Hyundai i30 SR – a taste of Sporty Hyundai

Hyundai in Australia has revealed the Hyundai i30 SR, an i30 with a 2.0 litre petrol engine and a sportier edge.

Hyundai in the UK defaults to its diesel engine offerings across almost its entire range, with the Golf challenging i30 offering only a 1.4 litre petrol with a very modest 98bhp apart from the diesel offerings.

But Hyundai in Australia marches to its own beat and has rather bigger ambitions for the brand than Hyundai exhibit in most of the rest of the world, with thoughts about a Hyundai ‘Genesis’ luxury brand (although that seems to have come to nought so far) and their very own ‘Sporty’ take for the Hyundai range in the ‘SR’ model.

With the Australian Motor Show running in Sydney at the moment, Hyundai has shown a concept for a new i30 – the Hyundai i30 SR – which offers a chunk more performance than any Hyundai i30 on the UK market, and a touch of sporty looks too.

The i30 SR gets Hyundai’s 2.0 litre petrol engine (yes, they have a 2.0 litre petrol) which offers 175bhp and 157lb/ft of torque and should give the i30 SR the same sort of performance you would get in a Golf GT. Not exactly Golf GTI levels, but a chunk more oomph than any UK i30s get.

As well as the 2.0 litre petrol, the i30 SR gets LED running lights, 17″ alloys, a black sports grill, rear diffuser, part leather interior and a set of red and chrome ‘SR’ badges. A decent offering.

Perhaps Hyundai UK will be inspired to emulate Hyundai in Australia and produce their own range of sportier cars? We’re already hoping we may see the new 3-door Hyundai i30 with the 1.6 litre turbo from the Veloster, but perhaps as interesting would be the naturally aspirated 2.0 litre petrol in the i30 SR.

And perhaps Hyundai could bolt a turbo on to the 2.0 litre petrol to have a crack at the Golf GTI?

That would be interesting.

By Cars UK