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Hyundai i20 N Is a Great Track Car, Conquers the ’Ring With One Fast Lap

Ask anyone what their favorite small hot hatchback is, and they’ll probably say the Toyota GR Yaris. But that’s an homologation special, with a bespoke platform, all-wheel-drive, and a large amount of thrust, so it sits in a league of its own.
Hyundai i20 N 8 photos
Photo: Screenshot Youtube | Largus
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Cars such as the Ford Fiesta ST and first-ever Hyundai i20 N, on the other hand, are the usual contenders in the class, and it is the latter that was set loose on the Nurburgring the other week.

With a skilled driver holding the wheel and overtaking quite a lot of cars, some of them more expensive than the B-segment sporty Hyundai, Largus posted an 8:18 on the Bridge To Gantry (BTG) layout of the famous German racetrack that has become a Mecca for driving enthusiasts and automakers alike.

A quick look on Fastestlaps reveals that the 2021 Hyundai i20 N was actually 2 seconds faster than the old Audi RS3 Sportback compact hot hatch, and around 14 seconds quicker than the Porsche 930. It also completed the course ahead of the Tesla Model S P85D (8:50).

The F20 generation of the BMW 1-Series (yes, the rear-wheel-drive one), in the M135i spec, posted an unofficial 8:05, according to the quoted website, and the BMW M6 F13 did a 7:44. The Porsche 911 GT2 RS holds the unofficial crown of the Nurburgring BTG, with an estimated 6:44, followed by the McLaren 720S and Lamborghini Aventador SV, with 6:51 and 6:54 respectively.

Hyundai’s N Division says that the i20 N will go from rest to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in 6.7 seconds, and all the way up to 143 mph (230 kph). Power comes from a 201 HP and 203 lb-ft (275 Nm) of torque 1.6-liter turbo’d lump, hooked up to a six-speed manual gearbox and front-wheel-drive.
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About the author: Cristian Gnaticov
Cristian Gnaticov profile photo

After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s.
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