Hyundai has launched a special edition model to its i20 hatchback range as it plans to leverage its motorsport success into increased road car sales.
The i20 Turbo Edition arrives in showrooms this month, powered by Hyundai’s 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder petrol engine. Already available in other i20 models, it produces 100hp and emits only 104g/km of CO2, which means it is rated B for emissions.
The new Turbo Edition model is based on the existing SE specification, but comes with additional kit and a reduced price – £12,975 on-road compared to £14,075 for the same engine in the SE model.
Over and above the SE version, the new Turbo edition gets larger 16-inch alloy wheels, satnav, reversing camera and automatic headlights.
The current Hyundai 120 range has a four-star safety rating from EuroNCAP. It features six airbags as standard and is considered to offer good protection for occupants in an accident, but is not available with an autonomous emergency braking system to help avoid a collision. The SE, Turbo Edition and higher-specification models feature a lane-departure warning system, but this is not included on more basic models.
Like all new Hyundai models, the i20 range comes with a five-year unlimited mileage warranty. As part of the satnav system included, the Turbo Edition benefits from seven years of free TomTom live traffic and weather updates.
The special edition i20 is part of Hyundai’s ongoing push to increase its market share. In conjunction with the launch of the Turbo Edition, Hyundai will be running a new TV campaign for the i20 range. The campaign features the company’s World Rally Championship (WRC) team and shows some of the new motorsport technologies that will filter down to production models in coming years. So you can expect to see a lot of Olympics coverage on the BBC and Hyundai adverts everywhere else.