Hyundai N Is Working On A Rear-Wheel-Drive Performance Car

• Hyundai N will have more than seven models by 2030 as it targets 100,000 annual sales.
• The front-engined RWD/AWD model could have the greatest growth potential for the performance sub-brand.
• A new front-wheel-drive crossover is also in the works: Kona N?

There’s a lot to unpack from Hyundai’s CEO Investor Day held yesterday, which is why it didn’t feel right to just cram everything into a super-long article. We’ve already talked about how the Koreans are planning a new lineup of more affordable performance cars, but there’s even more good news enthusiasts will want to hear.

Hyundai has set its sights on expanding the N lineup from the five models it sells today to more than seven by the end of the decade. Annual sales are projected to increase fivefold over this period, growing from 20,000 units in 2025 to 100,000 vehicles in 2030. A new model will be crucial to the company’s estimated N boom: a rear-wheel-drive car.

Without going into details, Hyundai confirms it’s working on a front-engined car based on a rear-wheel-drive platform with AWD support. It doesn’t say whether it has a combustion engine or is fully electric, but we’re tempted to say it has an ICE under the hood. This unnamed model is supposed to have the biggest market coverage potential (22 percent). With gas engines still dominating the high-performance segment, it’s reasonable to expect this N model to have cylinders rather than electric motors. Well, unless it’s a plug-in hybrid, in which case it’ll have both.

If anything is missing, it’s the long-rumored N Vision 74. We’ve asked Hyundai whether the wedge-shaped supercar is still happening, and we’ll update the article once we hear back.

Hyundai N Is Going Big

The attached infographic suggests it’ll be a large car with a starting price higher than the Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N. As a refresher, the crossover starts in the low $60,000s, while the sedan is expected to cost below the $70,000 threshold when it arrives for the 2027 model year.

It’s not the only N-badged model coming soon. The “Entry FF” vehicle listed in the infographic will be a small crossover, so Hyundai could be planning to bring back the Kona N. Either way, this model is supposed to increase market coverage by five percentage points. All told, Hyundai N wants to double its market coverage from 30 percent to more than 60 percent by 2030, thanks to an influx of new models and expanded availability in more than 40 global markets.

Even More Hyundai N Models Could Happen

Hyundai N also has opportunities to explore as it tries to catch up with the likes of Mercedes-AMG, BMW M, and Audi Sport. It’s looking into a few whitespace products, such as an entry-level front-engined car with rear- and all-wheel drive, along with a compact EV, possibly an Ioniq 3 N.

Looking at the other end of the hierarchy, there’s potential for three additional vehicles: a premium SUV, a premium EV, and a sports car positioned as a luxury GT. However, if any of these models were to get the green light, don’t expect to see them until the next decade. The grand tourer is the most interesting of the three, especially since it would be a Hyundai N model rather than a Genesis.

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Source: Hyundai

Motor1’s Take: Hyundai N is clearly thinking much bigger than simply adding a few more performance variants to its existing lineup. The prospect of a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive N car is particularly intriguing because it would give the division something it doesn’t currently have.

Of course, plenty of questions remain. Hyundai hasn’t confirmed the powertrain or the body style. But if the company follows through on its ambitious sales and expansion plans, the N badge could become a much more significant player in the performance-car market. And if Hyundai really is preparing a gas-powered RWD car, enthusiasts have every reason to pay attention.