Hyundai announces ‘N' performance brand
Korean car maker to leverage WRC involvement for high-performance N street machinesHyundai’s new performance sub-brand dubbed ‘N’ – akin to other in-house tuning companies like Mercedes AMG and BMW’s M division – is set to rework some of Hyundai's existing models into sportier, sexier, more dynamic vehicles.
The Hyundai N brand, named after the Namyang R&D Development Centre, will "bring together Hyundai Motor’s technology and innovation with the learning from motorsport to provide a new experience for customers," according to an official press statement.
Hyundai has not named the first car to get the N performance line treatment, nor put a timeline on the new sub-brand's introduction.
Bill Thomas, Public Relations General Manager at Hyundai Australia, told motoring.com.au that it is aiming to "enhance the Hyundai brand by producing a range of high-performance cars for driving enthusiasts".
According to Thomas, "N will represent a step-change for Hyundai."
The announcement comes on the back of Hyundai revealing its ambitions to compete in the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship, with its Hyundai i20 WRC and Australian Chris Atkinson at the wheel in several rally events.
The Hyundai i20 WRC car will sport a big N on the bonnet, having been developed and tuned by the Namyang R&D Development Centre.
Does this mean we will see a hot hatch version of Hyundai’s entry-level i20 as one of the first N-branded cars? "Don’t necessarily assume it’ll be an i20," Thomas said. "The i20 was chosen purely because it is the most applicable size for a world rally car – no other factor mattered as much.
"We are going rallying not to enhance the image of i20, but the image of Hyundai. The team is already working on the next i20 WRC, based on the next i20's chassis," revealed Thomas.
Don’t get too excited at the prospect of Hyundai’s new N branding coming Down Under either – as yet there’s no confirmation of Hyundai N cars being engineered for right-hand drive (RHD). Thomas is optimistic, however, highlighting the Australian car market’s hunger for affordable performance vehicles.
"We don't know whether N cars will be engineered for RHD but we certainly hope so. Yes, we always consider global products for local introduction. In this case, given Australian drivers' keenness for performance cars and hot hatches in particular – look at the ratio of RenaultSport products to overall Renault sales in Australia, as an example – we certainly hope to be given the opportunity to sell N models here."
One particular model that could benefit from the N treatment would be the upcoming Genesis Coupe, due in Australia in 2015.
Which Hyundai models would you like to see receive the ‘N’ treatment? Leave your thoughts in the comments field below.
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