2018 Hyundai i30 N power figures revealed

Hyundai has confirmed its i30 N hot hatch competitor will be powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder available in two flavours, the base 184kW tune and a hard-charging 202kW Performance Pack version.

While the South Korean car-maker has yet to divulge what changes will be made to liberate the extra performance, both versions of the i30 N will be powerful enough to out-muscle the crowd favourite 169kW Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Both states of tune should also keep Hyundai's first N model competitive against other front-drive hot hatch fare including 184kW Ford Focus ST, 206kW Holden Astra VXR, 184kW Peugeot 308 GTI as well as the incoming Honda Civic Type R and Renault Megane RS.

The turbocharged four-banger will be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox for its international launch in December, and it has now been confirmed that an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission will be added to the i30 N range sometime in 2019.

A louder exhaust has also been fitted to give away its sporting intentions that will feature two differing volume settings.

Local timing is still to be confirmed, but with Hyundai Australia's influence, expect to see i30 N vehicles in local showrooms not too long after its global launch.

Power will be fed to the road through Pirelli P Zero tyres wrapped around 19-inch wheels, while torque distribution will be handled by an electrically controlled mechanical limited-slip differential.

Based on the next-generation i30 – which was revealed before last year's Paris motor show and scheduled to arrive in Australia around mid-year – the N variant's chassis has been fettled to handle the bump in performance, as well as a tweaked electric power-assisted steering setup.

A louder exhaust has also been fitted to give away its sporting intentions that will feature two differing volume settings, along with the requisite body changes including a more aggressive front fascia, wider wheel arches, rear diffuser and roof-mounted rear spoiler.

Inside, the i30 N will receive sports seats and steering wheel, drive-mode select and new instrumentation to differentiate itself from its standard siblings.

Will the Hyundai i30 N have enough punch and panache to duke it out with the reigning hot hatch champions? Tell us what you think in the comments below.