THE EVOLUTION OF N

Hyundai is set to continue disrupting the hot hatch sector with this lighter, more focused i30 N. And beyond that, could the rumours of an N sports car be true?

How did Hyundai’s new performance division become a force to be reckoned with so rapidly? And now it’s shown what it’s capable of what surprises might it have for us next?

CREATING A NEW PERFORMANCE CAR BRAND is not a task any manufacturer should take lightly. Sure, the rewards are high – a hot hatchback can sell for twice the price of a base model and the halo effect on the rest of the range makes everything easier to sell. Take that to its next level and you can add bodykits to any model in the range and give them a profitable boost – just look at Audi S-Line and BMW M Sport models.

But creating convincing performance cars is not so easy, especially models that will perform consistently across different markets around the world. Which makes Hyundai’s achievement with the i30 N all the more remarkable.

How did Hyundai create a car capable of taking on – and beating – hot hatchbacks that have evolved over decades? It helps to go racing of course, and N’s roots are in motorsport. The brand has seen success in the FIA World Rally Championship, the Nürburgring’s VLN series, the TCR International Series, Pirelli World Challenge, and the Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance races. But while that experience adds some credibility and technology transfer to the road car programme, it doesn’t guarantee success.

To make the i30 N and the Veloster N work, Hyundai turned to the strategy it has used since it first started making its own cars in 1974. It sought out leading experts in the field and gave them the freedom (and budget) to make a project work.

In the case of N, that expert was Albert Biermann, who was poached from his previous job heading up BMW’s M division. Away from the restrictions of BMW and armed with a clean sheet and a big budget, he set about building a hot hatch that could take on the best – but without creating a carbon copy of the established rivals. ‘We aren’t afraid to do things differently here,’ he says. ‘Our N cars balance performance and practicality so that they are fun to drive every day.’

His first car, the i30 N, is clearly impressive. Like all N models it is certainly fast, but it was never meant to be the quickest in its class. Rather than focus on outright performance, Biermann’s Ns have a fun-to-drive nature and agile cornering ability. They are designed to combine everyday drivability with a racetrack capability.

The i30 was followed up by the Veloster N for the US and Korea, and then a Fastback version of the i30 N. This incorporated some other upgrades, including changes to the suspension, proving that another benefit of the Korean culture is a desire to constantly (and quickly) improve and evolve.

The latest N model to be revealed is the most exciting: the 600run, lightweight and hardcore i30 N Project C (pictured), revealed at the Frankfurt motor show in September. It’s the first Hyundai road car to use carbonfibre, contributing towards a 50kg weight saving. Forged 19-inch OZ Racing wheels account for 22kg of the reduction. It also sits 6mm closer to the road, lowering the centre of

THE LATEST N TO BE REVEALED IS THE MOST

EXCITING

gravity without (hopefully) sacrificing dynamics and making the car undriveable on real roads. In line with Biermann’s philosophy of concentrating on cornering rather than outright speed, the engine remains untouched with power staying at 271bhp.

Cars such as this are finding a ready market too – proof that the formula is working. Fuelled by strong demand in Germany and the UK, sales of the i30 N are currently running at around double the expected level. Inevitably, this has also led to a new ‘N Line’ range of bodykits and ‘performance-enhancing elements’ for lesser models in the range.

While these may not be as exciting for an evo audience, they will help fund the most exciting project rumoured to be in the pipeline – a ‘halo’ car. Whisperings from Namyang say this will be the first ground-up N model, designed to take on proper sports cars with a mid-engined format. That’s a sure-fire way to guarantee N gets noticed.