Hyundai Motor’s development car i30 2.0 Turbo met all expectations at its first motor-racing appearance in the Nürburgring 24h Race at the legendary Nordschleife. The race at one of the most demanding racetracks in the world served as an intense test for the new, performance-orientated engine that will be applied to the first N model.
The newly designed turbo-charge engine, which is the heart of the development vehicle, coped with the strains of the 24h Race. This is an important finding for Hyundai Motor and the development of future high-performance engines.
“We are on a very good way regarding the design of our first N vehicle. In the process of designing high-performance engines, the highest possible horsepower output is not the top priority. Instead, the engineers focus on maximum driving pleasure and driving fun without compromising the every-day-usability,” said Albert Biermann, Head of Vehicle Test & High Performance Development.
Many components of Hyundai i30 2.0 Turbo were changed to run at the Nordschleife. Components such as the engine, the adapted suspension and shock absorbers were enhanced as well as improvement in other areas such as wheels, steering, fender extensions and safety components were made for motor racing.
The development vehicle took the chequered flag after 24 hours in 90th position in the overall rankings. Altogether, the drivers Bruno Beulen, Michael Bohrer, Alexander Köppen and Rory Pentinnen completed 91 laps, representing a distance of 2,309.39 kilometres and recording the fastest lap time of 9:55.636 minutes, which even broke the 10-minute barrier.
