Hyundai’s dual-clutch gearbox for the Veloster N was a long time coming. We saw prototypes testing the new eight-speed setup at the Nürburgring for quite a while, but it was finally made official on April 20. With Coronavirus still affecting much of the world, the debut probably wasn’t as fantastic as Hyundai was originally planning, but there was a special drive event held in South Korea for local journalists to sample the semi-auto setup.

As such, the above video from Asian Petrolhead literally takes all of us along for hot laps in Hyundai’s upgraded hot hatchback. The action took place at Everland Speedway, where a short autocross course was set up for drivers to sample various aspects of the Veloster N’s updates. Parade laps on sections of the 2.7-mile course were also held, allowing participants to sample the hatchback at slightly higher speeds.

The DCT is a wet-clutch design, which allowed Hyundai to change the output of the Veloster N’s 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder ever-so-slightly. Power remains the same – 250 horsepower (186 kilowatts) in the standard version or 275 hp (205 kW) with the performance package. But for cars with the DCT, torque is up by seven percent to 278 pound-feet (353 Newton-meters) of twist. As for performance, Hyundai says the Veloster N with the DCT can reach 100 km/h (62 mph) a full half-second quicker compared to the six-speed manual.

Gallery: 2020 Hyundai Veloster N DCT Drive Screenshots

6 Photos

The advantage doesn’t come from the torque, however. The video explains the various modes for DCT-equipped models, which can include fully automatic or fully manual selection. In manual mode, shifts are executed with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Launch control is available in either format, and the video demonstrates just how effective it is at getting the Veloster N moving. Once moving, the DCT seems to execute crisp shifts that are very quick. As much as we like rowing gears, there’d no denying the speed of the DCT.

We’re patiently waiting for our own turn behind the wheel of the new DCT-equipped Veloster N. The car is slated to go on sale in South Korea this month, but we likely won’t see it until well into summer at the earliest.