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As we reported last week, an i30 N development vehicle would be competing in the demanding race to put various parts - like a new turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder - through the ultimate stress test.
"The endurance race at the Nürburgring is the toughest race in the world. It’s the perfect environment for testing the resilience of our new turbo-charged two-litre engine with direct fuel injection under extreme strain," said Albert Biermann, head of test and high performance development for Hyundai in a statement.
How did it fare?
Quite well. The i30 finished 90th in the overall rankings, completing 91 laps and 2,309.39 kilometers (1,434.98 miles). The fastest lap done by the vehicle was 9:55.636 minutes.
Being a race car, specific parts were used to meet regulations?
Yes. A number of parts such as the engine, suspension, steering, and wheels were changed to meet regulations. But a lot of the changes, along with data from the race will be used to setup the production model.
"We are on a very good way regarding the design of our first N vehicle. In the process of designing high-performance engines, the highest possible horsepower output is not the top priority. Instead, the engineers focus on maximum driving pleasure and driving fun without compromising the every-day-usability," said Biermann.
Speaking of which, when we'll see the first Hyundai N model?
Autocar posed that question to Biermann who said that the i30 N will launch in 2017. The production model will be offered with a track-focused package that will increase engine performance. At launch, the i30 N will only come with a manual. An automatic will follow in 2018. It is unknown if we will see the i30 N (Elantra GT to us) will come here or if another model will come.
Biermann also reconfirmed that Genesis would get high-performance variants done by N.
"We will also develop high-performance cars for the Genesis brand but they won't have the N badge. N is just the sub-label for Hyundai cars."
Pic Credit: Hyundai
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