase.