Korean car brand Hyundai is rapidly expanding its N performance arm and there are many products in the pipeline. There's also a new engine.
First spotted by KoreanCarBlog, a Veloster N mule was seen cruising the streets with a sticker on the door, detailing its engine capacity. Rumours are strong that the Koreans are shifting from the 2.0-litre turbo Theta II motor to the Theta III 2.5-litre turbo. There are already rumours Hyundai will adopt the new Smartstream technology which means more power and we're expecting to see a jump to 223 kW and 421 Nm.
Photo from KoreanCarBlog
As it stands, we already have the Hyundai i30 N in two states of tune (although the SA market only gets the high-spec model), i30 N Fastback, Veloster N and we know Hyundai is working on N versions of its Kona, Elantra sedan and compact i20. There are also strong signs of Hyundai working on a mid-engined hybrid high-performance vehicle based on the Veloster. There's also an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission for the i30 N and Veloster N due in the next few months.
Given its rapid growth, we're expecting a lot from the performance arm of Hyundai and we already think its fair to ask if N is the new M, given how many German engineers now work for Hyundai.
Further Reading
Hyundai Veloster N with DCT Teased
