The testing season in Europe continued into the month of July. Our spy sleuths witnessed many more cars undergoing dynamic testing either on the Nurburgring or on their way to the German racetrack. There were four hot hatches spotted last month, and we also saw a performance derivative of an American muscle icon. Here are all the performance cars our sleuths caught testing in July.
Porsche 911 GTS
The 992-gen 911 was spotted in the GTS guise. The new GTS will retain the turbocharged 3.0-litre twin-turbo flat six however we expect a slight bump in output. It will also come with rear-wheel drive and coupe, cabriolet and Targa variants. Spotted close to the ‘Ring, the GTS mule had a new bumper with GT3-inspired air intakes, two centrally-mounted exhaust pipes, and a more aggressive rear diffuser.
Honda Civic Type R
The Honda Civic Type R looks like it is due for an update despite being in some markets for just a year. However, since only the nose and the rear bumper have been camouflaged, sources suggest that this Type R prototype could be a more powerful iteration. This could be the rumoured affordable Type R or an even more bonkers iteration to rival the Focus RS. Possibly even with an all-wheel-drive set-up.
Renault Megane RS Trophy
The Trophy adds a hardcore nature to the already-crazy Megane RS. It is expected to produce 300bhp with a subtraction of unnecessary weight. There will be some cosmetic changes as well to show that the hot hatch means business. The test mule was also riding slightly lower than the standard car. The adjustable Ohlins suspensions set-up might also be offered for an uncompromised handling.
Mercedes-AMG A45
The older A45 was a benchmark for the hot hatches, and the new one won’t be any different. It is expected to punch out more than 400bhp of raw power. The test mule had minimalistic camo which failed to hide the aggressive rear bumpers flanked by integrated quad-exhaust set-up and a lowered ride-height. Even though it looks production ready, the next-gen A45 AMG will hit the streets only in 2020.
Hyundai i30 N-Line
For those who want the mad i30 N without all the hullabaloo of extreme performance, the Korean carmaker is working on a new N-Line. It will have the same full-fledged N package but without the potent motor under the hood. The i30 N-Line mule had exhaust tips sticking out at the back. The N-Line might have a modest 200bhp output when it arrives in a few months.
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Surprisingly, the Camaro ZL1 hasn’t received the same changes as the rest of the 2019 Camaro line-up, such as the dashing new redesigned grille. Instead, the ZL1 makes do with the same nose as the outgoing model. Powering the new ZL1 will be the same supercharged LT4 V8 motor that packs 650bhp and a smashing 881Nm of torque.
