Hyundai i30 N hot hatch could sound like this

Hyundai has released new video teasing out the progress of the first vehicle to come from its newly launched N Performance sub-brand – this time with an emphasis on the fruity exhaust note of the all-new Hyundai i30 hot hatch.

The video begins with a very un-Hyundai-sounding engine being revved, complete with the crackle and pop that only a serious performance exhaust produces. From then on, it’s 25 seconds of aural madness, as the heavily camouflaged prototype chops and changes between mid-corner burbles, corner-entry crackles and corner-exit induction howls – all staged to convince the viewer of Hyundai’s new performance-car credentials.

But a closer look at the 40-second video reveals more than just the car’s snarling sound. A frame which cuts to the interior reveals a manual gear change via a floor-mounted stick – hinting that the go-fast version of what is currently Australia’s best-selling car, may be offered with a manual gearbox, as well as the seven-speed dual-clutch auto tipped to adorn it.

The highly anticipated project, which is being led by former vice-president of BMW’s M division Albert Biermann who recently spoke to wheels about the forthcoming N-range, is expected to be launched as part of the 2017 model line-up, but could make its public debut alongside the second-generation i30 tipped to break cover at this year’s Paris International Motor Show in October.

Despite the traditional test-vehicle camo, the final-spec version will be vastly different to the car in the video which employs the styling of the current Hyundai i30. It’s a clever move by the Korean brand; providing a veil of secrecy around the pre-marketing strategy while ensuring the project remains recognisable enough to build hype and gather momentum ahead of its official unveiling.