Hyundai is hard at work readying a second facelift for the i30 Fastback N and has been scooped putting a prototype through its paces at the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
The i30 Fastback N first came to life in October 2018 and followed in the footsteps of its hatchback sibling with the same powertrain but a slightly sportier (and less practical) shape. A facelift was then introduced for the 2021 model year, bringing with it more aggressive LED headlights and taillights as well as revised fascias and larger tailpipes. This second facelift is expected to hit the market in 2024 and is shaping up to be more subtle.
Our spy photographers snapped this white prototype on the German circuit and on the roads near it. The front fascia has been covered in black body cladding but the headlights appear identical to those of the current model. Additionally, the overall shape of the car appears the same but it looks as though the air intakes have been tweaked. Alterations made to the rear of the i30 Fastback N look even more subtle.
This prototype is wearing some simple camouflage on the trunk lid and part of the bumper. The camouflage leads us to believe that tweaks have been made to the trunklid but to the naked eye, it appears identical and even has the same lip spoiler. The taillights and rear diffuser also look to be the same as the current model. One possibility is that this prototype hasn’t been installed with final production parts while the other possibility is that no obvious changes will be made for 2024MY.
Read: Facelifted i30 N Proves Hyundai Hasn’t Forgotten About ICE Thrills
Nothing is known about the cabin of the facelifted Hyundai i30 Fastback N at this stage, nor the facelifted i30 N hatch that is also in the works. We’re crossing our fingers that some of the interior parts from the Elantra will make their way into the outdated interior of the i30 N duo, potentially including the digital instrument cluster and more driver-focused dashboard.
Some small changes could be made to the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that currently delivers 276 hp and 289 lb-ft (392 Nm) of torque to give it a little more grunt to better rival the Honda Civic Type R. Both a six-speed manual and an eight-speed dual-clutch should remain available.
