If a high-performance vehicle is what you seek as your daily drive, you may want to wait a few more months before making your final decision as Hyundai is set to launch a model that will compete with the likes of the Focus RS and the Golf GTI.

Already in the final phase of development, the Hyundai i30 N is the Korean automaker’s first-ever high-performance model and they aren’t leaving any stone unturned. A camouflaged unit has been sent to Arjeplog, Sweden, along the edge of the Arctic Circle, and is being tested to the hilt by FIA World Rally Championship driver Thierry Neuville.

The Hyundai i30 N is set to be launched in the second half of 2017 and will draw on the automaker’s motorsport experience and its fast-growing expertise in high-performance road vehicle development to offer a model that will can be fun to drive on and off the track.

Engineers at Hyundai Motor Europe’s Technical Center focused specifically on the performance and handling characteristics of the i30 N during the winter testing - developing and tuning the i30 N’s dynamic systems, the ESC (Electronic Stability Control), LSD (Limited Slip Differential), steering, dampers, suspension and tires.

“So many people have been looking forward to this car, so it’s a pleasure for me to be testing it. The engineers have done a good job on the gearbox and the differential. There is good traction and stability in the slippery testing conditions and it’s very easy to handle. A normal driver should get a sensation similar to a race car,” said Thierry Neuville.