Hyundai i30 N Project C will be a lighter, limited edition hot hatch

Last year, Hyundai showed an upgraded version of the i30 N hot hatchback called the “N Option.” It came down to some lightweight parts, better tires and visual tweaks. The reception must have been good, because the Hyundai i30 N Project C you see above sounds like the production version of the N Option.

According to Hyundai, the Project C, named after the high-performance testing center “Area C” at Hyundai’s Namyang facility, will be lighter and better handling than the normal 271-horsepower i30 N. Some of the weight savings will come from the use of carbon fiber parts. And looking at the N Option car from last year, much of the weight savings came from carbon fiber parts such as the hood and wing.

Hyundai says there will be visual distinctions from the regular i30 N, too, though if this camouflaged car is representative of the final car, the changes are subtle. The front lip and side skirts look more aggressive, but the hood vents, quad exhaust tips and giant wing of the N Option are nowhere to be found. The wheels are nearly identical in design to the N Option wheels, but they’ve been downsized to 19 inches instead of 20.

Full details on the car will be revealed during its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Only 600 examples of the i30 N Project C will be built, all of which will be sold in Europe.