Hyundai i30 N Project C will spice up the hot hatch by shedding weight
Take one standard i30 N and give it back to the N division for another once-over: That's shaping up to be the Project C.
Hyundai's N division has a treat coming to the Frankfurt Auto Show next month in the i30 N Project C. Let us break down that name in the following text.
The i30 is a rather standard hatchback model Americans know as the Elantra GT. The i30 N is the Hyundai performance division's hotter version, which lacks a US analogue (for now, we hope). Thus, the i30 N Project C will be even spicier. The brand detailed some of the preliminary details of the hatchback in a Tuesday release ahead of its Frankfurt debut next month, and before you ask, no, it's not coming to the US. Here, we get the Veloster N as somewhat of an i30 N equivalent.
To start, the Project C will be lighter than a standard i30 N. Hyundai credits carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic materials and 19-inch wheels that take lessons from motorsport. A few extra aerodynamic cues should help make the hatchback a slicker thing, too. No word on if there's more power included, but less weight and more aero are always good even without more power. The standard i30 N makes 271 horsepower.
As for the letter C, the N division named the car after the Area C development track situated in the Namyang R&D center in South Korea. Clearly, Area C is where all the fun stuff happens.
We mentioned the i30 N Project C won't be heading to our shores -- 600 of them will be made for European buyers -- but it's possible we'll see the Veloster N get a little more love. After all, the i30 N and Veloster N served as the performance division launch models for Europe and the US, respectively. There's nothing like refreshing often to keep interest high in sports cars.
