Hyundai Automotive South Africa has finally confirmed the i30 N hot hatch is scheduled to hit local roads early in 2020 in “limited numbers”.

Speaking to CARmag.co.za at the local launch of the new Tucson Sport, Stanley Anderson, sales and operations director at Hyundai SA, said the hot hatch had finally been pencilled in for a local launch.

According to Anderson, some 30 to 50 units of the front-driven hot hatch are destined for South Africa, with initial models likely to be offered in the “Performance Blue” launch colour pictured here. Whether any more units arrive thereafter will seemingly depend on how well the i30 N is received by local buyers.

Interestingly, Anderson furthermore suggested the i30 N Fastback was also under consideration for the local market, along with the as-yet-unrevealed Kona N.

Revealed as long ago as July 2017, the Hyundai i30 N employs a 2,0-litre turbocharged engine worth up to 202 kW (with the Performance Package specified) and 353 N.m, with drive sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. A dual-clutch version is apparently also in the works.

In October 2018, Hyundai SA said the "door is always open" for a local i30 N launch “when the circumstances prove to be right for such a venture”.

Original article from Car