Hyundai has dropped the first official photos and information on the all-new i30 Fastback N five-door performance model ahead of its Paris Auto Show debut.

As promised, Hyundai N’s third model was unveiled as part of a race from Rome to Paris. There was a catch, though: the race was between two Danish villages called Rome and Paris, not Italy’s and France’s capital cities.

Driven by Gabriele Tarquini, the winning i30 Fastback N needed 8 minutes and 18.49 seconds to cover the distance between the two villages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCEAOdyze4k

Back to the car, you should know it grafts the same mechanicals of the i30 N hatchback onto the i30 Fastback body style. That means the engine is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 250 PS (248 hp) in standard guise and 275 PS (272 hp) in optional Performance guise.

In both cases, the engine delivers 353 Nm (260 lb-ft) of torque. However, the overboost function further increases peak torque to 378 Nm (279 lb-ft). The function activates automatically when reaching the maximum torque. The standard model needs 6.4 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph), while the i30 Fastback N Performance Package covers the same sprint in 6.1 seconds.

As with the i30 N, the Fastback version is equipped with the N Grin Control system that allows drivers to choose from five different drive modes.

Using dedicated buttons on the steering wheel, the driver can select between Eco, Normal, Sport, N and N Custom driving modes. If you’re interested in trivial details like fuel economy, you should know the standard i30 Fastback N delivers a claimed average fuel consumption of 7 l/100 km (159 g/km CO2), while the Performance Package is rated at 7.1 l/100 km (163 g/km CO2).

Styling-wise, it looks very similar to the i30 N — except the rear end, obviously. The i30 Fastback N gets the same hallmark styling elements that include the N Grille and N front bumper, black side sills, and red character lines at the bottom of both bumpers. The rear end is unique to the i30 Fastback N and features a dual twin muffler exhaust, a rear diffuser, and a gloss black-accented spoiler integrated into the tailgate.

As for the interior, it’s exactly what you expected if you’re familiar with the i30 N hatch. The red accents on the air vents and red stitching on the N steering wheel, gearshift, and seats are unique to the i30 Fastback N, though. Practicality-wise, the N-badged model offers identical specs with the stock i30 Fastback. The standard luggage capacity is 450 liters, and it can extend to 1,351 liters when the rear seats are folded flat.

The i30 Fastback N offers the choice of two infotainment systems: the 8-inch Display Audio interface with integrated rear-view camera and Bluetooth connectivity or the 8-inch navigation system. Both offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration and a specific N mode screen with customizable settings for the engine, Rev matching, exhaust sound, and Performance Package settings.

Safety-wise, the i30 Fastback N comes with the Hyundai SmartSense pack of active safety and driving assistance technologies that include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, and High Beam Assist as standard. Intelligent Speed Limit Warning is optional.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjZxV0eo1Ak