Hyundai N Standalone Model Only a Matter of Time
Hyundai N will eventually get its own dedicated sports car, the Korean automaker has confirmed.
The newly launched ‘N’ performance sub-brand already has two models in its stable: the i30 N, which isn’t sold in North America, and the Veloster N. These hot hatchbacks are only the start for Korean brand, though, which has plans to eventually roll out an N-branded standalone vehicle not based on a pre-existing Hyundai model.
“The whole idea is to strengthen the Hyundai brand, to bring more emotion,” Thomas Schemera, the man in charge of Hyundai’s racing and performance operations, told Evo in a recent interview.
“I can tell you Albert Biermann [Hyundai’s engineering boss] and myself are interested in hot things and have some ideas in the pipeline for a halo model – rest assured we are coming up with something.”
SEE ALSO: Mid Engine Hyundai N Flagship Still Being Looked At
Earlier this year, Hyundai was asked if its mid-engine performance concept, the 295 hp RM16N, would ever reach production. Biermann said the automaker was “still working on these cars, trying different things,” and said that maybe Hyundai would one day have such a vehicle to offer its customers. The two-seater sports car could possibly serve as the standalone N model, but the topic is still being discussed within Hyundai. A performance sedan akin to the Kia Stinger is another likely candidate, Schemera said.
Due to the indecisiveness over what kind of vehicle the N flagship may be, it’s unlikely that it will arrive anytime soon. It could be 2025 before we see such a product arrive in Hyundai dealerships, and a lot can change between now and then. Our fingers and toes are all crossed up waiting for the RM16N to reach production, though, Hyundai. If it were up to us, the mid-engine hot hatch would get the green light ASAP.
[Source: Evo]
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Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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That car looks sharp! I like what Hyundai has been doing lately by throwing a lot of competition out there. Whoever is in charge of the company's growth and expansion should definitely keep it up. If they ever bring this mid engine concept to production, They should make it a performance hybrid.