Hyundai has released a video teasing the arrival of its WRC-inspired i20 N hot hatch, a car that has been spied testing at the Nurburgring on countless occasions but has only just been confirmed by the Korean carmaker.
Why are fans so eager to see it? Well, it’s essentially the follow up to the i30 N, Hyundai’s wonderfully capable first attempt at a hot hatchback, only this time it’ll be in a more compact package. The i20 N is, after all, a Fiesta ST rival whereas the i30 N is positioned as a competitor to the Megane RS and Volkswagen Golf GTI.
Thought it’s difficult to make out the car’s finer design details, as the company has covered the front and rear bumpers with bin liners, we can still see that the car won’t look all that different to the standard i20. There are no signs of flared wheel arches, nor is there a big wing stuck on the back.
That’ll be a relief to those who love hot hatch performance in an understated package, though it may disappoint fans who were hoping for a road-going rally car akin to the Toyota GR Yaris, which was built to meet WRC homologation rules.
Other details are scarce, but it’s widely expected to use company's 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The i20 N won’t be as powerful as its bigger brother, though, delivering around 200bhp compared to the i30 N Performance’s 271bhp output. Power will be sent to the front wheels through a six-speed gearbox, with a 0-62mph time in the region on 6.5 seconds.
We’ll have all the details when the covers come off later this year.
Keyword: Hyundai i20 N 2021: WRC-inspired supermini teased in new video