Hyundai showed off a racing version of their i30 N hot hatch, even in the same Sky Blue colour at the ADAC TCR Germany weekend at the Nurburgring. It’s the first time - specifically through their new N high performance division - they have undertaken a project dedicated exclusively to track racing - after having accrued quite a bit of success in rallying - and they plan to execute on customer deliveries by early December.
The specially developed i30 N here was engineered to meet the requirements for the German national touring car championship, where nearly 40 drivers compete in two 30-minute races, completing an extended test session during the Misano 24H.
Of course, Hyundai Motorsport will need to work on plenty more tests and component optimisation to chisel away the imperfections before the start of their 2018 championship campaign. At the event last week, they had the opportunity to interact their future competitors and fans alike, both of the racing series and the growing presence of Hyundai in Europe.
As of now, the i30 N TCR features heavily revised bodywork that works to serve the car’s aerodynamic needs as well as to adapt to its wider front and rear track, with an aggressive front splitter, much lower ride height, and a fixed rear wing.
Since it’s based on the road going i30 N, it should still have a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol motor under its bonnet. In its highest production tune, it delivers 202kW and 353Nm, though we expect this number to change depending on a number of factors and needs of the specific race - perhaps even depending on the team (customer) it's headed to.
Andrea Adamo, department manager of Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing, said: “This weekend was another milestone for the i30 N TCR project. This car is specifically designed to be sold to, and raced by, customers so it is crucial that we allowed it to be seen at an important TCR event as we move into circuit racing for the first time. The ADAC TCR Germany series was the perfect championship for us to do this,”
“The category has been very successful, with huge grids and high-profile entrants. It was very good to see that many of these current teams and drivers were interested to take a closer look at the i30 N TCR and learn more about what Hyundai Motorsport Customer Racing can offer in the next few months as they assess their options for racing in 2018.”
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