Paris show: Hyundai teases RN30 concept

HYUNDAI has teased its RN30 concept ahead of its reveal at the Paris motor show, which will likely preview the Volkswagen Golf R-baiting i30 N hot hatch.

A production version of the RN30 concept is likely to spearhead Hyundai’s new N performance brand launched in September last year, and it is almost certain that other Hyundai N models will follow.

Hyundai says the RN30 is based off the new-generation i30 which was revealed two weeks ago, but it has a lower, wider stance which the South Korean car-maker says enables “greater stability during high speed driving and cornering”.

The RN30 was developed in collaboration with Hyundai Motorsport, Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Centre and Hyundai Motor’s Performance Development and High Performance Division, and the single darkened image released by Hyundai reveals that the concept has a number of sporty tweaks to the exterior a more menacing look.

The teaser image shows a prominent air dam at the front of the car, as well as beefy wheel arches and side sills, large alloy wheels and a more aggressively designed front fascia.

An i30 N development mule was used in this year’s Nurburgring 24 hour race, using a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that generates at least 190kW of power and 300Nm of torque, and is predicted to be mated to a dual-clutch automatic transmission with an electronically controlled mechanical differential, while a manual option is under consideration.

Hyundai used the Busan motor show in June to reveal its RM16 concept, which the car-maker called the ‘rolling lab’ in the development of its high-performance N cars, and it is likely that the i30 N will use some of the technologies from the RM16, possibly even its turbo-four engine that develops an even juicier 220kW.

A 220kW powerplant would put the i30 N in front of the Volkswagen Golf R, Peugeot 308 GTi 270 and Renault Megane RS275 Trophy in terms of power, trailing only the 228kW Honda Civic Type R, which is not currently available in Australia.

Speaking in June, Hyundai Motor Company Australia public relations general manager Bill Thomas said that the company would be very receptive to having the i30 N make it to Australia.

“We’d join the chorus of keen markets to put the car on sale,” he said.

“It's definitely a car that would do our brand a lot of good. It would be a fantastic machine to sit at the top of the tree.” The RN30 Concept will be fully revealed when the Paris show kicks off on September 29.