Hyundai Motor’s i30 N (image: Hyundai Motor)
SEOUL, Jul. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean carmaker Hyundai Motor Co. said Friday it will launch two high-performance vehicles in Europe later this year to strengthen its i30 lineup.
On Thursday in Germany (local time), Hyundai unveiled the i30N powered by a 2.0-liter gasoline turbo engine and the i30 Fastback in a world premiere, the company said in a statement.
“The Hyundai i30N has been developed for no other purpose than to deliver maximum driving fun to our customers in an accessible high-performance package,” Executive Vice President Albert Biermann in charge of performance car development at Hyundai said in the statement.
The carmaker said it expects the i30 Fastback to be a real game-changer as it is the first volume brand to enter the compact segment with the “stylish and sophisticated 5-door coupe.”
Hyundai aims to become the No. 1 Asian automotive brand in Europe by 2021 by beefing up its SUV lineup and focusing on the i series. The i series also include the i10, i20 and i40 models.
The carmaker has completed the i30 lineup currently composed of the i30 hatchback and the i30 wagon by adding the two models, the statement said.
The i30N offers 275 horsepower on tap and 36.0 kilogram-force meters of torque. The i30 Fastback comes with a 1.0-liter gasoline turbo engine or a 1.4-liter gasoline turbo engine. A model with a 1.6-liter gasoline turbo engine will be added later, the carmaker said.
(Yonhap)
