HYUNDAI has revealed the upgraded and refreshed i10, including the option of a sporty N Line variant inspired by their high-performance models.  To sweeten the offering, the company has added advanced connectivity features, comfort elements and technologies that are usually only seen in much more expensive vehicles, which should make the i10 even more competitive. 

The new model receives a design upgrade inside and on the outside receives a sportier look with a low roof and long wheelbase and is available in nine colours and a black two-tone roof. The front LED day running lights have been integrated into a sporty grille which features a honeycomb mesh design and the base model comes fitted with newly designed 15-inch alloy wheels. 

The top of the range N Line has design features inspired by motorsport, including bespoke bumper inserts and red touches. The back of the seats features triple red line fabric and it’s fitted with 16-inch alloy wheels. New technologies include a 4.2-inch LCD cluster, USB-C connections in the front and rear, second-generation eCall based on the 4G network and over the air map updates.  Both models feature an 8-inch screen, Audio Video Navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless charger and the latest update to Bluelink telematics.

Also standard are Forward Collision Avoidance Assist for ‘City’, ‘Interurban’, ‘Pedestrian’, and now ‘Cyclist’ environments. This helps detect and avoid potential accidents with obstacles ahead and its lane following assist uses steering control to help the car stay in the current lane of travel. Rear Occupant Alert reminds the driver if the rear door has been opened during the journey to prevent anyone or anything in the rear seat from being left behind.  The i10 is fitted with power folding mirrors and, like its predecessor, offers a boot capacity of 252 litres with the seats up and 1,050 litres with the seats folded, a two-stage luggage board, one-handed rear seat folding, and a rear-view camera.

The i-range, comprising of i10, i20 and i30, has undergone changes to deliver dynamic styling, advanced connectivity features and uncompromised accessibility and comfort.  The SE Connect is priced at £14,166 rising to £16,766 for the N Line. 

Hyundai add a range of options to i10 range

IN the F1 World Championship Max Verstappen took up where he left off in 2022, dominating the opening round and cruising to victory in Bahrain as teammate Sergio Pérez sealed a 1-2 finish for Red Bull.  But the big surprise was Fernando Alonso as he claimed his first Aston Martin podium exactly 22 years after his first F1 race.

CLEAN SWEEP: Red Bull claimed a Bahrain 1-2
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CLEAN SWEEP: Red Bull claimed a Bahrain 1-2

 

At the start, Verstappen pulled away from the field and by lap 10 was a full seven seconds clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. To be honest, Verstappen was in cruise control and after moving to hard tyres in the final round of pit stops, he emerged 11 seconds ahead of his team-mate, who in turn had put an 11-second gap between him and Leclerc. The major battle was now between Alonso and Hamilton and on lap 39 the Spaniard made a superb move past the seven-time champion to take fifth place; he then began to chase down Sainz.  On lap 40 Leclerc suffered an engine issue and pulled to the side of the track to retire, Sainz inherited third place just 2.5 seconds clear of Alonso but on lap 43 and after a bruising sequence of corners, Alonso powered past. 

At the front, the Red Bull pair were in complete control, exemplified by Pérez’s race engineer Hugh Bird telling his driver, “There’s no pressure from behind, just stroke it home” and after 57 laps the defending champions did just that. Verstappen took the flag comfortably ahead of his teammate to seal the first Bahrain GP win of his career and 12 seconds later Pérez sealed Red Bull’s first one-two finish at the Bahrain International Circuit. Verstappen’s dominance was driven home by the 38.6-second advantage he had over third-placed Alonso, who gave Aston Martin its first podium place since 2021 in Azerbaijan when Sebastian Vettel finished second. 

Behind the top three, Sainz held on to fourth place ahead of Lewis Hamilton, while LanceStroll climbed back to a creditable sixth to complete a good day for Aston Martin. George Russell finished seventh in the second Mercedes ahead of Valtteri Bottas, while Alpine’s Pierre Gasly put in a super drive from the back of the grid to take two points for ninth place, with the final point on offer going Alex Albon in tenth.  

Bautista tightens his grip

IN the World Superbike Championship at Indonesia things have gone from bad to worse for Larne’s Jonathon Rea, whilst Alvaro Bautista seems to do little wrong. 

In race one Alvaro had to pass Toprak Razgatlioglu to claim his and Ducati’s first victory at the Mandalika circuit, with Razgatlioglu second, Andrea Locatelli third and Rea back in ninth.  In the Superpole race there was drama throughout as Toprak claimed his first win of the 2023 season in a dramatic shortened race that saw Championship leader Alvaro Bautista make a rare mistake as he crashed out just shy of the halfway point in the eight-lap restarted race.

WINNER: Alvaro Bautista powers to victory in Indonesia
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WINNER: Alvaro Bautista powers to victory in Indonesia

Andrea Locatelli made it a Yamaha 1-2with Alex Lowe third and Rea fourth.  In race two Bautista made it five wins out of six as he continued his incredible 2023 season, fighting back to claim victory in Indonesia in a red-flagged race after battling with teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi. Eventually Razgatlioglu finished in second with Xavi Vierge third. Rea was unclassified. 

In the Championship, that leaves Bautista on top with 112 points, Toprak second on 75 and Locatelli third on 70. Rea is sixth on 44.