RE: Hyundai i30 N full details
Tuesday 12th September 2017
Hyundai has finally released full details of its forthcoming i30 N hot hatchback. Lots of details, in fact, following what has been a long gestation period for the car under the stewardship of Albert Biermann - who used to be VP of engineering for BMW's M vehicles.
Are five-door hot hatches really better?The car has previously raced at the Nurburgring 24 hours and Biermann says that Hyundai is very serious about producing a proper sports hatchback.
Drive is at the end of the month...Mechanically, the Performance Package is the more intriguing proposition, though. As well as the power increase to 275hp, it gets 19-inch wheels (with Pirelli P Zeros) rather than the regular N's 18s and Michelins, a proper e-diff - an electronically controlled mechanical limited-slip item, not just a system that tweaks the brakes - and a variable exhaust valve that will, in some drive modes (of which there are five, giving differing states of suspension stiffness, steering weight, and engine response), let the 'zorst pop a bit via an 'after-fire' setting. Red calipers set the Performance Pack off. Those extras mean the Performance Pack weighs 29kg more than the standard i30 N, at 1,429kg, but does have a faster 0-62mph time, of 6.2sec rather than 6.4sec. Both top out at 155mph.
Hyundai i30 N - Frankfurt 2017
Don't forget the Megane isn't the only hot hatch making its debut in Germany!
Are five-door hot hatches really better?
The i30 N, then, is it. It'll come in two flavours - one with 250hp, or a Performance Package variant with 275hp. Both make 260lb ft.
Standard to both is a 2.0-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, driving the front-wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. There are MacPherson struts at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. The steering's electrically assisted via a rack-mounted motor. So far, so hatchback.
The i30 N gets adaptive dampers, too, and both standard car and Performance Package look similar, receiving the usual round of highlights that earmark a hatch as a hot one: some diffuser action at the rear, red trim highlighting, aluminium pedals, sports seats and a funkier steering wheel. There's launch control, a rev-match system on downshifts and, like a VW Golf R, a resonator at the base of the windscreen to make angry engine sounds.
Drive is at the end of the month...
Why 'N'? The symbol represents a chicane, apparently, plus Hyundai's performance HQ is based near the Nurburgring. Hyundai says it will put an emphasis is on "affordable performance". The i30 N should cost from under £30,000 when it goes on sale this autumn.
Matt Prior
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Discussion
serioiusly, why do car designs look so similar? it's like the group 6 that got a 1st in car design degree dissertation at uni all took the idea onto their graduate job working for a manufacturer, only they're all at different manufacturers.
headlights look like a ford focus
front grille is any audi
front side grilles remind me of an A-class (or maybe something else)
side profile from a 308
rear lights look like the older golf mk6 or something else.
the placement of those rear foglights is really bad.and sort of reminds me of a porsche 911.
headlights look like a ford focus
front grille is any audi
front side grilles remind me of an A-class (or maybe something else)
side profile from a 308
rear lights look like the older golf mk6 or something else.
the placement of those rear foglights is really bad.and sort of reminds me of a porsche 911.
Glad to finally have the full wack of details for this!
It's very reminiscent, both inside and out, of KIA's Pro Cee'd GT. I actually test drove one of them and it was great bar the performance, which was a bit of a let-down. At least they've given this a bit more lead in it's pencil.
I must say that i am feeling a bit underwhelmed about this now though. I'm not exactly sure what it is or maybe i was just hoping for a bit more. I don't wanna sound too dreary as this is set to be a belting car, no doubt.
It's very reminiscent, both inside and out, of KIA's Pro Cee'd GT. I actually test drove one of them and it was great bar the performance, which was a bit of a let-down. At least they've given this a bit more lead in it's pencil.
I must say that i am feeling a bit underwhelmed about this now though. I'm not exactly sure what it is or maybe i was just hoping for a bit more. I don't wanna sound too dreary as this is set to be a belting car, no doubt.
It ticks a lot of boxes but at that price it'll compete directly against the next Focus ST and maybe the lower specced RS Megane MK4, both of which will be an easier sell to the traditional hot hatch customer.
Perhaps its success will depend on the discounts available?
Fair play to them though. Looks a darn good first effort even though the styling is very part-Focus-part-308 to my eyes.
Perhaps its success will depend on the discounts available?
Fair play to them though. Looks a darn good first effort even though the styling is very part-Focus-part-308 to my eyes.
Its nice to see something different from Hyundai, but is this it?
It looks half finished.
The picture of the brakes looked like they have been cooked, not what you need on a performance car, neither is 1400+kg, that's fat and lardy, I just hope it makes up for it with the handling.
Interior looks nice enough, it probably will pull in quite a few buyers who want something different and a long warranty, but for this sized hot hatch, there are so many other good cars out there which will make it difficult for the i30 N to sell well.
It looks half finished.
The picture of the brakes looked like they have been cooked, not what you need on a performance car, neither is 1400+kg, that's fat and lardy, I just hope it makes up for it with the handling.
Interior looks nice enough, it probably will pull in quite a few buyers who want something different and a long warranty, but for this sized hot hatch, there are so many other good cars out there which will make it difficult for the i30 N to sell well.
ambuletz said:
serioiusly, why do car designs look so similar?
front grille is any audi
rear lights look like the older golf mk6 or something else.
If you did your homework you'd know Peter Schreyer, Hyundai's chief designer, is known most famously for his work for both Audi (A3/A4/A6/TT) and VW (Golf/New Beetle/Eos and the stillborn Concept R).front grille is any audi
rear lights look like the older golf mk6 or something else.
tonyb1968 said:
, neither is 1400+kg, that's fat and lardy
That is most probably including the driver and with most equipment in place. Then the weight is just fine. Comparing to old cars usually doesn't work well, because usually that (same class) car was a lot smaller, was weighed without driver included and they usually forgot to fit 50-100kg of equipment most markets get/choose... kapiteinlangzaam said:
I dont care how many BHP its got, nearly 30k GBP for a Hyundai i30 is pushing 'interesting/comical' pricing territory in my eyes.....
Whilst I am not normally one for being in the "I can't believe X-car costs Y-Pounds" camp, the quoted post is perhaps correct when a similarly powered Focus ST is "from "£24k" and a 'much better on paper' Focus RS is "from £32k".Of course, no-one pays list price or 'cash' any more so the crucial figure will be the monthly Lease or PCP value, and when people are somewhat used to £299pcm for a Golf R then our Korean friends have their work cut out for them.
(Personally, from a Badge and Styling PoV I'd be more tempted by the i30 than a Focus or Golf).
Apart from all the electronics it makes me realise how good a car my old 2007 Astra VXR was at least in performance terms - unless you go to the next level of 'R' or little 'M' and a shed load of expense these cars just don't seem to have advanced all that much - so is the Golf GTI much better than one from a few years ago?
Or was the VXR more an 'R' sort of competitor? (As it was a company hack to thrash and trash I never really thought about its positioning!)
Or was the VXR more an 'R' sort of competitor? (As it was a company hack to thrash and trash I never really thought about its positioning!)
kapiteinlangzaam said:
I dont care how many BHP its got, nearly 30k GBP for a Hyundai i30 is pushing 'interesting/comical' pricing territory in my eyes
Has a price been announced? The article says "less than 30 grand" which could be only just or several grand less than 30. Mid-to-high 20's would be competitive in the segment when comparing it to the FWD hot hatches of similar power currently on sale like the golf or 308.kayzee said:
Needs to be £15k (to undercut the Fiesta ST)
Not sure if serious? The fiesta is a size class down; i20 size. The more humble versions of the i30 cost more than £15k.Edited by MustardCutter on Thursday 13th July 15:15
It's also going to need to be a fair few grand under 30k for it to do well. A standard Golf GTI is around 26k basic, is it not? VW also can get away with doing batches of cheap, limited leases and even when they're discontinued, many will pay the going rate to have one. I've got a feeling that Hyundai won't be able to offer as anything like this. Last time i checked, standard i30's aren't as cheap as you might think when doing a PCP/lease.
Prices set to be from circa £25k. Badge snobs and depreciation should make these a cracking second hand buy, as long as Hyundai are able to sell them in the first place. Could be a good alternative to the Focus ST, 308 GTI and upcoming RS Megane. Look forward to the reviews.
Edited by mhj360 on Thursday 13th July 16:09
Looks good in a not very original kind of way....tidy sums it up.
The biggest problem is that Hyundai doesn't have much of a track record in the hot hatch market so it may be a tough sell against the established "badges".
Sadly if it is anywhere near £30k, the only ones you see will be Hyundai dealer demos but if it was a useful bit cheaper than say the Focus ST, they might just get a few out on the roads.
The biggest problem is that Hyundai doesn't have much of a track record in the hot hatch market so it may be a tough sell against the established "badges".
Sadly if it is anywhere near £30k, the only ones you see will be Hyundai dealer demos but if it was a useful bit cheaper than say the Focus ST, they might just get a few out on the roads.
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