These are the first pictures of the next-generation Hyundai i30 hatchback, which has been spotted testing close to the Nürburgring ahead of a planned launch in 2017.
While the facelifted i30 range was only revealed earlier this year at the Geneva motor show, an all-new third-generation version is already in development. While this test mule's camouflage covers up much of its styling, we can see the new i30 will come with a revised grille similar to that used by the facelifted car and the updated i40.
Key to the success of the next i30 will be a range-topping performance version, which will be the first road-going model to come from Hyundai's N Performance sub-brand. That model has already been spotted testing at the Nürburgring, and will compete with the likes of Volkswagen's Golf R when it goes on sale.
While the exact engine powering the hot i30 N is unknown, Hyundai officials have confirmed it will be a turbocharged unit, using technology derived from Hyundai's i20-based WRC car, which is also built by the N Performance division. The Korean firm's current rally car runs a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 296bhp.
Further down the range, the recently launched i30 Turbo will continue to be powered by its current 183bhp 1.6-litre 'Gamma' GDI petrol engine, while the rest of the i30's petrol and diesel engine range will be carried over with minor changes.
A hybrid version of the next i30 - using technology garnered from Hyundai's dedicated hybrid model coming in 2016 - can't be ruled out. The dedicated hybrid, which has also been spotted testing, mates the i30's 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor.
Clues to the look of the next i30's interior could come from a recent preview picture for the US-market Elantra, which sports a minimalist, buttonless design and a redesigned centre console. The i30 hatch is sold as the Elantra GT in the US.
This early test mule also appears to be riding higher than the current i30, prompting speculation that Hyundai could be looking into launching a larger version of the i30 to take on the likes of Volkswagen's Golf SV in Europe. The regular hatchback, meanwhile, will face tough competition from the likes of Ford's Focus, the Seat Leon and the Volkswagen Golf.
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