Hyundai’s performance car offensive will include a pocket-sized hot hatch aimed directly at the Ford Fiesta ST, according to a recent report. The company’s smallest N-badged model will be based on the i20, which is positioned near the bottom of the Hyundai lineup in Europe. British magazine Auto Express has learned the car will receive a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine tuned to produce about 200 horsepower. Front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission will come standard.
The i20 proudly represents Hyundai in the World Rally Championship (WRC), so the nameplate is already well known in motorsport circles. Expect the company’s designers to exploit the link to racing with a muscular-looking body kit. It will include a wide air dam up front, fender flares, and a sizable wing out back.
If the rumor is accurate, the Hyundai i20 N will make its debut at a major auto show next year. When it arrives in showrooms, it will compete in the same segment as the aforementioned Fiesta ST, the Volkswagen Polo GTI, and the Toyota Yaris GRMN.
That’s good news for enthusiasts in Europe and in South Korea, but it’s bad news for Americans. The i20 N is unlikely to make the trip across the pond due to its diminutive size, and due to the fact that the regular model isn’t sold here.
