Just like Kia with the monstrous Stinger GT, if you told anyone ten years ago that Hyundai would be selling a turbocharged, fire-breathing hot hatch; you would've probably been laughed at. A lot.
But it's 2019, the i30 N is a very real thing, and Hyundai has just revealed the Project C; and even more hard-core version of the Korean hot hatch that everyone seems to love.
Under the hood sits the same turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that is found in the standard i30 N. Obviously, Hyundai believes that the 202kW that this engine produces is more than enough to push the lightweight, six-speed manual Project C along.
Until now, the Project C has only been seen wearing camouflage, covering all the new carbon fibre pieces and design upgrades that have been added.
These upgrades include the new carbon fibre-clad chin spoiler, bonnet, roof spoiler, side skirts, and rear diffuser. To shave even more weight off the hatch, a set of motorsport-inspired 19-inch wheels have also been added.
In the cabin, the motorsport-inspired theme carries through in the form of an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel, and red seat belts. The semi-Alcantara seats have a red racing line through the middle, and the gear knob has been replaced with a fully metallic shifter.
As the engine remains the same, performance will be similar to the standard model, but we can imagine that all the weight-saving will mean that it will be a little quicker around the track.
If you're wondering where Hyundai got the 'Project C' name from, you aren't alone. It reportedly comes from the brand's high-performance area at the Namyang R&D center in Korea, where the track has been called 'Area C'.
Unfortunately for us, the Project C will be limited to just 600 units that will be exclusively sold in Europe.
Click here to view all Hyundai i30 Ns on Driven.