Thanks for your comments guys! It is nice to see that the i30 generates a discussion as heated as the one on Caradvice.com.au - it just shows that people can't ignore it. There are a lot of hardcore petrolheads who still refer to diesels as "smelly stuff burners" and think that Hyundai knocks up cars in a shed, but one has to be as open minded as possible and form opinions from facts rather than word of mouth.
The truth is that our i30 is not designed to be a race car, but then nor any other car is apart from the open wheelers and a few homologation special vehicles. Tarmac rallying is a different type or racing to most other things around, and I would say that if you want to win then you should be a really good driver in a GTR or a Lamborghini. From this point of view the big V8s are just as inadequate for tarmac rallying as the i30, but that does not stop anybody from giving it a go!
And one more thing - look out the window (if you are in WA)! It is going to be wet this week and I would rather be in a FWD diesel than in any RWD car
