For years, we’ve heard rumors of a mid-engined Hyundai sports car, aimed at flagging the brand’s N performance division. And Hyundai, to its credit, did not try to misunderstand us. Had Concept RM19 – a Veloster with a mid-mounted 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder pulled straight out of a WTCR touring car. Company itself describes the prototype, seen above, as “the development platform for future N-brand products, including a potential brand halo car”. Something big happened. It’s no longer there.
Indeed, Albert Biermann – the BMW M guy, who later became the man of the Hyundai N. Top gear everything this holy grail is supposed to be. He describes it as a “supercar”.
[Biermann] explains that Hyundai’s supercar will be based on a carbon fiber chassis, with a mid-engine layout. “We had a plan for a gasoline [engine] with or without a combination, or [it could’ve have accepted] a hydrogen fuel cell. “
It never had a real name, known in the company like only “The Chairman’s car.” The price tag will land in the $150,000 range, making Top gear to compare with Acura NSX. Biermann’s answer? “Sure, but not boring.” Damned.
It seems that price and positioning were the things that destroyed the banned flagship:
The Hyundai board has decided that the “Chairman’s car” will remain on the drawing board. “The problem was that the car would cost more than $150,000, and at the time, it was assumed that a Hyundai couldn’t have that price.” Biermann went on to agree that this was probably the right decision, as the i30N, and now the i20N and Kona N have introduced Hyundai to a new audience of petrol-investing customers because of their price. reasonable.
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The cancellation makes a little more sense now that we know how expensive this spectacle for the N brand would have been. Everything we’d heard painted the vehicle as more of a sports car — perhaps something in the Alfa 4C / Alpine A110 / Porsche 718 territory. In this latest interview, Biermann describes a machine that seems a little more serious than that.
Still, I can’t help but feel price is a flimsy excuse. Brand positioning does not matter anymore — not when Jeep is selling a six-figure SUV to attract Range Rover buyers and we are firmly entrenched in the age of stupid marking. Besides, if Hyundai was really convince no one to take it supercar seriously, they maybe’I just placed a Genesis badge into the thing.
The world doesn’t need another overpriced performance car after all, so I personally wouldn’t lose sleep over this one. The prospect of an N flagship is appealing in part because it looks like it will be achievable.
That said, the N brand is in a holding trend these days. Veloster N is deadthe Kona WOMEN is a fair but cumbersome stall, and Elantra WOMEN is a fugitive. It will be interesting to see the division can be squeezed out Ioniq 5 and 6, but those aren’t exactly near the corner. N had a lot of momentum coming out of the gate, but now I think the brand could really use a spark of life – not a bit more paraphernalia, though. N Vision 74 To be.
