Hyundai To Debut Competition-Proven I30 N Racecar From 24-Hours Of Nurburging At 2017 SEMA Show

by Hyundai | September 26, 2017

N-brand Racecar Testbed has its U.S. debut at SEMA, demonstrating Hyundai's future performance potential for the N brand in the U.S.

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 26, 2017 – Hyundai will present the U.S. debut of its i30 N close-to-series production racecar at the 2017 SEMA show. The i30 N racer successfully competed in the 24-hours of Nurburgring in May alongside a second i30 N team. The 24-hours of Nurburgring endurance race represents one of the most rigorous durability tests in the world, with 122 laps and more than 1,800 demanding miles on the famed Nordschleife circuit.

The i30 N is Hyundai's first high-performance model and was launched in Europe. The race provided yet another important development check in finalizing the i30 N, testing two close-to-series production models, proving that Hyundai's first high-performance model N is truly race-capable.

'The 24-hour race at the Nurburgring was a real success for us. The two i30 N's completed the race without any technical problems and we are really happy with the performance and durability of the cars,' said Albert Biermann, Executive Vice President and Head of Vehicle Test & High Performance Development at Hyundai Motor Company. 'With only slight modifications on the two cars, we could really prove the track-capability of the i30 N series model in the most challenging race in the world.'

Two i30 N cars competed in the SP3T class (1.6- to 2.0-liter turbocharged engines). The Nurburgring length in the official 24-hour race is 25 km, combining the iconic Nordschleife portion with parts of the Grand Prix Circuit. The cars completed together more than 3,600 miles under the toughest race conditions, day and night, delivering valuable insights for the car's chassis, engine performance and overall durability.

The No. 92 i30 N finished fourth in its SP3T class out of 10 contenders (out of 12 initial entrants) and in 50th place in the overall ranking of 109 competitors - an astonishing performance given that 51 cars out of the 160 initial entrants had to retire before the end of the race, as well as the wide field of competing racecars with higher performance. The two cars were equipped with a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engines in combination with six-speed manual transmissions, the same powertrain coming in the Hyundai i30 N-series model. 'N' stands for Namyang, Hyundai Motor's global R&D Center in Korea, and for the Nurburgring, home to Hyundai Motor's European Test Center. The 'N' logo resembles a chicane, representing a class of corners on winding roads.

Photo credit: Hyundai
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