Hyundai Australia has developed a more potent i30 N prototype that might well be sold as a road car.

THIS MAY LOOK like a racing car (and it is) but underneath is a faster, more potent Hyundai i30 Fastback N that could soon be headed to showrooms.

The South Korean brand has announced today it will become the first manufacturer to enter the World Time Attack Challenge at Sydney Motorsport Park on October 18-19. Time Attack sees modified cars compete against the clock to see which can set the fastest lap time.

While it may look extreme with its Time Attack-specific aerodynamic package, Hyundai Australia’s product planning chief, Andrew Tuitahi, told Practical Motoring that the car has been developed with future production models in mind. Hyundai Australia Product Development team has worked with its colleagues at the Hyundai High Performance Team in Korea to create a more powerful engine, featuring a new turbocharger, intercooler, and specific ECU tune.

The Time Attack entry also includes a number of parts from the N Option concept, most notably a carbon fibre bonnet and OZ Racing forged alloy wheels that save significant weight. Both of those items were fitted to the recently revealed i30 N Project N, and while that car was only available in Europe, this latest development suggests we may soon be seeing a lighter, more powerful i30 N in Australian Hyundai dealerships.

“The car is essentially put together using either parts that are developed for testing future products or prototypes for upcoming products and the like,” Tuitahi told Practical Motoring.

“So essentially it’s a car that for all intents and purposes could be brought to production at that kind of specification, bar aero. We’ll be running that car which has a lot of those parts we’ve developed locally.”

Other modifications specific to the Time Attack entry include a new exhaust system, upgraded brakes and a safety rollcage. The huge front and rear wings were developed specifically for the Fastback by former Formula One designer, Dr Sammy Diasinos. The rear wing generates 450kg of downforce at 200km/h, while the front supplies 250kg of downforce at the same speed. 

Hyundai Product Development specialist Tim Rogers, who was part of the team responsible for the Australian ride and handling tune of the i30 N, will be behind the wheel of the Fastback at World Time Attack.