Developed by the most performance-oriented department within the Hyundai Motor Group, the i30 N can be made better. So good that the South Korean hot hatchback can now compete with the Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport S as equals. And then some.
RaceChip from Göppingen, Germany tuned the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder to 313 (metric) horsepower and 498 Nm. Even though the numbers don’t make it justice, the software re-flash is all the more impressive when you find out that adding a downpipe exhaust system takes things to 320 horsepower and 524 Nm.
Almost as powerful as the Camaro V6 and torquier than the Mustang with the EcoBoost engine, the i30 N by RaceChip is more than on-paper stats. OZ Racing Leggera HLT alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are also featured, along with an anti-roll kit from Eibach and performance-oriented springs on all four corners. Sitting 15 millimeters lower than the standard model, the hot hatchback is completed by a body wrap from Scwabenfolia.
“Cool enough, but it’s too bad we don’t get the i30 N in the United States.” About that, RaceChip announced through a comment on YouTube that the U.S.-spec Veloster N will be available with a similar engine upgrade to the i30 N from Europe.
RaceChip is present in the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave for a few years now, offering ECU tuning and other whatnots. For the Tesla Model S P100D, for example, customers can get something called the XLR for $269, which allows the driver to tune the car’s throttle response.
The Kona and i30 Fastback will soon get the N treatment as well, meaning that RaceChip will work its magic on those two models as well. Compared to other performance-oriented crossovers, the Kona N will be front-wheel drive.
With ex-BMW M engineer Albert Biermann at the helm of N, the South Korean automaker is working on a mid-engined hatchback with rear-wheel drive, inspired by the RM16 N concept. According to reports, Hyundai is developing the Theta III four-cylinder for this application and the next generation of the Genesis G80. The 2.5-liter engine will be available in naturally aspirated and turbocharged flavors.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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