Hyundai has unleashed its fourth N model for 2021, with the new i30 Sedan N joining the i20 N, the i30 N hatch, and the Kona N, in the company’s growing high-performance fleet now available in Australia.

The new model will be available in one trim – Premium – and its performance credentials start with a 206kW, 392Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre engine featuring flat power tuning and a sedan-specific, flow-optimised intake airbox.

A motorsport-derived N DCT automatic with an electro-mechanical limited slip differential (e-LSD) is standard, with a six-speed manual transmission offered as a no-cost option. Power is driven through to the front wheels.

The i30 Sedan N has a top speed of 250km/h and Hyundai claims a 0-100km.h time of 5.3 seconds for the DCT variant, and 5.8 seconds for the manual.

Sporting unique angled and sharp exterior styling, the i30 Sedan N is just as sharp under the body with a racetrack-honed chassis debuting Hyundai’s new Integrated Drive Axle (IDA) front-end and featuring Australian-tuned Electronically Controlled Suspension (ECS).

There are also 19-inch alloys wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, and a large N brake package features 355mm front discs and debuts Hyundai’s new Brake Prefill function – a function which primes the braking system pressure as the accelerator pedal is being released in readiness for brake application.

Inside, the N-themed interior features leather sports front seats with heating and ventilation, a 10-way powered memory driver’s seat, a leather heated steering wheel, dual-zone climate control, alloy sports pedals and ambient lighting.

Technology is top notch and aimed at those with a taste for high quality and performance.

There’s a 10.25-inch colour digital instrument cluster, a 10.25-inch satellite navigation multimedia system, wireless (Qi standard) charging pad, and Bose Premium Audio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and digital radio.

Available functions include Track Maps – a feature that alerts the driver when near a compatible race circuit. With the track layout selected, an automatic lap timer is started when car crosses the start/finish line. At launch, the car will feature Wakefield Park Raceway and Sydney Motorsport Park, with other circuits to come on-line in due course.

Other driver-focused tech includes an N Grin Control System, incorporated into the the 10.25-inch multimedia system. It allows for a customisable layout and an array of features, enabling drivers to select which gauges they want to see on the display, as well as easily access Launch Mode. It also gives the driver a choice of five distinct driving modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, N and N Custom.

The N DCT also enables three new N performance functions: N Grin Shift, which releases maximum power of the engine and transmission for 20 seconds; N Power Shift, which is engaged when the car accelerates with more than 90 per cent accelerator, reducing torque drop-off during shifts to enhance acceleration; and N Track Sense Shift, which recognises when the road conditions are optimal for dynamic driving.

An active variable exhaust system has three settings linked to the various drive modes, and continuously adjusts an internal valve to modulate exhaust volume and flow based on throttle position and engine rpm.

An extensive SmartSense advanced active safety suite includes Forward Collision-avoidance Assist (FCA), Blind-spot Collision-avoidance Assist – Rear (BCA-R), Rear Cross-traffic Collision-avoidance Assist (RCCA), and Lane Following Assist (LFA), amongst a host of others.

MLP pricing for the new i30 Sedan N is $49,000.

Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (December 2021/January 2022) 

22 December 2021