Limited-edition hardcore Hyundai i30 Project C revealed – but UK won’t get it

Hyundai has upgraded its i30 N hot hatch for a limited-run model that’s lighter, lower and more capable — but it won’t be sold in the UK.

The i30 N Project C has been built exclusively for the European market, but Hyundai UK has confirmed to the PA news agency that it will not be converted for right-hand drive markets.

Just 600 examples are slated for production, receiving a raft of upgrades that make the already highly desirable hot hatch even more enticing. Carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic materials replace existing materials throughout the car, while lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels further reduce weight.

Hyundai claims the changes make the car lighter and ‘more responsive than ever to driver input’.

The exterior has been covered in a black and white camouflage wrap that hides new aerodynamic upgrades ahead of the car’s launch. It also features orange details that imitate the firm’s Namyang test facility in South Korea.

The Project C doesn’t receive any engine upgrades, retaining the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine from the standard car that makes 271bhp.

The Hyundai i30 N Project C will be fully revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, taking place from September 12 to 22.