Hyundai’s i30 N coupe confirmed, but just what will it look like?

Has no one at Hyundai ever heard of not counting your chickens before they (hot) hatch? The South Korean car-maker is yet to fully reveal its i30 N performance-orientated model, but is already putting plans in place to release a stylish and swoopy coupe version.

Being the second N-fettled model in Hyundai’s arsenal, it is currently a shot in the dark as to just what the i30 N coupe might look like, but early indicators are pointing towards the wild-looking, three-door RN30 concept as a basis for the design.

The RN30 concept revealed at the 2016 Paris motor show maybe the best indication of what an i30 N coupe could look like.

Hyundai has already confirmed the i30 N coupe will feature a fastback-inspired design (think the stylish derriere of the Ford Mustang or fixed-roof Jaguar F-Type), meaning the brand could massage the rear end and roofline to give its new model a svelte and sexy profile.

At the very least it seems as if the designers at the South Korean company are not just deleting the rear doors and calling it a day.
 
A three-door fastback design sounds interesting but it does raise some pressing questions though, namely just what on earth will the i30 N coupe compete against?

Hyundai RN30 concept features a more traditional hatchback body style, but the i30 N coupe promises a slick, fastback rear-end.

If Hyundai was to just bin the second-row doors, it is easy. The i30 N coupe would go head-to-head against the new three-door Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance Edition 1.

We’d even line the i30 N coupe up against other three-door hot hatches, including the Holden Astra VXR, Volkswagen’s Scirocco R and the Renault Megane RS – all of which have been discontinued for slowing sales, or because a new-generation replacement is imminent.

But can Hyundai’s new N model really occupy that space with a “fastback” design?

Although the RN30 concept sports some seriously wide opening doors, it would be a safe bet that the i30 N coupe will wear a more traditional swing-open pair.

Maybe then, the i30 N coupe would go to toe-to-toe against the likes of the pair of Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ and Mazda MX-5/Abarth 124 Spider twins.

However, a key differentiating feature between the aforementioned lightweight sports coupes and the yet-to-be-revealed Hyundai is drivetrain configuration – the former group being rear-wheel drive and the latter a front-axle-only affair.

The race-bred cockpit of the RN30 concept will be ditched for a more production-friendly interior, but expect to still see three pedals on the floor.

Perhaps then, Hyundai will build a small four-door coupe. It has, after all, called out the Mercedes A-Class-based CLA and the love-it-or-hate-it Porsche Panamera as inspiration given what the two models have achieved in their respective segments.

Truth is, the i30 N coupe will likely look like a cross between all three of the aforementioned body styles – likely defying a clear segment definition and carving out its own little niche.

But don’t expect the i30 N coupe to just look the part of a serious sportscar contender, it’s also got the guts to back up its go-fast attitude.

Three-door hot hatch? Two-door fastback? Four-door sports coupe? If the RN30 concept is anything to go by, the new Hyundai i30 N coupe could fit into any of those three categories.

Sharing the same beating heart as the i30 N hatch – a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine available in either 184kW or 202kW tunes – Hyundai is sure to ‘woo’ potential buyers with plenty of poke under foot.

A six-speed manual will be available at launch, with Hyundai also expected to bring a dual-clutch automatic transmission down the line to attract more buyers, and all power being sent to the front axle.

With Hyundai still yet to reveal the production-ready look of its i30 N hatchback, any guess at what the coupe version will look like is pure speculation at this point.

With Hyundai reserving the reveal of its i30 N hatchback for this year’s Frankfurt motor show, the design of the coupe version is likely to surface sometime after that, possibly early next year.

However, this is not the first time Hyundai has dabbled in the sporty two-door market. Back in the late 1980s, the South Korean-brand launched its Scoupe – essentially a two-door Excel of the time.

It followed that model on with the front-drive Tiburon in the mid-90s, which saw service until 2008 and made up to 128kW/245Nm from a 2.7-litre V6 in top-spec form.

Hyundai’s prior attempts to crack the two-door sportscar market included the Tiburon, featuring a front-wheel-drive layout and a 2.7-litre V6 engine.

Since then however, the segment has largely been occupied by the quirky asymmetrical Veloster hatchback and the left-hand-drive-only Genesis Coupe.

However, Hyundai’s past efforts have been a mixed bag of success – critically and commercially. Will the i30 N coupe turn the tide and deliver on a promise of gutsy performance, enviable good looks and engaging on-road manners?

The future can’t come soon enough.