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Hyundai N

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Hyundai N
Product type
  • Performance engines and cars
  • Automotive sports accessories
OwnerHyundai Motor Group
Produced byHyundai
Introduced2016
MarketsWorldwide
Websitehyundai-n.com

Hyundai N (Korean: 현대 N) is a sub-brand of high-performance cars, engines, and related technologies established in 2012 by Hyundai.[1][2]

Hyundai claims the "N" refers to two elements. First, the Namyang district in South Korea, home of Hyundai's Global Research & Development Center where the brand 'N' was founded; second, the over 20 km long Nordschleife northern loop of the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany, home to Hyundai's European Technical Center and where all the 'N' models are tested - and many other brands, too. The 'N' logo was inspired by the shape of chicanes in racing circuits.[2][3]

The first 'N'-branded vehicle produced was the i30 N, which debuted in 2016.

History

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Nürburgring Nordschleife, Hatzenbach section

In 2007, a privately entered Schumann Motorsport Hyundai Coupé driven by the Schumann brothers alongside Peter Cate and Christian Hohenadel caught the attention of Seoul by winning the SP4 class and finishing 13th overall (of 230 starters) at the grueling Nürburgring 24 Hours race. In 2012, Hyundai made the decision to gather researchers and engineers at its R&D Center in Namyang to create a new brand focused on developing high-performance vehicles.[4]

After participating in the World Rally Championship (WRC) series in 2012, researchers at the Namyang R&D Center began developing the first concept car of the Racing Midship line, the RM14, based on the 2012 Hyundai Veloster and data gathered from their WRC experience. The RM14 debuted at the 2014 Busan Motor Show. Since then, the RM line of concept cars has continued with the RM15, RM16, and RM19 models (all based on the first-generation Veloster).[5]

In late 2014 Hyundai Motor Company announced that Albert Biermann would be the Executive Vice President and Head of Vehicle Testing and High-Performance Development.[6]

On September 15, 2014, at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the N sub-brand was revealed.[7]

N production models

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On July 13, 2017, the first mass-production model of the N brand, the i30 N, was launched in the European market.[8] Since its inception, the i30 N has included a turbocharged GDI engine, electronically controlled differential limiter (e-LSD), and electronically controlled suspension as part of its standard equipment.

The following year in 2018, the second N-branded model, the Veloster N, was launched, which targeted the Asia Pacific market. In October of that year, the i30 N Fastback was also unveiled at the Paris Motor Show,[9] which is a five-door coupe version of the i30 N.

After the 2019 WRC season where Hyundai Motorsport won the manufacturer's title, a new division, "N Performance Parts", was launched.[10]

In April 2020, the dual-clutch transmission (DCT) was introduced on the Veloster N,[11] which until then only had a manual gearbox. Other improvements introduced that year were the NGS (N-Grin Shift) system which helps improve acceleration and the NPS (N-Power Shift) which synchronizes transmission shifts with the engine.[12]

Also, in 2020, the i20 N was revealed through the YouTube Hyundai N Worldwide official channel. The new model uses the Gamma II engine from previous generations of the N-Line to produce 204 horsepower. Hyundai used an i20 N for the 2020 WRC season.

In April 2021, the Hyundai N Day event was held online, mainly because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] This event unveiled the brand's new slogan 'Never just drive' as well as the first high-performance SUV model, the Kona N. Additionally, the new Elantra/Avante/i30 Sedan N based on the 7th generation Elantra was revealed. Other announcements included the improved NGS of the Veloster N DCT and the use of the Knuckle Integrated Drive Axle (IDA), a technology acquired through WRC that minimizes output loss during acceleration.

In 2022, the N version of the Ioniq 5 EV SUV with 585 PS/436 kW, and with an acceleration of 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5s was announced. It borrows components from Kia's EV6 GT.[14]

Motorsport history

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Pikes Peak

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In 1992, Rod Millen won the Showroom Stock class of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with a Hyundai Scoupe Turbo. His son Rhys Millen won the 2009 2WD Time Attack and 2012 Unlimited Championship with a Hyundai Genesis Coupe, setting a world record.[15]

World Rally Championship

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Hyundai i20 WRC 2015

At the 2012 Paris Motor Show, Hyundai unveiled the i20 WRC concept car and announced that it would participate as a manufacturer in the World Rally Championship (WRC) with its own World Rally Team (WRT). This led to the creation of the Hyundai Motorsport (HMSG) branch in Europe, which was responsible for launching the i20 WRC race car at the Geneva Motor Show.

The creation of the HMSG branch and the launch of the new i20 WRC was part of a plan that became more evident in 2013 when the N logo was unveiled to the public on the 2014 i20 WRC model.[16] In 2014 in the 3rd round, at the Mexico Rally, Hyundai WRT achieved its first podium by taking 3rd place. Then in round 9 in Germany, it took first place.

Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race record (2007–)

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In 2007, a privately entered Schumann Motorsport Hyundai Coupé driven by the Schumann brothers alongside Peter Cate and Christian Hohenadel caught the attention of Seoul by winning the SP4 class and finishing 13th overall (of 230 starters) at the grueling Nürburgring 24-hour race. Much later, Schumann Motorsport began participating in the Nürburgring 24-hour race using second-generation i30 vehicles. The information obtained from this modified vehicle allowed the durability of the powertrain, suspension, and other key components to be tested prior to the mass production of the first i30 N model.

Hyundai i30N

By April 2017, the final i30 N prototype was already participating in the competition. By this time, Hyundai Motor Company independently started participating in the Nürburgring 24-hour endurance race using its WRT W Racing team. This allowed engineers from the Namyang Research Institute in Korea to do the final testing of the i30 N on the race track itself.

For 2018, Hyundai Motor's two i30 N cars took second and fourth place in the TCR class and 58th overall. Of the 150 cars that entered the race that year, only 106 were able to complete the race, including the two i30 N cars.

In 2019, Hyundai Motor North America (HMA) introduced the Veloster N TCR at the Detroit Auto Show. The new model entered the competition that same year along with the i30 N TCR and the i30 Fastback N. The Veloster N TCR managed to place 45th overall and 2nd in the TCR class, while the i30 N TCR took first place in the TCR class.

By 2020, Hyundai Motor Company entered three vehicles: the Veloster N TCR, the i30 Fastback N, and the i30 N TCR, achieving the best overall placement so far, even after the event was interrupted for 8 hours due to heavy rain.

In the 2021 season, Hyundai participated with the Elantra N TCR, the i30 N TCR, and the i20 N in the SP2T class. The Elantra N TCR finished first in class and 32nd overall, the i30 N TCR finished 2nd in the TCR class and 33rd overall, while the i20 won the SP2T class, finishing 89th overall.

Hyundai N (brand), N Line, and Concept Line

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Hyundai currently offers three performance levels under the N brand.[17]

N

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Hyundai N vehicles are aimed at performance enthusiasts looking for a street-legal vehicle they can take to the limit on and off the track. In addition to all the aerodynamic upgrades, these vehicles use N-exclusive badging, modified engines, custom gearboxes, and variable suspension systems.[18]

N Line

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Hyundai created the N Line inspired by the success of the original N vehicles. These models include styling and performance upgrades that differentiate them from their standard counterparts but use the same powertrain as the standard models.[19]

Concept Line

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As the name suggests, these are concept vehicles not commercially available to the general public, whose mission is to test revolutionary technologies that would later be incorporated into the N brand. One example is the RM20e,[20] an electric vehicle that develops 810 hp of power and 960 Nm of torque that allows it to reach 0-200 kph in just 9.88 seconds.[21]

On July 15, 2022, the N brand rolling labs vehicles RN22e and N Vision 74 were unveiled.[22] The RN22e is the first E-GMP-based high-performance vehicle of the N brand, featuring a 160 kW front-wheel motor and 270 kW rear-wheel motor. The N Vision 74 is a hydrogen hybrid high-performance vehicle drawing inspiration from the Pony Coupe concept. It was developed as a hybrid structure of a battery-electric in combination with an FCEV system and a three-channel cooling system.[23]

List of Hyundai N vehicles

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N (brand) models

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Name Image Model code Calendar year introduced Notes
Elantra N / Avante N / i30 Sedan N CN7 N 2021 Not available in Europe
i20 N BC3 N 2020 Not available in North America and India
i30 N / i30 Fastback N PD N 2017
Ioniq 5 N NE N 2023 Won the World Performance Car of the Year award.

N Line models

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Hyundai N offers optional sports trim packages to their mainstream models, known as the N Line. N Line vehicles consist of sports upgrades that are mostly cosmetic, such as different wheels and spoilers.

  • 2024 Hyundai Creta N Line (SU2i)
    2024 Hyundai Creta N Line (SU2i)
  • 2020 Avante N Line
    2020 Avante N Line
  • 2023 i10 N Line
    2023 i10 N Line
  • 2021 i20 N Line (BI3)
    2021 i20 N Line (BI3)
  • 2020 i30 N Line
    2020 i30 N Line
  • 2024 Ioniq 5 N Line
    2024 Ioniq 5 N Line
  • 2024 Kona N Line
    2024 Kona N Line
  • 2022 Lafesta N Line
    2022 Lafesta N Line
  • 2023 Sonata N Line
    2023 Sonata N Line
  • 2021 Tucson N Line
    2021 Tucson N Line

Concept cars

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Hyundai N concept automobiles
Name Image Year Notes
RM14 2014 "Racing Midship 2014", introduced at Busan Motor Show; based on Veloster with mid-mounted 2.0 Theta T-GDI engine.[24]
RM15 2015 "Racing Midship 2015", introduced at Seoul Motor Show; based on Veloster and RM14 with aluminum space frame and carbon fiber body panels.[24]
N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo 2015 All-wheel-drive racing car with each wheel powered by an electric traction motor.
RM16 2016 "Racing Midship 2016", introduced at Busan Motor Show; based on Veloster[24]
RN30 2016 Introduced at Paris Motor Show; based on i30[25]
iMax N 2019 Built by Hyundai Australia after a joke posted by Hyundai Germany showing a Hyundai iMax in N livery.[26]
RM19 2019 "Racing Midship 2019", introduced at AutoMobility Los Angeles; based on Veloster; made available to enthusiast media for test drive.[27][28]
MR23T 2020 Development mule as latest "RM" project car; based on Veloster.[29]
RM20e 2021 Similarly based on Veloster as RM19, but uses electric traction motor instead.[30]
N Vision 74 2022 Rear-drive coupe with two electric traction motors; based on the 1974 Pony Concept Coupe, which was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro.
RN22e 2022 All-wheel-drive "streamliner" sedan with two electric traction motors; based on IONIQ 6.
RN24 2024

Motorsports competition models

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Discontinued models

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  • i30 Fastback N World Time Attack Challenge (WTAC) Race Car (2019)
  • i20 R5 (2016–2021)
  • Veloster N (2018–2022)
  • Kona N (2021–2023)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Hyundai Motor showcases high performance N sub-brand". www.hyundai.news. Archived from the original on 2022-01-03. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  2. ^ a b "N Story | Hyundai Worldwide". HYUNDAI MOTORS. Archived from the original on 2022-07-18. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  3. ^ "About Hyundai N Brand | Hyundai N". www.hyundai-n.com. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  4. ^ "N Story | Hyundai Worldwide". HYUNDAI MOTORS. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  5. ^ "Hyundai's RM series evolves, with the latest N performance car concept". New Atlas. 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  6. ^ "Albert Biermann appointed Head of Vehicle Test & High-Performance Development". www.hyundai.news. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  7. ^ "Hyundai Motor Reveals Passion for High Performance with N Sub-brand at Frankfurt Motor Show". news.hyundaimotorgroup.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  8. ^ "Exhilarating driving pleasure for everyone – The Hyundai i30 N". HYUNDAI MOTORS. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  9. ^ "Hyundai at the Paris Motor Show through the years". www.hyundai.news. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  10. ^ "N Performance Parts".
  11. ^ "Hyundai Unveils the New Veloster N with 8-Speed DCT". HYUNDAI MOTORS. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  12. ^ "Veloster N Adds Speed and Fun with the New N DCT - Hyundai Motor Group TECH". tech.hyundaimotorgroup.com. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  13. ^ "Hyundai Motor to Unveil The All-New KONA N at 'N Day' Digital Event". HYUNDAI MOTORS. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  14. ^ "585hp Hyundai Ioniq 5 N rendered and prototype spotted: price, specs and release date". CARWOW. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
  15. ^ "Before N - 제네시스 쿠페 #1 - Before N - N - 고성능 N - TECH - 브랜드 스토리 - 브랜드 | 현대자동차" [Before N - Genesis Coupe #1]. 현대닷컴 (in Korean). Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  16. ^ "i20 WRC Evolution". Hyundai Motorsport Official Website. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
  17. ^ "All Hyundai N Models | Hyundai N". www.hyundai-n.com. Retrieved 2021-12-19.
  18. ^ "Hyundai N & N-line Performance Vehicles | Hyundai USA". www.hyundaiusa.com. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  19. ^ "Hyundai N Line Models | Hyundai N". www.hyundai-n.com. Retrieved 2022-03-11.
  20. ^ "The Next Generation of Hyundai N Performance". www.hyundai.news. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  21. ^ "N Brand Concept Cars | Hyundai N". www.hyundai-n.com. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  22. ^ "Watch The Hyundai N Vision 74 And RN22e Go For A Play Date On The Track". CARSCOOPS. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  23. ^ "Why We Can't Stop Talking About The New Hyundai N Vision 74 Concept". HOTCARS. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  24. ^ a b c "Hyundai Motor Demonstrates its Passion for High-Performance at the 2016 Busan International Motor Show" (Press release). Hyundai Motor Group Newsroom. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  25. ^ Nishimoto, Alex (September 30, 2016). "Hyundai RN30 Concept is a 375-HP, AWD Race-Inspired Preview of i30N". Super Street. Motor Trend. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  26. ^ Maddireddy, Mihir (October 20, 2019). "Hyundai's iMax N Drift Bus Hits the Track in Sydney". Car and Driver. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  27. ^ Riswick, James (December 2, 2019). "Hyundai RM19 Track Drive | Goes like Boxster, looks like Veloster". Autoblog. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  28. ^ "Hyundai N Brand Reveals All-New RM19 Racing Midship Sports Car Prototype" (Press release). Hyundai Newsroom. December 2, 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  29. ^ López, Jose Antonio (March 31, 2020). "Hyundai Midship Test Mule Spied, to Have 2.3-liter Turbo +80 hp Electric Motor". The Korean Car Blog. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  30. ^ "Future Cars: 2024 Hyundai RM20e Is a Blistering Electric Hatchback". Motor Trend. July 29, 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
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