One of the best hot hatches out there is finally coming up to speed in respect to transmission choice.

HARDLY ever seen but don’t be fooled – they’re out there.

Enough, in fact, to propose that were the owners to form an actual club, they’d struggle to call themselves ‘exclusive.’

Not with 100 cars on the register.

That’s the surprise count of examples of the best-reconciled (by far) sports model that Hyundai has yet created … with quite a lot of help from new friends recruited from one of the finer universities dedicated to the development of ‘everyman’ performance fare: BMW’s M Division.

Anyway, the tally of those who have bought into the i30N in its original hatchback and more recently-added liftback forms would seem to be worthy of acknowledgement and applause, given these are aimed at a relatively select audience.

Specifically, they ask owners to live with an ingredient most buyers of those cars no longer desire: An old-school manual gearbox. All manner of data in respect to this category show today’s buyer wants a two-pedal setup … not a full automatic (thank God), but a dual-clutch manual. It’s why the Volkswagen Golf GTi camp has a 98-point-something percent preference for DSG, and why the Renault Megane RS and Ford Focus ST have gone from stick shifts to paddles.

In respect to that, good news from Hyundai, in two parts.

First, i30 N owners to date aren’t afraid to exercise their left lefts and arms.

Says Hyundai NZ’s Kimberley Waters: “When we launched the i30 N in manual form we acknowledged then that we would only be playing in a small part of the sports hatch market …

“But in spite of only offering a manual transmission i30 N has exceeded our own expectations.”

So, a salute to those heroes.

And now, a salvation for those hold-outs who love the car but have been awaiting the direct-shift alternate Hyundai and the N Division have been hinting at for at least 18 months.

It’s on the way. And with it, here’s hoping, a big increase in the fanbase for a car that’s definitely worth it … plus some stablemates, too.

Exactly when the updated i30 N will arrive has yet to be zeroed; all they’re saying for now is second quarter of 2021. These could be sleepness nights.

As much as the “world-class wet clutch DCT”- and, yes, in case you wondered, it IS the same eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox first put into the Veloster N, sold in North America – is the headline attraction, there’s more change besides.

Hyundai’s release of the carefully shadowed images here reinforce word that it will also arrive with some significant change to the styling.

A redesigned front end that gains a wider grille, bigger air intakes, and sharper-looking headlights with V-shaped LED daytime running lights are evident. Tweaks to the rear include a new-look bumper with a wider diffuser flanked by round exhaust tips. We’ve included an image of the current car to give an idea of the full extent of the change.

Also set to happen is that the hatch will adopt the revised and, yes, improved suspension tune that came with this year’s liftback.Also, the The 19-inch alloy wheels are now foreged alloys, for weight-saving, and wrapped in bespoke (hence the HN designation) 235/35 Pirelli P Zero tyres as standard.

What about some extra fizz under the bonnet? No word, sorry. Hyundai didn't mention if it's changing anything else under the bonnet. Power for the current i30 N comes from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine turbocharged 202kW and 353Nm, enough to crack 0-100kmh in 6.1 seconds. While nothing is official yet, the dual-clutch could allow the i30 to speed its way into five-second territory.

Assuredly there’s already building excitement within Hyundai NZ headquarters in Auckland.

“We can compete in the whole market and expand the appeal in a fun and exciting segment. We expect that the i30 N DCT will welcome more local performance enthusiasts to the N brand.”

And when that happens? Well, it’s a good impetus for thinking about other N product also coming to the boil, she assures.

“Hyundai Motor continues to add to the N range, and as and when they become available in right-hand-drive we look at them on a case-by-case basis for the NZ market.”

In respect to that, she adds, the Kona N and i20 N do already seem to look … well, kinda ‘right.’ We could see them within 12 months.