Hyundai to reveal radical new N sports car on 15 July

Hyundai’s N performance division will reveal a new model on 15 July as part of the brand’s annual N day.

The mysterious new model has been previewed on social media ahead of its world premiere, wrapped in cloth in a dimly lit warehouse. Only its most distinctive body features were on display. 

A large spoiler features at the rear, and the angular silhouette – with its low, sloping bonnet and stretched wheelbase – suggests this new performance car will be a radically different proposition to any current Hyundai model. 

Hyundai has said the 2022 N day will “envisage the future of N with legacy”. When contacted by Autocar, the firm would not reveal any further details about the new model. 

Another image, also released on Hyundai’s social media pages, shows the rear end of the new Hyundai Ioniq 6, officially revealed last week, with a large race-spec rear wing installed - hinting that a hot version of that car is inbound, too. 

Hyundai's German-based European headquarters have recently been handed more autonomy to develop region-specific models, due to the firm’s success in the market. The move means there will be an increased number of bespoke models designed specifically for Europe, as well as the opportunity to lead the development of models destined for global markets. 

“We’ve been so successful [in our European operation] that we’ve been given more to develop on our own,” Tyrone Johnson, head of research and development for Genesis, Hyundai and Kia, told Autocar exclusively last month. 

The N performance brand is very much a key focus for Johnson and Hyundai. The firm had a total of 30 projects in the works in 2021, including the Hyundai i20 N, Hyundai Kona N and Hyundai Elantra N. 

Formerly the chief engineer of Ford’s performance RS division, Johnson joined the Hyundai Motor Group in 2018. Since then, he has helped to consolidate a number of European testing sites. 

Johnson also said the firm has plans to double the size of its Nürburgring site, which bodes well for its N derivatives.