The Hyundai i30 N is no slouch in the raw number
department, with up to 279 PS on tap in Performance Package guise, sent to the
front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. There’s more to come, with
all-wheel-drive for future, more potent variants, and here spy photgraphers
have captured images of what appears to be an augmented i30 N.
Dubbed the ‘Special Edition’ for now, the revised
i30 N is likely to retain its engine outputs of 279 PS and 353 Nm of torque,
and the performance gains appear set to come from weight reduction. The
camouflaged bodywork here appears to be largely the same as that on the current
production car, though our sources indicate that the weight loss could come
from sportier seats, a carbon-fibre bonnet and lightweight wheels.
This could mean that the forthcoming all-wheel-drive
direction that could be the direction for the N sub-brand might not begin with
this one, as adding the hardware for another pair of driven wheels will add
considerable weight. The added on-circuit performance could also come from
revised springs and dampers for better handling, despite engine outputs that
are expected to remain as before.
This lighter, more performance-focused version could
make a debut by the end of this year, our sources suggest. As for the even more
powerful AWD version, that could surface later on to go head-to-head with the
likes of the Ford Focus RS, a more potent Volkswagen Golf R and the 421 PS
Mercedes-AMG A45 4Matic+, its engine claimed to be the world’s most powerful
turbo four in series production.
