Hyundai Elite i20 N spotted undisguised

-    The Elite i20 will be the next product to receive the N treatment in Hyundai’s line-up.

-    It will get a tweaked chassis with upgraded suspension and brakes.

-    Cosmetic changes will be added later.

After a lot of speculation and rumours, we can now confirm that Hyundai’s next N division product will be the Elite i20. Our spy sleuths caught a test mule of the performance-oriented i20 near the Nurburgring with chunkier wheels and ungainly panels on the fenders.

Similar to the souped-up i30, the i20 N will get higher power output. This might be achieved by plonking in the bigger 1.6-litre T-GDI engine which is capable of putting out anything between 170-200bhp. Under the skin, there will be a tweaked chassis to handle the bump in power output. A stiffer suspension setup along with a bigger set of brakes and grippy rubber is also a part of the ride. We also expect a lowered ride height and a direct ratio steering in the i20 N. The cosmetic changes, on the other hand, will be akin to the one seen on the i30 N.

Plans for an N performance variant of the i20 surfaced in 2017 even before the i30 N broke cover. Now, according to reports, the Korean carmaker will briefly halt the expansion of its N performance range this year to bring in the Fiesta ST-rivalling i20 N in 2020. Apart from that, the carmaker will also direct resources this year towards the electrification strategy with the launch of Kona electric, updated Ioniq and other plug-in models.

So the Hyundai i20 N Line should only be revealed next year. However, the new-gen Elite i20 is on its way already and might be revealed in a couple of years’ time. So there’s also a possibility of seeing the N version based on the third-generation i20. Also, the more affordable N Line version of the supermini is also on the cards.