Hyundai will use the technical knowledge gained during the development of its i30N hot hatch to make all of its models more engaging to drive, the brand’s director of high performance vehicles has said.
Speaking to Autocar at the Hyundai i30N launch, Klaus Köster explained that Hyundai’s N division was helping the wider brand transition with a new, sportier identity as it bids to become the biggest Asian car maker in Europe.
Insight: why Hyundai's N brand is about more than just fast cars
“We have already established our self as a reliable, quality car maker, that makes cars with good designs,” he said. “But now we have the knowledge to add sportiness to that image – which is something us Europeans like.”
Köster said the i30N, which spent much of its development time at the firm’s European technical centre at the Nürburgring, would act as a halo product for this image change. He said all of Hyundai’s models would follow that car’s trend by being assessed at the Nurburgring during development.
“It would be very nice if in 10 to 15 years we can have people on the street seeing Hyundai as a brand that makes cars which are fun to drive,” he added. “We have worked hard to develop this i30N into a car with a broad character and this can help us with all Hyundai models.”
Köster said that it was this broad, flexible character that was key to ensuring the brand succeeds on a global scale. “In some markets like Korea they want a softer car, but others want a stiffer one,” he explained.
Read more
Hyundai i30N prototype review: new hot hatch driven
Second Hyundai N performance model due in 2018
Hyundai's N division targets affordable performance
Join the debate
Add your comment
I'm sure...
that my mum will be delighted that her next i10 wil have been honed on the Nurburgring.
Give me a break, Nurburgring
Give me a break, Nurburgring has become such a cliche now, as if cars can only be sporty if they are tested there. It's got little relevance to the real world, the "Top gear" roads like the ones in Yorkshire and Scotland are far more relevant to the most buyers, as these are driven at normal speeds, not 120 mph
Sportier handling?
Well is this what buyers want, or what Hyundai (which designs its cars in Germany) think its customers want? Personally I'd trade some steering sharpness and body roll for a bit more compliance any day of the week, especially with a car like a Hyundai which is designed to be useful and comfortable, not a Nurburgring track car. There are any number of poor riding competitors to choose from, I don't want another.
@ LP
....agreed LP, I dont see Nurburgring development as a benefit for a road car at all.
its time manufacturers understood this.