Photo: Stefan Baldauf / Guido ten Brink
When was the last time you’ve seen a Hyundai with visible carbon-fiber parts? That’s right; the Project C is all the more important to the N performance division thanks to the no-holds-barred visual treatment!
Revealed in the flesh at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, the hot hatchback is lighter and more aggressive in every respect. Exclusive to the European market, only 600 examples of the breed will ever be produced with CFRP for the hood, front splitter, rear diffuser, and side sills. The 19-inch OZ Racing alloy wheels contribute to 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds) of shed mass, and as you can tell, the brake calipers are finished in Deep Orange and the N logo.
Riding 6 millimeters lower than the i30 N with the Performance Package, the Project C has an 8.8-millimeter lower center of gravity thanks to the shorter springs and recalibrated dampers. Even the rear wheel hangers – also known as knuckles – are 4.66 kilograms (10.3 pounds) lighter thanks to aluminum instead of steel in their construction. On that note, does it come as a surprise the N division is headed by a guy who used to run things at BMW M?
From an aerodynamic standpoint, the frontal area retains the 0.32 drag coefficient of the i30 N Performance. But the weight-shedding modifications did play a role in terms of acceleration, namely 6 seconds flat from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) instead of 6.2 for the i30 N Performance. The 2.0 T-GDI, as we knew beforehand, has similar specifications to the engine utilized by the i30 N Performance.
The Sabelt bucket seats and Deep Orange highlights for the interior also set the Project C apart from the lesser model. Alcantara is present as well in areas such as the seats, steering wheel, handbrake boot, and gearstick boot. Speaking of which, the short-throw manual transmission now features a brushed aluminum shifter which resembles the head of a piston.
And now, brace yourselves for the curb weight. Hyundai of Europe claims 1,395 kilograms or 3,075 pounds, translating to a grand total of 50 kilograms or 110 pounds in favor of the Project C. The Megane RS Trophy-R is lighter still at, and so is the Honda Civic Type R. In other words, the i30 N can be furthermore bettered as long as the engineers are allowed to go crazy.
Riding 6 millimeters lower than the i30 N with the Performance Package, the Project C has an 8.8-millimeter lower center of gravity thanks to the shorter springs and recalibrated dampers. Even the rear wheel hangers – also known as knuckles – are 4.66 kilograms (10.3 pounds) lighter thanks to aluminum instead of steel in their construction. On that note, does it come as a surprise the N division is headed by a guy who used to run things at BMW M?
From an aerodynamic standpoint, the frontal area retains the 0.32 drag coefficient of the i30 N Performance. But the weight-shedding modifications did play a role in terms of acceleration, namely 6 seconds flat from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) instead of 6.2 for the i30 N Performance. The 2.0 T-GDI, as we knew beforehand, has similar specifications to the engine utilized by the i30 N Performance.
The Sabelt bucket seats and Deep Orange highlights for the interior also set the Project C apart from the lesser model. Alcantara is present as well in areas such as the seats, steering wheel, handbrake boot, and gearstick boot. Speaking of which, the short-throw manual transmission now features a brushed aluminum shifter which resembles the head of a piston.
And now, brace yourselves for the curb weight. Hyundai of Europe claims 1,395 kilograms or 3,075 pounds, translating to a grand total of 50 kilograms or 110 pounds in favor of the Project C. The Megane RS Trophy-R is lighter still at, and so is the Honda Civic Type R. In other words, the i30 N can be furthermore bettered as long as the engineers are allowed to go crazy.
Google News