Hyundai i30 N Performance tease starts on video

Hyundai are using their rally outings as a platform to launch a new ‘N’ Performance sub brand, with the i30 N – and N sub-brand – teased on video.

Hyundai has been busy playing with WRC of late as it starts to build a credible reputation for delivering proper performance cars. But it’s not just to cast a glow on Hyundai’s range of everyday models, but as a platform for some proper hot hatches.

That means Hyundai are opening a new sales assault on two fronts, not just with the arrival of the luxury Genesis brand to take on cars like Lexus, but a performance sub-brand too – Hyundai ‘N’.

Hyundai threatened to have ‘N’ performance car on the market by 2015, and although the year is now drawing to a close, Hyundai look like they’re close to delivering the first performance hatch – the i30 N.

The i30 N seems to be aimed at cars like the Ford Focus ST and VW Golf GTI – rather than VW and Ford’s top-end Golf R and Focus RS – but Hyundai is promising performance oriented and track-focused cars with the new N range, rather than just warmed-up models.

The video released to tease the N Performance cars (below) doesn’t give much away, but the i30 N you see (not the Veloster – that’s unlikely to be in Hyundai’s plans) looks like it has a subtle body kit to mark it out, and will no doubt get a chunk more power, uprated suspension, better cooling, better brakes and a tweaked interior.

So, Hyundai are planning to take on not just the premium brands with Genesis but performance brands – at least mainstream performance brands – with the N cars. Which would have seemed a mad idea just a few years ago.

But not any more.

Hyundai i30 N Performance Tease