Hyundai Motor’s close to production i30 N - the first model from Hyundai’s high-performance sub-brand N - has completed its first race outing of the year, entering round 2 of the VLN endurance championship last weekend.
The race was used as preparation for the ADAC Zurich 24-hour race at the Nüburgring at the end of May where Hyundai Motor will compete with two cars.
Hyundai engineers from Namyang, South Korea, and European R&D centers will help hone the car’s performance characteristics ahead of its global launch later this year.
The endurance race at the 20.81km Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany provides the opportunity for Hyundai Motor to intensively test i30 N car that feature technical specifications very close to the actual production car.
The cars that Hyundai Motor will enter in the race are both equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo engine and six-speed manual transmission – the same powertrain and transmission set-up that will be used in the production i30 N.
“We want our high performance brand to have considerable racing pedigree so it is important that we compete with minimal modifications,” said Albert Biermann, Hyundai Motor Head of Vehicle Test and High Performance Development.
“Nürburgring is where the i30 N has undergone much of its testing and chassis development.”
The race will be another test for Hyundai Motor engineers to identify areas for refinement and potential performance enhancements for the i30 N.
Hyundai Motor has its own 3,600 square metre testing center at the Nürburgring operated by the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center.