Hyundai i30 N: Undisguised i30 N prepares for the Nurburgring 24-hour race

The Hyundai i30 N – Hyundai’s first ‘N’ Performance model – is pictured undisguised in qualifying for the ADAC Zurich 24-hour race at Nürburgring.

We’ve known for a while that the Hyundai i30 N was heading for an outing at the  ADAC Zurich 24-hour race at Nürburgring as Hyundai make the final tweaks to it ahead of its probable reveal at Frankfurt In December.

That’s not news, and nor is the fact that earlier prototypes competed in the same race last year, but this year’s two cars do give us our best look yet of Hyundai’s first performance cars take part in qualifying ahead of today’s race start.

So far, we’ve only really seen the i30 N heavily camouflaged – the most recent when it arrived in the UK to look for rough roads – but the cars at the Nurburgring don’t have any camouflage, just the de rigueur racing stickers.

Hyundai has made some necessary changes to make the i30 N for the Nurburgring, which includes a roll cage, fire extinguisher, just a single race seat, new front splitter and rear spoiler, racing tyres and race brakes but under the bonnet is the same 2.0 litre petrol engine – probably good for up to 275bhp – and six-speed manual gearbox the production cars will have.

If these undisguised cars are anything to go by, it looks like Hyundai has resisted the temptation to make the i30 N look like a boy racer explosion in Halfords, but is going for a more sophisticated, grown-up look. Good.

Albert Biermann, Hyundai N boss, said:

We will use the race as a final test for our Hyundai i30 N development to check how the vehicle is performing under these extreme conditions and where we can still fine tune the car before its market launch.

With the Hyundai i30 N we want to offer a car that feels direct, responsive and predictable and that performs well on the track without compromising every day driving capabilities. Most importantly the i30 N should be fun to drive for everyone.

It’s all looking very promising for the i30 N. Set your badge snobbery prejudices aside and this is a car that could well give Ford’s Focus ST and Volkswagen’s Golf GTI real cause for concern.