Hyundai i30 SR Hot Hatch coming

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Hyundai is putting the finishing touches on a new i30 hot hatch that will be on sale here by the end of 2013.

The Hyundai i30 SR model will be powered by a 2.0-litre direct injection four-cylinder engine with at least 130kW of power and 213Nm of torque – the same engine used in the i40 range. The car was hinted at in a concept model shown at the 2012 Sydney motor show.

As well as having about 20 per cent more power and torque, the i30 SR will come with unique wheels, different styling treatments on the exterior, revised suspension and a sportier interior.

Company insiders told Drive the new i30 SR was likely to be priced below the current range-topping model, the i30 diesel Platinum automatic, which is $32,590.

The new i30 SR will compete with the likes of the Mazda3 SP25 (from $31,490), Honda Civic Sport sedan ($30,990) and Mitsubishi Lancer VRX ($29,990), along with new arrivals from Nissan – the Pulsar SSS – and Holden, which is expected to release an updated Cruze with more power within a few months.

"Pricing is still yet to be determined for that car," says Bill Thomas, Hyundai public relations general manager.

Scott Nargar, Hyundai Australia product planning manager, told Drive that the SR could be one of two new tiers of performance models for the i30 range.

"Tier one would be this, the SR, then there could be a tier two," he says. The latter, he says, would be something considerably more powerful.

Nargar says that "warm" hatches account for as much as 15-20 per cent of the model sales mix with other brands, claiming the appeal is clear – both for buyers, and the brand.

"If we haven't got a vehicle to appeal to those buyers, they won't come to Hyundai," he says.

The car is expected to be revealed at the 2013 Melbourne motor show in June.

The news comes as Hyundai expands its i30 range to include the new i30 Tourer station wagon variant, which is priced from $22,990.

The SR badge was plastered on some previous-generation models of the i30, though those versions were merely styling packs.

The i30 SR will follow in the footsteps of the Veloster SR Turbo, but is expected to be joined by an SR version of the smaller Accent hatch, too. Timing for it is yet to be confirmed.
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