Hyundai i30N to rival VW Golf GTI, gets 247 hp and 353 Nm, 6-speed manual!



Everyone wants a piece of the Volkswagen Golf, even from the Korean folks. They’ve launched the regular Hyundai i30 sometime back but hinted that a more powerful variant would come along to properly rival the Golf GTI. Introducing the new Hyundai i30N hot hatch.

The i30N is officially the first performance road car from Hyundai’s skunk works division, N. Horned at the Nürburgring Nordschleife with the expertise poached from rival companies (one of them is Albert Biermann who was formerly from BMW M), the i30N is doing everything it can to go against the Golf GTI for hot hatch supremacy.

It’s based on the ongoing third-generation i30 and can be had in two forms – the standard N and the hardcore Performance Package. The exterior gets clothed in an aggressive bodykit, wider intakes, black rear spoiler and rear diffuser with dual exhausts. The signature cascading grille here enhances air flow for improved engine cooling. Standard wheel size measure at 18-inch for the N, while the Performance Package receives larger 19-inches.

Underneath the hood is a 2.0-litre Theta turbocharged petrol engine, delivering 247 hp and 353 Nm of torque, with drive sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. The Performance Package gains an additional 24 hp, making for a total of 271 hp. The normal i30N completes the century sprint in 6.4 seconds, while the Performance Package is 0.3 seconds quicker. Top speed for both variants is electronically limited to 250 km/h.

The i30N comes together with a host of electronic driver’s aids, including launch control, rev-matching function, variable suspension damping, and Electronic Limited Slip Differential (for Performance Package only). The electronic sound generator is located at the base of the windscreen that provides some extra acoustic drama. Not really a driver’s aid, but it’s a brilliant tool to impress your friends. Also included are dual screen (5.0- and 8.0-inch) infotainment systems.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnNNys828UY

The Hyundai i30N will be produced at Hyundai’s production facility in Czech Republic and will go on sale later this year.


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