Hyundai Motor S First High-Performance Model the I30 N Undergoes Winter Testing with Thierry

Hyundai Motor’s First High-Performance Model – the i30 N – Undergoes Winter Testing with Thierry Neuville

• Hyundai Motorsport WRC driver draws on racing experience for final phase development
• Hyundai i30 N set for launch in the second half of 2017
• The high-performance i30 N to become third member of the i30 family

March 15, 2017 – The Hyundai i30 N, Hyundai Motor Company’s first high performance model, has been tested to the limit in Arjeplog, Sweden by FIA World Rally Championship driver Thierry Neuville as part of its final development program. Set for launch in the second half of 2017, Hyundai’s first N model draws on the brand’s motorsport experience and its fast-growing expertise in high-performance road vehicle development to deliver maximum fun on the road and on the track.

Engineers at Hyundai Motor Europe’s Technical Centerconducted the winter test on the edge of the Arctic Circle, focusing on the i30 N’s performance and handling characteristics, adjusting the set-up to ensure it will be a performance vehicle for everyone. Working with Neuville, the team developed and tuned the i30 N’s dynamic systems, testing the ESC (Electronic Stability Control), LSD (Limited Slip Differential), steering, dampers, suspension and tires.

“So many people have been looking forward to this car, so it’s a pleasure for me to be testing it,”Thierry Neuville said. “The engineers have done a good job on the gearbox and the differential. There is good traction and stability in the slippery testing conditions and it’s very easy to handle. A normal driver should get a sensation similar to a race car.”Neuville has reviewedthe new model’s performance on a frozen lake in temperatures as low as minus 30°C(minus 22 °F).

The i30 N will be the third member of the i30 family, joining the five-door i30 and the i30 Wagon, which was launched at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month.

Hyundai first showcased its high performance N line-upin 2015 at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. The N builds on Hyundai Motor’s successful motorsport experiences and technology capability to drive future performance-oriented and race-track-capable models forward and bring ‘the most thrilling winding road’ fun to customers who truly love cars.It capitalizes on Hyundai Motor’s fast-growing strength and signifies the pace of change within the brand, matching the company’s ambition to challenge perceptions by making real and emotional connections with customers.

VIDEO: Watch Thierry Neuville drive the high-performance i30 N at Hyundai Motor’s winter test in Arjeplog, Sweden

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About Hyundai Motor

Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is committed to becoming a lifetime partner in automobiles and beyond. The company leads the Hyundai Motor Group, an innovative business structure capable of circulating resources from molten iron to finished cars. Hyundai Motor has eight manufacturing bases and seven design & technical centers worldwide and in 2016 sold 4.86 million vehicles globally. With more than 110,000 employees worldwide, Hyundai Motor continues to enhance its product line-up with localized models and strives to strengthen its leadership in clean technology, starting with the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen-powered vehicle, ix35 Fuel Cell and IONIQ, the world’s first model with three electrified powertrains in a single body type.

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