Nothing in common. It would be the most obvious answer when trying to compare a production Hyundai i30 N with a MotoGP prototype like Miguel Oliveira's KTM RC16.
But there is at least one characteristic in common between the sportiest of Hyundai and one of the fastest bikes in the MotoGP World Championship.
Yes, you read that well, let's compare one of the fastest and most feared prototypes in the MotoGP World Cup worth millions, with a production car costing less than €45,000.
Let's go to comparisons?
For those who have been less attentive, in the space of just a few months the KTM RC16 has gone from “the least desired bike on the grid” — side by side with the Aprilia RS-GP — to the “motorbike sensation” of the 2020 season.
And what is this characteristic? The potency. The brands involved in the MotoGP World Championship (Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, KTM and Aprilia) do not disclose the exact power developed by their engines.
But it is estimated that the power of current MotoGP — four-stroke engines with 1000 cm3 and four cylinders — exceeds the values advertised by the brands.
The KTM Factory Team advertises power in excess of 265 hp — without specifying the exact power.
But looking at the performance of the KTM RC16 2020, this value will be faulty. The power of Miguel Oliveira's KTM RC16 should be situated at 275 hp, thus approaching the power announced for another vehicle: the Hyundai i30 N with which Miguel Oliveira makes his living off the track.
Equal Powers, Different Performances
Although the power delivered by the engines of the Hyundai i30 N and KTM RC16 are similar, the similarities end there.
Far from being a slow car — quite the opposite… — the i30 N's acceleration is «light years» of a MotoGP prototype. The Hyundai i30 N accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 6.4s, while the KTM RC16 does the same exercise in about 2.5s.
Do you want to go further? 0-200 km/h!
The Hyundai i30 N delivers 0-200 km/h in an interesting 23.4s, while the KTM RC16 takes less than 5.0s. I repeat: less than 5.0s from 0-200 km/h. In other words, it's 18 seconds faster.
Maximum speed? 251 km/h for the Hyundai i30 N. Regarding the top speed of Miguel Oliveira's KTM RC16 2020, we will have to wait for the Italian Grand Prix at the Mugello circuit — which has the longest and fastest straight in the championship — to check it out. the maximum speed of the prototype of the Austrian machine. But we can advance a value: more than 350 km/h.
In the 2018 season of the MotoGP World Championship, at the Italian GP, Andrea Dovizioso reached 356.5 km/h riding the Ducati GP18. It was the highest speed ever recorded in MotoGP world history. Will the KTM RC16 be able to surpass this record?
But there is a "weight" argument for such a high performance disparity. While the KTM RC16 weighs just 157 kg, the Hyundai i30 N weighs 1566 kg. It's ten times heavier.
Hyundai Vs BMW. The «theft» of the stars
Those who have been following Miguel Oliveira for a longer time on social media are used to seeing the Almada pilot associated with the colors of Hyundai Portugal.
It was, therefore, something strange for some to see Miguel Oliveira next to a BMW. Although unintentionally, it turned out to be a kind of “revenge” for BMW.
Remember that in 2014, Hyundai “stole” BMW one of its most valuable resources: Albert Biermann, the engineer who for more than 20 years was responsible for the development of BMW M models.
Today Albert Biermann is the head of Hyundai's Research and Development department and the “father” of all N models of the Korean brand.
This year, it was BMW's turn to respond in kind to Hyundai. They didn't take an engineer, but they took Miguel Oliveira for a ride in the BMW M4 that will soon join the Hyundai i30 N in his garage. Difficult choices…
