The Hyundai i30 N is the brand’s first offering under the brand’s new in-house performance division. What does this mean for the future of Hyundai’s performance cars?
TFLcar’s Nathan Adlen stopped by the Hyundai booth at this year’s SEMA show to check out a racing version of the new i30 N. If you haven’t heard of the car before, that’s because it’s not a model destined for the U.S. We know it as the Elantra GT, but we won’t (yet) be getting this hot version on our shores. Nevertheless, it’s interesting to see a racing version of the car and think about what this means for the future of Hyundai’s performance cars.
This particular i30 N is one of two cars that competed in the 24 Hours of Nurburgring race earlier this year in near-production specification. Roughly 50 cars ultimately did not finish, but these two cars both completed the race. The two cars achieved 244 laps and more than 6,000 kilometers on the track. That speaks well for the new car’s reliability, but what is it packing under the hood?
The i30 N, in production form, is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder pumping out at least 246 horsepower. If customers (outside the U.S., mind you) opt for the Performance Package, power goes up to 271 horsepower. The bump in power will accelerate the i30 N to 60 in just over 6 seconds. While the pace isn’t as brisk as a Golf GTI, Hyundai focused energy on chassis design with adaptive suspension and an electronic limited-slip differential. Hopefully, that makes the car something of a revelation in the handling department among hot hatches.
Upcoming Hyundai N Models
Even though we won’t see this particular car in the U.S., it is worth watching the i30 N. This car should give some indication of what Hyundai’s future N models will be like. We could just as well get an N version of the Elantra GT. If you’re looking forward to a new hot Hyundai, there is a Veloster N coming in the near future. That car will ride on the same platform as the new Elantra GT. So there’s still hope yet for us Americans who’d like to see a new performance hatch with the same chops as the i30 N!
Stay tuned to The Fast Lane Car for Hyundai N news as well as other SEMA exhibitions. Visit and subscribe to The Fast Lane Car and TFLnow on YouTube for news, views, and reviews of your favorite cars!
