Why the first N Performance car should have rivals worried.David McCowen
September 30 2016
Hyundai RN30 Concept.The car is a GTI rival, rather than a Focus RS killer...Though Hyundai's latest concept car features a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the first i30 hot hatch produced by its N department will be a front-wheel-drive machine featuring a manual transmission as standard.
...But that doesn't mean an RS rival is off the cards.Hyundai performance car chief Albert Biermann, a former executive of BMW's M Division, says the brand is already testing an all-wheel-drive i30 with 280kW of power - "exactly that performance" promised by the brand's eye-catching, i30-based RN30 concept at the Paris motor show. Biermann says such a car is too much for Hyundai's go-fast department at this early stage, and that he'll use demand for the two-wheel-drive i30N to steer production plans for a more potent and expensive variant.
The boss is a car guy.Biermann says he relishes the opportunity to steer competitor cars to the i30 - think VW Golf GTI, Ford Focus ST or Renault Megane RS - as part of his drive to make the i30 the best in its class. An amateur rally driver in his youth, Biermann is responsible for some of BMW's most recent hits, saying the same philosophy of performance will apply to Hyundai's efforts. Unafraid of getting his hands dirty, Biermann says "whenever I go to Europe I go to the Nurburgring", spending quality time behind the wheel.
Hyundai will back the car on track... But it won't break records.Hyundai's performance chief says he gave engineers clear directions surrounding the car's capabilities.
"This car has to be track-going," Bierman says.
"It has to be consistent on track... The racetrack capability has to be there."
Confident in the car's appeal, Biermann says the brand will not pursue ultimate lap times as a matter of priority. Don't expect to see a stripped-out club sport version, our for the car to offer sticky Cup tyres.
Next year's car will be available in two trim lines.Expect the i30N to arrive in two forms offering vary degrees of performance. The standard car is likely to be pitched as an everyday driver, while a premium variant with an electronically controlled, limited-slip differential and Brembo brakes serves as a halo car - it will be "more wild, more track focused" according to Biermann.
It will be a digital car.Hyundai is determined to offer up-to-date technology in its first performance car for Australia. Biermann says the car is set to feature adjustable shock absorbers, variable drive modes and multi-stage stability control in a similar fashion to European rivals. Expect to see Apple CarPlay and Android Auto handling entertainment duties, while embedded cameras in the RN30 concept suggest the brand is considering ways for customers to re-live their on-track experiences, something already offered in the latest Chevrolet Corvette.
The car won't be priced out of reach.While Hyundai hasn't committed to a price for its new machine, Biermann insists the car "has to be affordable", and that it "will have a strong value for money point". Expect the entry-level version to be priced under $40,000, helping it stay in touch with established rivals such as Volkswagen's Golf GTI and the Ford Focus ST when it arrives locally in late 2017 or early 2018.
Source: 
Seven things we know about Hyundai's GTI-fighter
